37 Facts About Fremantle

Fremantle is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital.

The settlement struggled in its first decades, and in 1850, with the advent of penal transportation to the colony, Fremantle became Australia's primary destination for convicts.

The convict-built Fremantle Prison operated long after transportation ended in 1868, and is a World Heritage Site.

Fremantle was charted as a municipality in 1883, and the following decade its harbour was deepened for commercial shipping, transforming the port into a bustling trade centre and gateway at the height of the Western Australian gold rushes.

Today, Fremantle is recognised for its well-preserved Victorian and Edwardian streetscapes and convict-era heritage, and is known as a bohemian enclave with a thriving arts and culinary scene.

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On 2 May 1829, Fremantle hoisted the Union Flag in a bay near what is known as Arthur Head, and in accordance with his instructions, took formal possession "of the whole of the West Coast of New Holland" in the name of Britain's King George IV.

Fremantle's did not break up, as had been expected, but instead survived to become Western Australia's first prison hulk.

The thirty-seventh and last convict ship to dock at Fremantle was Hougoumont on 10 January 1868, signalling the end of penal transportation to Australia.

Fremantle still serves as the chief general seaport for Western Australia, though far greater tonnages are exported from the iron-ore ports of the Pilbara.

Fremantle was considered a "veritable Shangri-la" among submariners during the war, however tensions between transient American and non-American soldiers often led to alcohol-fuelled violence.

City of Fremantle introduced several urban renewal projects in 2012, encouraging mixed-use development by increasing the maximum building height on key sites in the CBD, including Kings Square and the inner East End.

In January 2013, the City of Fremantle became the first council in Australia to outlaw the use of non-degradable plastic bags within their local area.

Suburb of Fremantle is bounded by the Swan River to the north and north-west, the Indian Ocean to the west, South Street to the south, and the suburbs of East Fremantle and White Gum Valley to the east.

East Fremantle has its own town council and is not governed by the City of Fremantle.

Fremantle is generally a few degrees cooler than Perth in summer.

Fremantle has been represented by some significant Australian political figures.

The state's largest university and a major secondary school in Fremantle are named after him, and his statue stands in Kings Square near the Fremantle Town Hall.

Fremantle has seen many industrial conflicts, the most famous of which occurred in 1919 when rioting broke out during the Battle of the Barricades, resulting in one death and many injuries.

Fremantle is renowned for its well-preserved architectural heritage, including convict-built structures and hundreds of gold rush-era buildings, presenting a variety and unity of historic buildings and streetscapes.

Fremantle Prison was once one of the most notorious prisons in the British Empire.

Fremantle Markets opened in 1897, forming a precinct providing handicrafts, specialty foods, dining halls and fish and vegetable markets.

Fremantle offers a wide variety of dining experiences, with a strong emphasis on Italian and Asian cuisine as well as seafood.

Old Customs House, a heritage building just across from the working Fremantle Ports, is home to a not-for-profit artists agency, Artsource, and provides 23 artist studios, and houses several other arts organisations.

Dom Mariani grew up in Fremantle, as did James Baker, and in the mid-1970s, fellow punk rock pioneer Kim Salmon resided at the Tarantella Night Club, where he made his first public performances.

Songs about Fremantle include the title track of Paul Kelly's 1987 album Under the Sun, The Waifs' 2004 single "Bridal Train", and much of Eskimo Joe's 2004 album A Song is a City.

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Fremantle is home to a number of independent labels, including Redline Records, co-run by Jebediah frontman and Fremantle-native Kevin Mitchell, and Jarrah Records, co-founded by the John Butler Trio and The Waifs.

The Fremantle Eisteddfod, running annually at the Fremantle Town Hall, supports young artists with prizes and concerts.

In 2006, Fremantle Prison was featured on an episode of the American version of The Amazing Race.

Episodes of the BBC World documentary television series Peschardt's People have been filmed in Fremantle, including an episode with Australian actress Toni Collette and another with Fremantle-based English comedian Ben Elton.

Actors from Fremantle include Emma Booth, Ewen Leslie, David Frankflin, Mary Ward and Simon Lyndon.

Fremantle has subsequently served as a stopover in the Clipper, Velux and Volvo round-the-world yacht races, and hosted the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, a major qualifying event for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

The East Fremantle Sharks are by far the most successful club in the West Australian Football League, winning a total of 29 premierships.

Fremantle is home to five beaches: Bathers Beach, River Beach, South Beach, Leighton Beach and Port Beach.

Fremantle was the starting point of railways in the metropolitan area of Perth, the Fremantle railway line being the starting point of the first railway in 1881 to Guildford.

Major health service facility in Fremantle is Fremantle Hospital, located at Alma Street, a short walk from the city centre.

Fremantle Hospital is a 450-bed major acute-care teaching hospital with important tertiary links.

Fremantle has sister city relationships with five cities and friendship city relationships with three cities.