Fremantle Prison
- Fremantle is a city in Western Australia just to the south of the state capital Perth and actually part of the larger Perth municipality. A landmark dominating parts of the city is the old Fremantle Prison, a jail complex mostly constructed during the 1850s.
Even though the colony in Western Australia was founded as a ‘free settlement’ (unlike the penal colonies on the east coast and in Tasmania – see Port Arthur), convicts were also transported to Fremantle, initially mainly to provide cheap labour. Later it became a regular government-run prison for local criminals.
The prison had a long history of lamentable conditions for inmates and severe punishments such as flogging. From 1889 it also became an execution site, and 43 men and one woman were hanged here between 1889 and 1984, when Western Australia finally abolished the death penalty (as the last state of Australia to do so). The prison also saw a number of more or less spectacular escapes.
Fremantle Prison generally tended to lag behind (or resist) prison reform movements and the appalling conditions for the prisoners led to several riots. The last and most violent of these took place as late as in 1988 when a large group of prisoners overpowered some guards and took them hostage while others laid fire to parts of the cell blocks causing considerable damage. It was even a media spectacle at the time. Not long after, in 1991, the prison was closed and all remaining inmates transferred to a new maximum-security facility in Perth.
In 1992 it was decided to preserve the prison site and most of the complex was converted into the visitor attraction it is today (while some parts were given over to other businesses, workshops and a hostel). In 2005 Fremantle Prison became an Australian National Heritage site, and in 2010 a World Heritage Site, as part of several other Australian Convict Sites (see e.g. Port Arthur).
The commodification for visitors includes a couple of exhibitions about the history of the prison. Since the listing as a World Heritage Site prioritized the convict era of the 19th century, this is also reflected in the focus in the exhibitions. This has given rise to criticism that because of that focus the more recent history of the prison is under-represented, including the riots or the imprisonment of many Aboriginals in the post-WWII era.
Today’s visitors can see the exhibition parts independently (optionally with an audio guide), but in order to visit the other parts of the complex, in particular the large central cell block, you have to go on one of the guided tours on offer. There are several to choose from: a Convict Prison Tour, a Behind Bars Tour and a True Crime Tour form the standard core, in addition there’s a Torchlight Tour (after dark and with some paranormal elements) and finally the special Tunnels Tour. The latter is the most demanding and goes down to the caverns deep underneath the prison that were constructed for water supply in the 19th century. Part of the tour is by paddle boat along flooded low and narrow tunnels (so nothing for claustrophobic people).
The prices range from 24 AUD for the standard tours (there are also discounted combination tickets for those) to 68 AUD for the Tunnels Tour. Some concessions apply.
Opening times: daily (except Good Friday and Christmas Day) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: the prison’s address is 1 The Terrace, Fremantle WA 6160.