95-770: Cliff Street is a street in Fremantle , Western Australia . It is the furthest west cross street on High Street , running parallel to Mouat Street . The proximity to government offices, and the connection between the Swan River and the ocean jetties, made the street a significant thoroughfare in the early stages of Fremantle development In the 1860s an early union organization, the Western Australian Working Men's Association chose rooms in Cliff Street after their Phillimore Street rooms lease
190-584: A Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa). The regular sea breeze is known as the Fremantle Doctor , as it provides cooling relief from the summer heat when it arrives between noon and 3pm. Fremantle is generally a few degrees cooler than Perth in summer. The Fremantle state seat was continuously held by the Australian Labor Party from 1924 until 2009, when it was lost at a by-election to Greens candidate Adele Carles . The seat
285-537: A brawl between American and New Zealand servicemen at the National Hotel resulted in many injuries and the death from stab wounds of two Māori soldiers. After Australia won the 1983 America's Cup yacht race, Fremantle hosted Australia's defence of the trophy in 1987. The series was held in Gage Roads and significantly boosted the local economy and tourism. A new Fremantle marina, Challenger Harbour ,
380-421: A community theatre company, Harbour Theatre Inc., which has been performing in the city since 1963. There is also the J Shed situated on Bathers' Beach. J Shed houses four artists studios. 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. Known as
475-602: A contraceptive effect. As early as 10,000 BP local people utilised quartz , replacing chert flint for spear and knife edges when the chert deposits were submerged by sea level rise during the Flandrian transgression . Before the arrival of Europeans , the Noongar population has been variously estimated at between 6,000 and some tens of thousands. Colonisation by the British brought both violence and new diseases, taking
570-404: A heavy toll on the population. The Noongar, like many other Aboriginal peoples, saw the arrival of Europeans as the returning of deceased people, often imagining them as relatives who deserved accommodation. As they approached from the west, the newcomers were called djaanga (or djanak ), meaning "white spirits". Initially, relations were generally cordial. Matthew Flinders recognised
665-467: A judgment which recognised native title in an area over the city of Perth and its surrounds, known as Bennell v State of Western Australia [2006] FCA 1243. An appeal was subsequently lodged and was heard in April 2007. The remainder of the larger "Single Noongar Claim" area, covering 193,956 km (74,887 sq mi) of the south-west of Western Australia, remains outstanding, and will hinge on
760-522: A living by hunting and trapping a variety of game, including kangaroos, possums and wallabies; for people close to the coastal zone or riverine systems, spear-fishing or culling fish in traps was customary. An extensive range of edible wild plants were also available, including yams and wattle seeds. Nuts of the zamia palm , eaten during the Djeran season (April–May) required extensive treatment to remove their toxicity , and for women, they may have had
855-680: 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 . Declared a city in 1929, Fremantle played a key role in World War II as the largest submarine base in the Southern Hemisphere. Post-war immigration from Europe, particularly Italy , helped shape Fremantle's character, and it rapidly gentrified after hosting
950-538: A music hub, Fremantle has given rise to many notable musicians, including AC/DC frontman Bon Scott , who grew up in the city and whose gravesite at Fremantle Cemetery has become a cultural landmark. A statue of Scott was erected in 2009 at the Fishing Boat Harbour. Dom Mariani also grew up in Fremantle, as did James Baker , and in the mid-1970s, fellow punk rock pioneer Kim Salmon resided at
1045-592: A pharmacist with a shop in High Street, was admired by all sides of politics for his civic leadership and tireless work for the city, especially during the Second World War, when he is said to have visited every ship that called at the port. He was a leading figure in many civic organisations and his stepson, Roger Dunkley, was medical officer with the 2nd/2nd Independent Company during the Timor campaign in
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#17327836589051140-485: A variety and unity of historic buildings and streetscapes. These were often built in locally quarried limestone with ornate façades in a succession of architectural styles. Rapid development following the harbour works gave rise to an Edwardian precinct as merchant and shipping companies built in the west end and on reclaimed land. The Round House , the oldest remaining intact building in Western Australia,
1235-473: A wide variety of dining experiences, with a strong emphasis on Italian and Asian cuisine as well as seafood. Various cafés and coffee shops are situated around Fremantle, particularly on the 'Cappuccino Strip', a section of South Terrace known for its al fresco dining culture. The Fishing Boat Harbour has become a tourist precinct, with a mixture of microbreweries , restaurants and some of Australia's largest fish and chip shops. A number of old buildings on
1330-420: Is also severe, and has resulted in a high proportion of plants and animals being included in the categories of rare, threatened and endangered species. In modern times many Aboriginal men were employed intermittently as rabbiters, and rabbit became an important part of Noongar diet in the early 20th century. The Noongar territory also happens to conform closely with the south-west Indian Ocean Drainage Region, and
1425-503: Is health care and social assistance – 17.5% of the city's workers are employed in this area, reflecting the important influence of Fremantle Hospital. The transport, postal and warehousing sector employs 12.6% of the workers, followed by retail, employing 10.2%. The Local Gross Product of Fremantle was $ 3,677 million in 2011. Fremantle was served by a Community Newspaper Group paper, The Fremantle - Cockburn Gazette , until 2021 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Newspaper_Group ) and
1520-531: Is located in what is now known as Fremantle's West End: a collection of streets characterised by late Victorian and Edwardian architecture . A process of gentrification in the early 1990s was accelerated by the establishment of the University of Notre Dame Australia that occupies, and has restored, many of the buildings in the West End. When the first 75 convicts arrived from Britain in 1850 to support
1615-641: Is now considered a Noongar hero, by many to have been one of the first indigenous resistance fighters. Matters escalated with conflicts between the settlement of Thomas Peel and the Pindjarup people, resulting in the Pinjarra massacre . Similarly, struggles with Ballardong people in the Avon Valley continued until violently suppressed by Lieutenant Henry William St Pierre Bunbury . Notwithstanding this violence, extraordinary acts of goodwill existed. In
1710-609: Is part of the Fremantle West End Heritage area , which was established in late 2016. Heritage buildings found along Cliff Street include: Fremantle Fremantle ( / ˈ f r iː m æ n t əl / ) ( Nyungar : Walyalup ) is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth , the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as
1805-493: The 1987 America's Cup sailing competition. Today, Fremantle is recognised for its well-preserved Victorian and Edwardian streetscapes and convict-era architecture, and is known as a bohemian enclave with a thriving arts and culinary scene. It is also the traditional home of the Fremantle Football Club , one of two Australian Football League teams based in Western Australia. The original inhabitants of
1900-645: The Fremantle Arts Centre , constructed in the 1860s from locally quarried limestone. It is a former lunatic asylum building on Ord Street, and is one of Fremantle's most significant landmarks. Today, the imposing Victorian Gothic building and its historic courtyards are used for art exhibitions and music concerts. The Fremantle Markets opened in 1897, forming a precinct providing handicrafts, specialty foods, dining halls and fish and vegetable markets. The area also hosts buskers and other street performers. The then premier , Sir John Forrest , laid
1995-780: The Fremantle Declaration , a restatement and affirmation of legal and human rights principles in Australia. In 2011, Prime Minister Julia Gillard launched the Commonwealth Youth Forum in Fremantle as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011 , held in Perth 28–30 October. Fremantle is renowned for its well-preserved architectural heritage, including convict-built structures and hundreds of gold rush-era buildings, presenting
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#17327836589052090-481: The Fremantle Technical School , Fremantle Synagogue and Scots Presbyterian Church . Some key historical buildings have been lost to development, while others are only extant thanks to community activism that went against the wishes of developers. For example, the art deco Oriana Cinema on the corner of Queen and High streets was demolished in 1972, after only 34 years of operation. This
2185-542: The Round House prison stands) to Point Marquis was called Manjaree , an important meeting place where bush paths converged and a major trading place for Whadjuk and neighbouring Noongars. Today, Whadjuk and other Noongars continue to gather and meet in Walyalup and at Manjaree . The first Europeans to visit the site of modern-day Fremantle were Dutch explorers captained by Willem de Vlamingh , in 1697. They mapped
2280-659: The Tarantella Night Club , where he made his first public performances. John Butler of the John Butler Trio started his music career busking in Fremantle in the 1990s. Alternative rock and folk groups Little Birdy , The Waifs and Eskimo Joe all have Fremantle connections, and belong to what has been dubbed the 'Freo Sound'. Other notable Fremantle musicians include bassist Martyn P. Casey , psychedelic rock groups Tame Impala and Pond , and indie pop band San Cisco . Songs about Fremantle include
2375-830: The West Coast Blues & Roots Festival , the Fremantle Winter Music Festival , and the St Jerome's Laneway Festival . The Fremantle Eisteddfod, running annually at the Fremantle Town Hall , supports young artists with prizes and concerts. Fremantle has served as the setting for several films. Windrider (1986) was shot in Fremantle and starred Nicole Kidman . In the 2004 film Thunderstruck , four devoted AC/DC fans travel across Australia from Sydney to Fremantle to bury their best friend next to Bon Scott's grave. Shooting for
2470-419: The south-west corner of Western Australia , from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast. There are 14 different groups in the Noongar cultural bloc: Amangu , Ballardong , Yued , Kaneang , Koreng , Mineng , Njakinjaki , Njunga , Pibelmen , Pindjarup , Wadandi , Whadjuk , Wiilman and Wudjari . The Noongar people refer to their land as Noongar boodja . The members of
2565-559: The 2006 film Last Train to Freo took place outside Fremantle railway station , while scenes in the 2010 musical film Bran Nue Dae were shot in Fremantle's West End. Other films shot and/or set in Fremantle include Wind (1992), Teesh and Trude (2003) and Two Fists, One Heart (2008). Noongar The Noongar ( / ˈ n ʊ ŋ ɑːr / , also spelt Noongah , Nyungar / ˈ n j ʊ ŋ ɑːr / , Nyoongar , Nyoongah , Nyungah , Nyugah , and Yunga / ˈ j ʊ ŋ ɑː / ) are Aboriginal Australian people who live in
2660-462: The 2011 Australian census, 10,549 people identified as indigenous in the south-west of Western Australia. By 2021, this number had increased to 14,355. The endonym of the Noongar comes from a word originally meaning "man" or "person". At the time of European settlement, it is believed that the peoples of what became the Noongar community spoke thirteen dialects, of which five still have speakers with some knowledge of their respective versions of
2755-599: The 2011 award for That Deadman Dance . Yirra Yaakin describes itself as the response to the Aboriginal community's need for positive self-enhancement through artistic expression. It is a theatre company that strives for community development and which also has the drive to create "exciting, authentic and culturally appropriate indigenous theatre". Many local governments in the southwest have developed "compacts" or "commitments" with their local Noongar communities to ensure that sites of significance are protected and that
2850-522: The Aboriginal people. The 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. The central part of the suburb extends eastwards to include Royal Fremantle Golf Club and a suburban area south of Marmion Street and west of Carrington Street. The City of Fremantle local government area also includes
2945-664: The Convict Establishment in the Catalpa rescue of 1876. During this period, notorious South Sea pirate Bully Hayes lived in Fremantle with his fiancée Miss Scott, daughter of the Fremantle Harbour Master. In 1897, Irish-born engineer C. Y. O'Connor deepened Fremantle Harbour and removed the limestone bar and sand shoals across the entrance to the Swan River, thus rendering Fremantle a serviceable port for commercial shipping. This occurred at
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3040-556: The Fleet ceremony. Fremantle—along with the inner suburbs Northbridge , Leederville and Subiaco —is one of Perth's major nightlife hubs. It attracts people from all over the metropolitan region for its pubs, bars and nightclubs. There are several major annual festivals in Fremantle. First held in 1906, the Fremantle Festival is Australia's longest running community festival. International street performers converge for
3135-690: The Fremantle Street Arts Festival, held over the Easter holiday period. The Fremantle Heritage Festival celebrates local history with a variety of events, tours, concerts and workshops. Fremantle is also home to several galleries and museums. The Western Australian Museum has two branches in Fremantle: the Shipwreck Galleries , housed in convict-constructed commissariat buildings and known for its artefacts from
3230-492: The Noongar are largely urbanised or concentrated in major regional towns, studies have shown that the direct economic impact of the Noongar community on the WA economy was estimated to range between five and seven hundred million dollars per year. Exit polls of tourists leaving Western Australia have consistently shown that "lack of contact with indigenous culture" has been their greatest regret. It has been estimated that this results in
3325-505: The Noongar but in many cases they are unable to receive appropriate government-agency care. The report that was produced after this gathering also stated that Noongar men have a life expectancy of 20 years less than non-Aboriginal men, and go to hospital three times more often. The Noongar still have large extended families and many families have difficulty accessing available structures of sheltered housing in Western Australia. The Western Australian government has dedicated several areas for
3420-689: The Noongar community constituted a united society which had continued to exist despite the disruption resulting from mixed marriage and people being forced off their land and dispersed to other areas as a result of white settlement and later Government policies. In April 2008 the Full Bench of the Federal Court upheld parts of the appeal by the Western Australian and Commonwealth governments against Justice Wilcox's judgment. Other native title claims on Noongar lands include: Since
3515-543: The Noongar language in the general curriculum have been made. In recent years there has been considerable interest in Noongar visual arts. In 2006, Noongar culture was showcased as part of the Perth International Arts Festival . A highlight of the Festival was the unveiling of the monumental "Ngallak Koort Boodja – Our Heart Land Canvas". The 8-metre (26 ft) canvas was commissioned for
3610-496: The Rottnest Island Deaths Group. The changes also removed rights of notification and appeal for traditional owners seeking to protect their heritage. A legal ruling on 1 April 2015 overturned the government's actions on some of the sites deregistered which were found to be truly sacred. Elders are increasingly asked on formal occasions to provide a " Welcome to Country ", and the first steps of teaching
3705-536: The Second World War, and is often described as one of the nation's greatest political leaders. 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. A long-serving mayor of the town, Sir Frank Gibson (1919–1923 and 1926–1952), was also a Liberal parliamentarian from 1942 to 1956. Gibson,
3800-567: The Second World War. Carmen Lawrence , the first female premier of an Australian state, later represented Fremantle in the federal House of Representatives . 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. On 10 November 2006, Australian state and territory attorneys general met in Fremantle to sign
3895-701: The Western Australian Youth Orchestra. The Noongar people occupied and maintained the Mediterranean climate lands of the south-west ecoregion of Western Australia, and made sustainable use of seven biogeographic regions of their territory, namely: These seven regions have been acknowledged as a biodiversity hot-spot, having a generally greater number of endemic species than most other regions in Australia. The ecological damage done to this region through clearing, introduced species, by feral animals and non-endemic plants
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3990-659: The area and went up the Swan River, and Vlamingh reported that it would be an ideal place for a settlement, although no attempts were made at the time. The area was considered as a site for possible British settlement in 1827, when Captain James Stirling , in HMS ; Success , explored the coastal areas near the Swan River. His favourable report was welcomed by the British Government, who had for some time been suspicious of French colonial intentions towards
4085-457: The bush, or digging vegetables on what had been their own land. It quickly became a "place of torment, deprivation and death", and it has been estimated that there may be as many as 369 Aboriginal graves on the island, of which five were for prisoners who had been hanged. Except for a short period between 1849 and 1855, during which the prison was closed, some 3,700 Aboriginal men and boys, many of them Noongars, but also many others from all parts of
4180-509: The chief general seaport for Western Australia, though far greater tonnages are exported from the iron-ore ports of the Pilbara . Fremantle lies on a series of limestone hills known by the Nyungar people as Booyeembara ; the sandplain to the east is Gardoo . The original vegetation of the area was mainly Xanthorrhoea and eucalyptus trees, which were traditionally fired annually by
4275-429: The coastal plains, the plateau, and the plateau margins; all areas are characterized by relatively infertile soil. The north is characterized by casuarina, acacia, and melaleuca thickets, and the south by mulga scrubland, but it also supports dense forest stands. Several rivers run to the coast, and lakes and wetlands provided the Noongar people with their distinctive food and vegetation resources. Generally, Noongar made
4370-601: The collective Noongar cultural bloc descend from people who spoke several languages and dialects that were often mutually intelligible . What is now classified as the Noongar language is a member of the large Pama–Nyungan language family. Contemporary Noongar speak Australian Aboriginal English (a dialect of the English language) laced with Noongar words and occasionally inflected by its grammar. Most contemporary Noongar trace their ancestry to one or more of these groups. In
4465-454: The colony on 25 August after providing much assistance to Stirling in setting up the colony. It was then that Stirling decided to name the port settlement "Fremantle". In early September 1829, the merchant vessel Anglesea grounded at Gage Roads , at the mouth of the Swan River . She did not break up, as had been expected, but instead survived to become Western Australia's first prison hulk . Lotus , which arrived on 10 October 1829, became
4560-581: The colony's dwindling population, it became apparent that the Round House was inadequate to house them. The convicts built a new jail, Fremantle Prison , which was completed in the 1850s and continued to be used as Fremantle's prison until 1991. Fremantle Prison was once one of the most notorious prisons in the British Empire . It housed British convicts, local prisoners, military prisoners, enemy aliens and prisoners of war. In 2010, Fremantle Prison
4655-552: The construction of many pubs, hotels, banks, warehouses, import-export businesses and shipping companies throughout Fremantle, and in 1905, the Fremantle tram network opened. In 1919, a deadly clash between striking waterside workers and police took place at Fremantle Harbour. During the Second World War , Fremantle was the home of the largest base for Allied submarines in the Southern Hemisphere , and
4750-588: The culture is respected. At the same time, the Western Australian Barnett government, also from November 2014, had been forcing the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee to deregister 300 Aboriginal sacred sites in Western Australia. Although falling most heavily upon Pilbara and Kimberley sites this government policy also was having an impact on Noongar lands according to Ira Hayward-Jackson, Chairman of
4845-498: The festival by representatives of the united elders and families from across the Noongar nation. It was painted by leading Noongar artists Shane Pickett , Tjyllyungoo , Yvonne Kickett, Alice Warrell and Sharyn Egan . October 2021 saw the opening of the first Noongar opera Koolbardi wer Wardong . Written by Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse, the opera was performed at His Majesty's Theatre by members of West Australian Opera , West Australian Young Voices, Noongar Children's Choir and
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#17327836589054940-527: The first US submarines to arrive in Fremantle, the USS Sargo (SS-188) , was bombed by an Australian Lockheed Hudson , which mistook it for a Japanese vessel. The movements and presence of USS Sturgeon (SS-187) is a good example of such activity. 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. On 11 April 1944,
5035-712: The foundation stone for the markets on Saturday 6 November 1897. Over 150 stalls are housed in the Victorian-era building, which was listed by the National Trust of Australia and the state's Heritage Council in 1980. The Fremantle Markets are adjacent to several other historic buildings, including the Sail and Anchor Hotel (which contains a microbrewery ), the Norfolk Hotel , the Warders Cottages,
5130-506: The harbour have been renovated, including Little Creatures Brewery , which occupies a former boat shed and crocodile farm , and contains a café and art gallery. The harbour's annual Fremantle Sardine Festival on Esplanade Park attracts thousands of seafood lovers every year. Other annual events held at the harbour include Araluen's Fremantle Chilli Festival , the Fremantle Boat Show, and the traditional Italian Blessing of
5225-437: The height of the late 19th-century Western Australian gold rush , transforming Fremantle into a capital of trade and gateway for thousands of gold miners to the inland boom towns of Coolgardie , Kalgoorlie and Southern Cross . Camels and their Afghan drivers were familiar sights, and by-laws regulating the driving of camels through the streets of Fremantle were enacted. The wealth generated during this period resulted in
5320-665: The home of up to one-third of the population. It is estimated that 10 to 25% of Noongar children were forcibly "adopted" during these years, in part of what has become known as the Stolen Generations . Noongar people live in many country towns throughout the south-west as well as in the major population centres of Perth , Mandurah , Bunbury , Geraldton , Albany and Esperance . Many country Noongar people have developed long-standing relationships with non-Noongar farmers and continue to hunt kangaroo and gather bush tucker (food) as well as teach their children stories about
5415-574: The island, the Colonial Secretary announced in June 1839 that the island would become a penal establishment for Aboriginal people and was officially designated as such in 1841. From that time until 1903, when the indigenous section was closed, Rottnest Island was used as a prison to transfer Aboriginal prisoners "overseas". To "pacify" the Aboriginal population, men were rounded up and chained for offences ranging from spearing livestock, burning
5510-613: The kodj. In Perth, the Noongar believe that the Darling Scarp is said to represent the body of a Wagyl , a snakelike Dreamtime creature that is a common deity in Noongar culture, that meandered over the land creating rivers, waterways, and lakes. It is thought that the Wagyl created the Swan River . The Wagyl has been associated with Wonambi naracoutensis , part of the extinct megafauna of Australia that disappeared between 15 and 50,000 years ago. Also in Perth, Mount Eliza
5605-470: The land on which the city is built are the Whadjuk Noongar people, who called the area Walyalup ("place of the woylie "). To the local Noongar people, Fremantle is a place of ceremonies, significant cultural practices and trading. For millennia the Noongar people met there in spring and autumn to feast on fish and game. Anglesea Point and the limestone hill area at Arthur Head (where
5700-520: The land. In a few areas in the south-west, visitors can go on bush tucker walks, trying foods such as kangaroo , emu , quandong jam or relish, bush tomatoes , witchetty grub pâté and bush honey. The buka is a traditional cloak of the Noongar people made of kangaroo skin. The kodj ( "to be hit on the head" ) or kodja is a Noongar hafted axe . Kojonup, Western Australia and The Kodja Place visitor centre, in Kojonup, are named after
5795-428: The language. No speakers use it over the complete range of everyday speaking situations, and the full resources of the language are available only to a few individuals. The Noongar peoples have six seasons whose time frame is defined by specific observable changes to the environment, with a dry period varying from as few as three to as many as eleven months. Tribes are spread over three different geological systems:
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#17327836589055890-411: The location of the former Swan Brewery which has been a source of contention between local Noongar groups (who would like to see the land, which was reclaimed from the river in the late 19th century, "restored" to them) and the title-holders who wished to develop the site. A Noongar protest camp existed here for several years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Noongar culture is particularly strong with
5985-540: The loss of many millions of dollars worth of foregone tourist revenue. As a consequence of the Stolen Generations and problems integrating with modern westernised society, many difficult issues face the present day Noongar. For example, the Noongar Men of the SouthWest gathering in 1996 identified major community problems associated with cultural dispossession such as: Many of these issues are not unique to
6080-602: The outcome of this appeal process. In the interim, the Noongar people together will continue to be involved in native title negotiations with the Government of Western Australia , and are represented by the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council . Justice Wilcox's judgment is noteworthy for several reasons. It highlights Perth's wealth of post-European settlement writings which provide an insight into Aboriginal life, including laws and customs, around
6175-494: The population had no religion, 19.7% of the population was Catholic , 8.1% Anglican and 7.5% not stated. Fremantle's tertiary education institutions are: The city centre is also home to a major teaching hospital, Fremantle Hospital . Fremantle has a diverse economy, with over 2,000 registered businesses operating across a wide range of sectors. Many of the city's enterprises are small businesses, with 75% employing fewer than five people. Fremantle's biggest employment sector
6270-470: The population, and the largest overseas-born groups come from England (8.5%), Italy (2.3%), New Zealand (2.1%), Scotland (1.2%) and Ireland (1.0%). After English, the most common language spoken at home is Italian (3.2%), followed by French (1.1%), German (1.1%), Spanish (1.0%) and Portuguese (0.8%). As of the 2021 census, Fremantle had an unemployment rate of 5.8%. The city has an above-average proportion of rented dwellings (31.7%, vs 30.6% nationally). 54% of
6365-458: The port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for Fremantle is Freo . Prior to British settlement, the indigenous Noongar people inhabited the area for millennia, and knew it by the name of Walyalup ("place of the woylie "). Visited by Dutch explorers in the 1600s, Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829, and is named after Captain Charles Fremantle , an English naval officer who claimed
6460-575: The purpose of building communities specifically for the Noongar people, such as the (now closed) Swan Valley Noongar Community . The Noongar themselves are tackling their own issues; for example, the Noongar Patrol, which is an Aboriginal Advancement Council initiative. It was set up to deter Aboriginal young people from offending behaviour and reduce the likelihood of their contact with the criminal justice system. The patrol uses mediation and negotiation with indigenous youth in an attempt to curb anti-social and offending behaviour of young people who come into
6555-453: The same year, 1834, the Swan River Noongar couple, Migo and Molly Dobbin, alerted to the fact a European child had gone missing, covered 35 kilometres (22 mi) in 10 hours tracking his spoors , and saved him, at the point of death. From August 1838, ten Aboriginal prisoners were sent to Rottnest Island ( Nyungar : Wadjemup , possibly meaning "place across the water" ). After a short period when both settlers and prisoners occupied
6650-408: The second largest in the Pacific War after Pearl Harbor . In the lead-up to and during the war, the port's existing batteries were upgraded and new ones were constructed, forming a coastal defence system referred to as Fremantle Fortress . There were up to 125 US, 31 British and 11 Free Dutch submarines operating out of Fremantle , until the Americans moved forward to the Philippines . One of
6745-448: The second vessel to land immigrants at Fremantle. On 1 June 1850, the first convicts arrived at Fremantle aboard Scindian . 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. Among the 280 convicts on board were 62 Fenian military and political prisoners—members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood —six of whom managed to escape
6840-679: The state, were imprisoned. A notable incident for the Noongar people in the Western Australian Colony was the arrival of Rosendo Salvado in 1846. Salvado was an advocate for the humane treatment of the Australian Aboriginals at the mission he created at New Norcia , in the territory of the Yued . He provided refuge for the Njunga and he defended many on charges of theft, arguing from church doctrine that theft
6935-571: The suburbs of Beaconsfield , Hilton , North Fremantle , O'Connor , Samson , South Fremantle , and White Gum Valley . East Fremantle has its own town council and is not governed by the City of Fremantle. Fremantle is the end of the Fremantle railway line which runs from Perth to Fremantle, run by the Western Australia's Public Transport Authority . Major highways including Stirling Highway , Canning Highway and Leach Highway have Fremantle as their start point and/or terminus. Fremantle has
7030-475: The success of his three-week sojourn as due in good part to Noongar diplomacy, and Noongar rituals celebrated their reception of the newcomers in a ceremonial form. When settlement became more firmly established, however, misunderstandings over the obligations of reciprocity—some of the most productive land was being taken, especially on the Upper Swan—led to sporadic clashes. An example of such misunderstandings
7125-434: The time of settlement in 1829 and also into the beginning of the last century. These documents enabled Justice Wilcox to find that laws and customs governing land throughout the whole Single Noongar Claim (taking in Perth, and many other towns in the greater South West) were those of a single community. The claimants shared a language and had extensive interaction with others in the claim area. Importantly, Justice Wilcox found
7220-456: The tiny settlement at Mandurah for almost half a decade. In June 1832, a Whadjuk leader, Yagan , formerly of good standing among the settler authorities and known in the colony for his handsome bearing, "tall, slender, well-fashioned..of pleasing countenance", was, together with his father Midgegooroo and brother Monday, declared an outlaw after undertaking a series of food raids and a retaliatory murder. Caught and imprisoned, he escaped and
7315-601: 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 . 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. Music festivals held in Fremantle include
7410-462: The use of these water resources played a very important seasonal part in their culture. The Noongar thus have a close connection with the earth and, as a consequence, they divided the year into six distinct seasons that corresponded with moving to different habitats and feeding patterns based on seasonal foods. They are: On 19 September 2006 the Federal Court of Australia brought down
7505-398: The west coast of New Holland as British territory. 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 of convicts ended in 1868, and is now a World Heritage Site . Fremantle was charted as
7600-531: The western portion of Australia. As a result of Stirling's report, Captain Charles Fremantle of HMS Challenger , a 603-ton, 28-gun frigate, was instructed to sail to the west coast of Australia to establish a settlement there. On 2 May 1829, Fremantle hoisted the Union Flag in a bay near what is now known as Arthur Head, and in accordance with his instructions, took formal possession "of
7695-637: The whole of the West Coast of New Holland " in the name of Britain's King George IV . Western Australia Day (formerly Foundation Day) is observed on the first Monday in June, although it was actually on 2 June 1829 that Captain James Stirling on Parmelia arrived with Surveyor-General Roe and the first contingent of immigrants to set up the Swan River Colony. The settlement of Perth began on 12 August 1829. Captain Fremantle left
7790-466: The wrecked Dutch East India Company ship Batavia and other 17th-century Dutch ships; and the Maritime Museum on Victoria Quay , which contains exhibits related to maritime trade and the Indian Ocean. The Army Museum of Western Australia is housed in an historic Fremantle artillery barracks. The city has a large arts community, with a number of small art galleries and musical venues and
7885-619: The written word. The plays of Jack Davis are on the school syllabus in several Australian states. Davis' first full-length play Kullark , a documentary on the history of Aboriginals in WA, was first produced in 1979. Other plays include: No Sugar, The Dreamers, Barungin: Smell the Wind, In Our Town and for younger audiences, Honey Spot and Moorli and the Leprechaun . Kim Scott won the 2000 Miles Franklin Award for his novel Benang and
7980-451: Was almost destroyed by fire on the night of Sunday, 11 March 2007. Though the interior was gutted, the façade was saved and the building has since been fully restored with an additional rooftop bar. In the 2021 Australian census , the local government area of City of Fremantle had a population of 31,930 people. 64.9% of the population was born in Australia, compared with the national average of 67%. Indigenous Australians make up 1.7% of
8075-399: Was an important site for the Noongar. It was a hunting site where kangaroos were herded and driven over the edge to provide meat for gathering clans. In this context, the "clan" is a local descent group – larger than a family but based on family links through common ancestry. At the base of Mount Eliza is a sacred site where the Wagyl is said to have rested during its journeys. This site is also
8170-515: Was built alongside the existing Fishing Boat Harbour. The 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. Fremantle still serves as
8265-402: Was built as a jail between 1830 and 1831. The Round House had eight cells and a jailer's residence, which all opened up into a central courtyard. In the 1800s, bay whaling was carried out from Bathers Beach below the Round House. As part of the whaling operations, a tunnel was constructed under the Round House to provide whalers with access to the town from the jetty and beach. The Round House
8360-475: Was done to make way for the widening of High Street, but that project was stopped thanks to the campaigning of the Fremantle Society and other community members, and the buildings along the southern side of High Street were retained. The Fremantle Markets nearly suffered a similar fate in the late 1970s due to another road-widening proposal. The National Hotel, one of the city's historic buildings,
8455-584: Was finished. In the late 1880s and early 1900s offices were established for a range of businesses and organisations, such as the West Australian newspaper in 1886, By the early 1900s street was an important part of the route of the Fremantle Tramway system, as the tram shed had been situated just west of the junction of Cliff Street with High Street. It is also at the south western edge of University of Notre Dame campus buildings. It
8550-421: Was let alone, as though informally reprieved as a native version of William Wallace . His father was caught and killed without trial by a military firing squad. Yagan himself, with a bounty on his head, was ambushed soon afterwards by an 18-year-old settler youth, after he had stopped two settlers and asked for flour. His corpse was decapitated, and the head was sent to England for display in fairgrounds. Yagan
8645-607: Was not criminal if dictated by dire necessity. While intent on converting, he encouraged the Noongars to maintain their traditional culture. From 1890 to 1958, the lives and lifestyles of Noongar people were subject to the Native Welfare Act. By 1915, 15% of Perth's Noongar had been thrust north and interned at the Moore River Native Settlement . Carrolup (later known as Marribank ) became
8740-500: Was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the " Australian Convict Sites ", making it the first built environment in Western Australia to be bestowed this honour. It continues to be accessible to the public for guided tours and as a venue for artistic and cultural activities. Other convict-built buildings in Fremantle include the 1850s Fremantle School building and Commissariat Buildings , and
8835-537: Was replaced by PerthNow - Fremantle . The independent local newspaper, the Fremantle Herald , also serves the region. Fremantle also has two radio stations: Radio Fremantle on 107.9FM and 91.3 SportFM . Online reporting and reviews of events and places within Fremantle are comprehensively covered by a group of local designers on their popular blog, known as 'Love Freo', and by a local photographer with his daily updated blog Freo's View. Fremantle offers
8930-578: Was returned to Labor ( Simone McGurk ) in the 2013 state election . The federal electorate has returned Labor members continuously since 1934, including former Prime Minister John Curtin , and is represented by Josh Wilson . The local government of the City of Fremantle consists of a mayor and council. Hannah Fitzhardinge has been the mayor since the 2021 local government elections. Fremantle has been represented by some significant Australian political figures. John Curtin served as Prime Minister during
9025-504: Was the Noongar land-management practice of setting fires in early summer, mistakenly seen as an act of hostility by the settlers. Conversely, the Noongar saw the settlers' livestock as fair game to replace the dwindling stocks of native animals shot indiscriminately by settlers. The only area that successfully resisted the usurpation of native land for any time was the area around the Murray River , which effectively blocked expansion of
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