Tag: Perth Australia

Where in the World Are We?

We are at the Fremantle cargo port, which serves Perth, Australia.

FREMANTLE (PERTH), AUSTRALIA
Fremantle or ‘Freo’ is Perth’s Old Town

Coming in at number seven on Lonely Planet’s list of best places to live, Fremantle has finally begun to shake off the shadow of neighboring big brother Perth. With just 20 kilometers separating the two cities, Perth, with its happy hippie vibe, has long been the big pull for visitors to the region. But Fremantle’s colorful past and bright future give Perth as good as it gets.

The coastal city has undergone a complete revamp since the America’s Cup thrust Fremantle into the spotlight in 1987. Over AUS$1.3 billion has been poured into revamping the city, and the fruits of the city’s labor are ripe for picking.

Investment in the arts has brought Fremantle to the fore of thriving urban culture, while generous grants for small businesses have led to groovy live-music rooms, hipster bars, boutique hotels, left-field bookshops, craft-beer breweries, and Indian Ocean seafood shacks amid the buskers and beaches. If that doesn’t not sound like your glass of beer, we guarantee a stroll along the wooden riverside walkway will change your mind.

The city also enjoys another, rather different status. Fremantle was one of Australia’s penal cities, with vestiges still evident in Fremantle Prison. Almost 10,000 convicts were condemned to life imprisonment here between 1850 and 1868, but the prison remained in use until 1991. Today, the memorable sandstone building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, at just 15 minutes from the port, is well worth a visit. Just don’t forget your get-out-of-jail-free card.

Excursion – A Tale of Two Cities Difficulty

We discovered the highlights of Fremantle and Perth during this charming sightseeing tour.

Fremantle
We departed the pier by coach with our guide to explore two of the West’s most significant cities. The port of Fremantle delights
with its streets lined with quaint terraced houses, ornate historic buildings, and lively sidewalk cafés. We visited the Round House at Arthur’s Head, which was built as a gaol in a unique twelve-sided building perched high atop a hill overlooking the sea and
harbour. Next drive passed the restored Cape Dutch-style Maritime Museum, a grand cluster of stone buildings that houses a
comprehensive and fascinating record of Australian history.

Perth
The prosperity of Perth is evident as you wind your way past fabulous mansions and enter this impressive city, nestled on the
banks of the Swan River, where skyscrapers mix with historic architecture and beautiful parks to create a renowned skyline.
We visited the delightful Kings Park. Kings Park enjoys a prime position on Mt. Eliza overlooking Perth City and the Swan River, making it an ideal location for photography.

Dinner was in The Atlantide Restaurant.