Freo

09/11/11 – 12/11/11

Leaving the main city behind I jump on the train to make the short journey to Fremantle or ‘Freo’ as it is known to the locals. Located nearer to the Indian Ocean, Freo is the main port along the coast in this part of Western Australia. When I arrived my hostel wasn’t ready yet so I dropped off my pack before going to grab a snack for lunch. Later after checking in I made a quick visit to the Army Museum of Western Australia to have a look at the exhibits there. While travelling across Asia I visited many sites and countries where Australian Commonwealth troops had fought and died so it was interesting to learn some of the history behind the conflicts and special operations. This was also the first day in Oz that I went to the supermarket to stock up on supplies to cook my own food, that nights meal was simply pasta in sauce.

The next day there were two main places of interest I want to visit the first being the WA Maritime Museum which contained the American cup winning sail boat, Elizabeth II. The main reason for my visit was to go inside the HMAS Ovens, a post second world war submarine which is in dry dock behind the main museum building. I think I had already been inside this class of submarine before at Chatham dockyards but it was interesting to hear tales from a guide who had actually worked in the sub when it was active. After I made my way across town to do some time behind bars as I entered Fremantle Prison, a convict built prison that was still in use up to 1991 before it was closed down due to the lack of conditions deeded suitable for prisons human rights. This was due to the prison have no plumbed toilets in its cells so prisoners had to use buckets, although this is still common in most prisons in England. That night before dinner I made a quick visit to the nearby beach to watch the sunset on the horizon.

Remembrance Day – In the morning I paid a quick visit to the war memorial on top of the hill looking over Fremantle to see the preparations for a ceronmery later that morning to remember those who had fought to save their and others countries. At 11 o’clock the last post was played as a single jet fighter flew overhead. In the afternoon I popped in to see the Shipwreck Museum which houses artefacts from a series of Dutch trading ships which met their end off the coast of Perth. Nearby was the Roundhouse, the first convict built structure in Freo. Later I visited the local markets before venturing to the park to read my book to the afternoon sun.

On my last full day in Western Australia I took things easy as I got prepared for my long train journey to Adelaide, I basically repeated my afternoon from the previous day as I visited the local markets once again before heading to the park to relax on the sloped grass.