Fremantle
Travel Guide Oceania Australia Western Australia Fremantle
Introduction
Fremantle, or 'Freo' as it is usually referred to by locals, is located around 19 kilometres south of Perth, Western Australia. It is situated on the mouth of the Swan River, so acts as the port for the city. It is home to beautiful heritage buildings, great food and drink along the Cappucino Strip and many entertainment options.
Sights and Activities
- The Maritime Museum houses six galleries, each focusing on a different aspect of Western Australia's relationship with the sea. The Museum hosts Australia's winning America's Cup yacht (Australia II) and an Oberon class submarine.
- The Round House is the oldest building still standing in Western Australia. It was built in 1830 as a prison. Entry is by gold coin ($1 or $2) donation.
- Fremantle Prison was built by convict labour in the 1850s, and used as a goal until it closed in the early 1990s. Day and night tours of the prison are available, with reports that the prison is haunted by ghosts.
Events and Festivals
Fremantle is famous for its events and festivals. One of the most popular is the weekend long West Coast Blues and Roots Festival, with a great line up of blues and roots music and a relaxed atmosphere. Also popular is the Fremantle Festival, a celebration of the colourful culture that makes Fremantle what it is.
Getting There
By Train
Fremantle is the last stop on the train line running from the city.
By Bus
Buses run regularly to Fremantle from the city, down both Stirling Highway and Canning Highway. Check the Transperth Journey Planner.
By Boat
Most of the ferry companies servicing Rottnest Island depart from Fremantle, with the ferry taking roughly 25 minutes. A number of large cruise ships also visit the port of Fremantle on their tours.
Getting Around
By Car
You can drive around Fremantle, however be aware that most of the parking bays have meters.
By Public Transport
The Fremantle CAT bus (same concept as the CAT buses that operate in the Perth CBD) are free and run roughly every 10 minutes around Fremantle from 7.30am (10am weekends, public holidays) until 6.30pm (Friday until 9pm). They don't run on Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
By Foot
The sights of Fremantle are all easily accessible on foot.
By Bike
Fremantle is easily explored by bike, with a number of bike racks available.
Eat
Down on the harbour there are a number of fish and chips shops, for which Fremantle has become well known.
Drink
Little Creatures Brewery is well worth a visit, both for their beer and for their food. You can find them at 40 Mews Road, Fremantle. Other microbreweries worth a visit are the Sail and Anchor, and Mad Monk.
Keep Connected
Internet
Internet cafés are very common in the larger Australian cities and popular tourist destinations. However, once you leave the major population centres, you might have trouble finding somewhere to log on. Free wifi is getting more and more common (either with or without a code) in places like restaurants, some bars and coffee places and hotels. Sometimes a fee is required.
Phone
See also: International Telephone Calls
Australia is on a GSM 900/1800 network, so if you have an unlocked phone that works on those frequencies, you will be able to buy a prepaid SIM-card and stick into your phone when you're in Australia. You will receive a new Australian phone number with the SIM-card.
To dial out of Australia use the prefix 0011, followed by the calling code of the country you are trying to reach, followed by the area code of the city/town (without the 0!) and finally the phone number.
Within Australia, it is necessary to add an area code to the phone numbers if you are calling from outside the area. Below are Australia's area codes:
- 02 - New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory (Sydney, Canberra)
- 03 - Victoria & Tasmania (Melbourne, Hobart)
- 07 - Queensland (Brisbane)
- 08 - Western Australia, South Australia & Northern Territory (Perth, Adelaide, Darwin)
000 is the emergency telephone number in Australia, but the international GSM mobile emergency telephone number 112 also works on mobile phones.
Post
Australia Post is the government's postal service. Most suburbs will have at least one post office. Opening times are mostly from around 8:00 or 9:00am to 5:00pm though larger ones keep longer hours sometimes. A standard letter or postcard sent within Australia will cost $0.60. Internationally, it costs $1.70 to send postcards anywhere in the world. Letters cost $1.85 to send within the Asia Pacific region and $2.60 to anywhere else in the world.[1]. It is also possible to send things as parcels or by express mail. You can also use use private courier companies like TNT, UPS or DHL as they are competitive and reliable.
References
- 1 Australia Post. Sourced 10 May 2013
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