Freo in a day...

Trip Start May 30, 2006
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Trip End May 31, 2007


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Friday, September 8, 2006

After a few days swanning around Perth, I thought I'd head out and see what WA's port town of Fremantle had to offer. I was going to cycle the 30k, but the sky was looking somewhat inclement in what has been an unusually cool and wet start to spring on the west coast. I thought better of it and took the train and the bus... a combination of the two which set me back about a$10 there and back which was pretty good.

It was overcast in Freo when I arrived, but still warm. I headed over to the town hall info centre... or where the signs pointed to where it should have been. Don't trust the signs. I managed to see most of the city centre as I walked in ever decreasing circles looking for it. Inside I checked out all the brochures for the local attractions, including the prison museum, maritime museum, ship wreck museum, car museum, parks fountains and statues as well as the markets. Armed with a pocket map, I searched out every single area of interest stopping at those either free or donation based.

Unfortunately my budget selection policy meant that the first stop - the motor museum was out of bounds to me at $20 a head with no concession. I idled with trying to talk the guy in to believing that I was a minor, but the bribe in itself would out way the cost of the ticket. The shop, which oddly, is free to get in, was quite interesting.

Along the Dockside, with a great view of the port I came to the west Australian maritime museum. An impressive modern building, worth a visit in its self. It was very interesting, but the deal clincher was the tour of the Submarine 'Ovens' on the dry dock behind. They also had a steam engine museum, which, if you're even slightly mechanically minded is fascinating.. especially when you get a personal tour from an old guy as enthusiastic as the chap who collared me at the door! He reminded me so much of my Grandad Eric, i had to let him take me on the full tour. I'm glad I did because I really did learn a lot.

I struck on up the coast line coming to the Roundhouse, West Australia's first prison, and a great lookout point over the sea and the city.

Then the Marine Wreck museum which was fascinating from a diving point of view, but some of the exhibits could have done with 'spicing up a little'. The impressive 300 year old partial hull of a Dutch boat en-route to Jakarta was the show stealer.

Then I strolled up through the reserve and past the Freo oval, home of the Dogs AFL team and on to the prison. This did cost to go in, and I would have, if the tour hadn't have been so long. I pottered around the visitors centre instead.

I probably could have stretched it out over a few days, but I enjoyed the intensity of doing it all in one.

After that is was back to Perth via the biggest strip of coffee stores ever... and I annoyed them all by drinking tea.
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