Attraction
Kings Park and Botanic Garden
A 400-hectare park of bushland, lawns and a botanic garden of Western Australian plants on the city's western edge, free to enter every day.
Fremantle Prison
A convict-built prison in Fremantle that held inmates until 1991 and is now a World Heritage site explored on themed guided tours.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic prison and World Heritage site
- Area
- Fremantle, Perth, Australia
- Official site
- fremantleprison.com.au
Good to know
- Guided tours
- Gift shop
- Luggage storage
- Accessible toilets
- Paid parking
Why we recommend it
Fremantle Prison was built by convict labour from the early 1850s, with the main cell block completed in 1859, and it remained a working jail until it closed at the end of November 1991. In 2010 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the Australian Convict Sites, and it is also a state heritage site. Its gatehouse faces The Terrace in Fremantle, and the prison describes itself as Western Australia's only World Heritage listed building.
Visits are built around guided tours, each with a different focus. The Convict Prison Tour follows the building from its construction in the 1850s to the end of the convict era in 1886, while Behind Bars covers its years as a maximum security jail from 1887 to 1991. True Crime turns to the criminal mind. On the Tunnels Tour visitors put on hard hats and overalls and climb down a vertical ladder system into tunnels dug by prisoners beneath the site, and the Torchlight Tour leads groups through the prison in the dark, with the grimmer stories told along the way.
The prison recommends allowing at least three hours, which is enough for a tour or two plus a look round the gift shop. History enthusiasts will want to combine the Convict Prison and Behind Bars tours to follow the full story. Because the Tunnels Tour involves ladders and the Torchlight Tour runs in the dark, check any age and fitness requirements with the prison before booking for children.
Accessibility varies by tour. The prison estimates that around 90 per cent of the Behind Bars route can be done in a wheelchair or with a pram, against about 80 per cent for True Crime and 70 per cent for Torchlight. Free printed guides cover upper levels that cannot be reached, and handheld AUSLAN guides are available. The gatehouse has public toilets, baby change facilities and limited free luggage storage. The on-site cafe is closed for renovation, so plan to eat in town.
Fremantle Prison opens daily from 9am to 5pm, closing on Good Friday and Christmas Day. There are about 60 paid parking bays, in a car park off Fothergill Street right outside and a larger one at the bottom of the Fairbairn Ramp off Parry Street. Fremantle Markets and the cafes of South Terrace are also in central Fremantle, so the prison fits easily into a day in the port city.
Fremantle Prison FAQs
What are the opening hours?
The prison is open from 9am to 5pm daily, with later evening openings on Wednesdays and Fridays. It is closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day.
How long should I allow?
The prison recommends a minimum of three hours.
Which tours are available?
Tours include the Convict Prison Tour, Behind Bars, True Crime, the Tunnels Tour and the Torchlight Tour.
What happens on the Tunnels Tour?
Visitors wear hard hats and overalls and descend a vertical ladder system to explore tunnels built by prisoners below the prison.
Is Fremantle Prison a World Heritage site?
Yes. It was inscribed in 2010 as part of the Australian Convict Sites.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Partly. About 90 per cent of Behind Bars, 80 per cent of True Crime and 70 per cent of Torchlight are accessible by wheelchair or pram.
When did the prison close?
It closed as a working prison on 30 November 1991.
Is there parking?
Yes. There are about 60 paid bays in car parks off Fothergill Street and at the bottom of the Fairbairn Ramp off Parry Street.
Is there a cafe?
The Prison Cafe is currently closed for renovations, so eat in central Fremantle before or after your visit.