Fremantle Ports

The Fremantle Inner Harbour is at the mouth of the Swan River, on the edge of the Indian Ocean and a gateway to Western Australia. This is a place of plentiful resources where people met for thousands of years as well as a place of spiritual meaning where ancestors walked, camped, hunted and fished, naming the features they saw. In the early years of European settlement, the port comprised various wooden jetties in the area known as Bathers Beach and Arthur Head. These jetties were exposed to the elements, including the strong south-westerly winds known locally as the Fremantle Doctor. Work began on the Fremantle Inner Harbour, designed by State Engineer CY O'Connor, in 1892 and the harbour was officially opened on 4 May 1897. The port has played a significant part in Western Australia's development and history, including wartime.