Things to do in Fremantle, WA: What are the best attractions and tours?

The best things to do in Fremantle include prison tours, beers at Little Creatures, shopping at Fremantle Markets, the WA Shipwrecks Museum and Two Feet and a Heartbeat walking tours.

Fremantle is Perth’s port city, in name and spirit independent, but in practice a suburb. What a suburb it is, though. Fremantle is the most enjoyable place in Greater Perth to hang out. Heritage buildings, excellent museums, cafés and craft brewers combine to give Fremantle its distinctive buzz. It may be primarily known as the departure point for the Rottnest Express ferry to Rottnest Island. These ferries depart from B Shed on Victoria Quay.

DON’T MISS OUT! 9 fabulous Perth experiences to book today ✅

✅ See the Rottnest Island quokkas the smart way – with a ferry and bike package.
✅ Be amazed by the abundant wildlife – on a dolphin, penguin and sealion cruise.
✅ See clear night skies in a moon-like desert – on a Pinnacles stargazing experience.
✅ Indulge in chocolate, cheese & premium wines – on a Swan Valley food and wine tour.
✅ See the city sunset from the water – on a Swan River dinner cruise.
✅ Watch gold being melted and poured – on a Perth Mint gold tour.
✅ Combine nature with imperious city views – on Kings Park Segway tour.
✅ Face your fears and get the thrill of your life on a – on a 15,000ft skydive.
✅ Find all the best hidden hangouts – on a small bar and street art tour.

Heritage buildings in Fremantle

Freo, as it is universally known to locals, has kept a remarkable concentration of heritage buildings from the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Some of these Fremantle heritage buildings are convict-built. Others came on the back of the 1890s gold rush.

The oldest building is the Roundhouse, which opened as a prison in 1831. The firing of the one o’clock gun on top of the Roundhouse is a quaint old tradition, but not all that exciting in practice. If you’re around there at the time, it’s a briefly amusing diversion. But it’s not worth planning a day around.

The Roundhouse in Fremantle, the oldest public building in Western Australia — The Roundhouse in Fremantle is the oldest public building in Western Australia. It was originally built as a prison for the Swan River Colony. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Things to do in Fremantle: Prison tours

The Roundhouse was replaced by the enormously atmospheric Fremantle Prison, which should probably top your list of things to do in Fremantle.

Numerous tour options are available at the prison, including the Doing Time tour. This goes into the prison life and the art found hidden in the cells. It finishes at the chilling gallows, where prisoners would be put to death.

More adventurous is the Fremantle Prison tunnels tour, which sees visitors don special suits and harnesses to explore the convict-cut tunnels deep below the prison.

From there, wander down to South Terrace, known as the Cappuccino Strip due to all the cafés. Then dip into the WA Shipwrecks Museum. This surprisingly gripping museum explores the numerous shipwrecks that have washed up on the Western Australian coast. These include the Batavia. When it smashed into the Houtman Abrolhos Islands near Geraldton, there was a notorious Lord of the Flies-esque killing spree amongst the survivors.

Things to book in Fremantle before you arrive

Your Rottnest Island ferry tickets and bike hire.
A best of Fremantle two hour walking tour.
Whale-watching cruise tickets.
A street art and beer tour.
A half day sailing cruise to Carnac Island.
A sunset sailing cruise.
A four venue Fremantle bar tour.

Fremantle walking tours

The excellent Two Feet and a Heartbeat offer a series of themed Fremantle walking tours, costing from $50. One focuses on food, another on crime stories. But the Convicts, Culture and Street Art tour offers perhaps the best overview.

If you’d sooner do it yourself there are plenty of self-guided Fremantle walking tour trails.

Other Fremantle activities include taking a ride on the Fremantle ferris wheel, going for a sunset cruise and a street art and beer tour by bike.

5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special

Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.

Things to do in Fremantle: Fremantle Markets

Most walking tour routes will pass, or go inside, the Fremantle Markets. Local craftspeople pile into these historic markets on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They sell everything from jarrah wood chopping boards to opal jewellery and native plant teas. Beeline it to the Alphabet Jigsaw Puzzles stall. The big, colourful wooden jigsaws of kangaroos and dinosaurs make perfect presents for young kids.

Fremantle restaurants and pubs

Fremantle is also a sensational place to eat out. The South Terrace ‘cappuccino strip’ and fish and chipperies of Fishing Boat Harbour are long famous, but a series of excellent, inventive Fremantle restaurants have cropped up in recent years.

Bread In Common has quickly gained an entirely justified stellar reputation – and for a good reason too. The style is small-ish plates, suited to sharing three between two people. The heritage warehouse setting is hugely impressive, too. Dishes such as the lamb ribs with chilli, lime, mint and black garlic are bursting with flavour.

Fremantle is also home to the gigantic Little Creatures Brewery where hundreds of people can gather for craft beers and a feed at the weekends.

Speaking of craft beer, Western Australia is in the middle of a brewing boom. Virtually every Fremantle pub or bar has a few interesting microbrews on tap. The Sail and Anchor brews their own.

The train from Perth to Fremantle takes half an hour. Unusual Fremantle accommodation options include the Hougoumont Hotel and Fremantle Prison YHA.