Perth Australia

Feb. 21, 2023

Today we arrived at the twin cities of Perth and Fremantle where we were greeted by a boisterous band. The day began dark and cloudy, but it cleared up shortly. We plan to experience the highlights of Perth on a 6-hour tour beginning at our pier.

Here are a few facts about Perth and Fremantle:

Perth is the capital city of Western Australia. Perth lies along the estuary of the Swan River, 12 miles from the river’s mouth, which forms the inner harbor of neighboring Fremantle. The port city of Fremantle, or ‘Freo’ to the locals, was historically Perth’s sister city. These days, the two are connected by suburbia and a 25-minute train journey.

Once home to whaling stations and mass immigration, Freo is now a charming town celebrated for its variety of culture and multicultural history. The locals here at the time, were as hard as nails salty sea dogs who rubbed shoulders with newly arrived immigrants to create a town full of characters.

Perth, the fourth largest city in Australia, is the center of a metropolitan area containing about three-fourths of the state’s population. The population of Perth was 2.19 million in 2021. The city has a moderate climate for eight months of the year, but January and February are quite hot, and both June and July are cool and damp. The day we were there the temperature was 93 degrees.

Perth is a major industrial center with heavy industries concentrated in the suburban zones of Kwinana, Fremantle, and Welshpool. The city’s diversified products include paint, plaster, printed materials, sheet metal, cement, wool, rubber, tractors, steel, aluminum, and nickel. There are also petroleum refineries and food-processing plants. Tourism has grown in importance, especially since Fremantle hosted the America’s Cup yacht race in 1987.

We passed Fremantle Prison and the Round House, both built in the 1800’s to house notorious prisoners. The Round House (which actually has 12 sides) is the oldest surviving public building in the state; it was first opened in 1831, eighteen months after the British Swan River Colony settlement was established in 1829. The structure was built to detain convicted criminals and it was used for this purpose until 1886. When it was no longer a jail the Round House became police holding cells until the late 1890s.

Fremantle Prison is one of Western Australia’s most fascinating and significant cultural attractions. The history of Fremantle Prison dates back to the early beginnings of Western Australia. It is the largest convict-built structure in Western Australia and the most intact convict establishment in the nation. Decommissioned as a maximum-security jail in 1991, the Prison was continuously used as a place of incarceration for almost 140 years.

We traveled along the Esplanade en route to Perth. Founded in 1829 and located alongside the glistening Swan River, this stunning city features a Mediterranean climate and a population that is a third that of the major eastern cities.

We journeyed through the exclusive suburbs of Mossman Park, Peppermint Grove, Dalkeith and Millionaires Row, where the homes of the rich and famous overlook the river. We passed Matilda Bay, the restored Swan Brewery and the historic Royal Perth Yacht Club (once home to the America’s Cup).

Driving through the suburban streets of Perth we saw remarkable architecture. No two homes seemed alike. The average price is $500K, but many in prime locations are in the tens of millions and one home recently sold for $54 million. Some examples follow. Note the trees, which are all over the Perth suburbs.

Soon, the suburbs gave way to the city of Perth. Again, the architecture was astonishing.

Then, we left the city behind and climbed the hills to visit Kings Park and Botanic Garden.

Kings Park, Perth’s premiere park occupies 1,000 acres along the Swan River. Kings Park is one of the world’s largest and most beautiful inner-city parks. It is rich in Aboriginal and European history, contemporary culture and offers innovative design, displays and services. Kings Park has an international reputation for scientific research, leading horticulture, conservation and public education. It features a combination of cultivated botanical gardens and wild, native bush that is home to 319 species of native plants and over 80 species of birds. From Kings Park we enjoyed sweeping views of the Swan and Canning Rivers, the city skyline and the Darling Ranges to the east. (Janice took all of the Kings Park pictures.)

There we saw Gija Jumulu, a mighty baobab tree said to be 750 years old! The tree is a special gift to all Western Australians from the local Indigenous people, the Gija, who are the traditional land owners. They performed a farewell ceremony to the Jumulu (boab in Gija language) on Monday, 14 July 2008.

The Australian baobab species, called boab, or bottle tree, is found throughout the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Reaching heights of about 39 feet, the tree features a characteristically swollen trunk and bears compound leaves that are completely shed during drought periods. The white flowers are large, perfumed, and pollinated by hawk moths.

The boab tree was extensively used by local peoples. They have edible leaves and fruits and are important for a number of herbal remedies. A strong fiber from the bark was used for rope and cloth, and the trees supplied raw materials for hunting and fishing tools. Naturally hollow or excavated trunks often served as water reserves or temporary shelters and have even been used as prisons, burial sites, and stables. The trees are culturally and religiously important.

The State War Memorial commemorates Western Australian servicemen and women who died in service or were killed in action in all wars and conflicts in which Australia has been involved. The memorial was originally unveiled in memory of the fallen of World War One.

Situated at the top of Kings Park and Botanic Garden, the War Memorial overlooks the city of Perth. The memorial was developed around a 59-foot-tall obelisk as the principal feature, which is almost a replica of the Australian Imperial Force Memorials erected in France and Belgium.

Here’s a panoramic view of Perth and the Swan River from Kings Park.

Here’s Perth at the confluence of the Swan and Canning Rivers.

On our way back to the ship we passed Cottesloe Beach. With its stunning white sands, glistening azure waters and a wide grassy esplanade offering shady spots for family picnics and concerts, this is one of the Perth’s most popular beaches.

Then it was time to return to the ship. Tomorrow we’ll begin our 7-daysail westward across the Indian Ocean toward Africa.