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Cruising on the Swan River to Artistic Fremantle, Australia

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Black swans are the namesake of the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia
Black swans are the namesake of the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia

Black swans dot the banks and give the Swan River her name according to the commentary on board the hour-long Captain Cook cruise from Perth to Fremantle in Western Australia (WA).

Black swans are the namesake of the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia
It’s easy to see why it is named Swan River.

It was a late spring day with a light breeze. The river sailing was smooth and the commentary identified key sights like the Royal Perth Yacht Club (only Australian club to win America’s Cup). My favourite river-cruise photos:

Viewing the glass bridge in Kings Park from the river cruise from Perth to Fremantle in Australia
Viewing the glass bridge as we cruised past  WA’s Botanic Garden in Kings Park.
River cruise from Perth to Fremantle, Western Australia
Point Walter Sandbar jutting out into the river.
River cruise from Perth to Fremantle, Western Australia
As we cruised past the Swan Canoe Club, it was this contrast of the white sail that caught my eye.
River cruise from Perth to Fremantle, Western Australia
These huge homes are a portion of “millionaire’s row”.

Once in Fremantle, our first stop was the visitor’s centre to get a map. From here we discovered a vibrant city filled with history, street art, seafood, and coffee. The only downside of our day was timing. With our late start and long coffee and lunch breaks, we didn’t have enough time to see it all, but we never do. Here are a few of our highlights:

Cappuccino Strip in Fremantle Australia
Any town with an official “Cappuccino Strip” is one that I like. This is both sides of the street.
Remains of the Batavia at the Shipwreck Galleries in Fremantle Australia
This is the remains of the Batavia at the WA Shipwrecks Museum, a must-see museum along the coastal walk.
Round House in Fremantle, Western Australia
The Round House was purpose built as a gaol (jail). It is the oldest public building in Western Australia. It is situated on the hill above the beach. The tunnel below the roundhouse was built back in the whaling days to make it easier to drag whales from the beach to the town.
Maritime Museum in Fremantle, Western Australia
This plate was nailed to a tree in 1616 by Hartog when he discovered Australia. Thinking there was nothing interesting here, he nailed the disc and left. Now it is so fragile it must lay flat. It’s on exhibit at the WA Maritime Museum.
Street Art in Fremantle, Western Australia
This is two sections of a giant mural still in the works. We were lucky enough to meet artist Graeme Miles Richards who has been working on this building for 2.5 years. One side is very nautical, the other is worldly. They are 50m and 86m respectively. (There is plenty more street art to be found in Perth.)
Sculpture in Fremantle, Western Australia
Hubby stands with one of many sculptures in town, this one with Cicerello’s in the background – boasting the best fish and chips in Western Australia. Ask for the award winners, which cost a few dollars more than the traditional/cheapest fish and chips on the menu (these are made from New Zealand hoki).

More about Fremantle:

  • If you’re a surfer or a yachtie, Fremantle should be on your bucket list.
  • Fremantle was host to the America’s Cup yachting race in 1987.
  • The Fremantle Doctor is what locals call the consistent breeze that blows to the shores of Fremantle Harbour.
  • Like in Perth, the local buses are free to ride.
  • If you are staying in Perth, do what we did and take a sightseeing river cruise to Fremantle and take the train back.
  • The Round House closes at 3.30 so be sure to time your day better than we did if you want to get inside.
  • We have heard the Fremantle Prison is fascinating, however, the only way to visit is with a 90-minute tour (and we were too tired).
  • Check the Art Centre website before heading there to be sure there is an exhibit. When we arrived, there was nothing to see other than the gift shop.
  • Next time we head to Perth we will be sure to have time to explore the region, starting with Lonely Planet West Coast Australia.

While Perth was labelled as the last city after 16 days onboard the Radiance of the Seas, in reality, we disembarked in Fremantle.

Other cool things to do while in the Perth area include a visit to Rottnest Island or a road trip inland to follow the Public Silo trail.

Have you heard of or visited Fremantle?

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River cruise from Perth to Fremantle, Western Australia

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About Rhonda Albom

Capturing the essence of travel through photography, Rhonda Albom is the primary author and photographer at Albom Adventures. She is an American expat based in New Zealand. She travels the world with her husband.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ryan Biddulph

    i have not heard of Fremantle but seems a fab place to visit. For the black swans alone. Toss in great eats and sweet street art and I am sold.

    Ryan

    Reply

  2. Stephanie (@Vaycarious.com)

    Beautiful pictures Rhonda! I spent some time in Fremantle. It’s such a cool place. The cruise looks like it was lovely.

    Reply

  9. Suze - Luxury Columnist

    I’ve never seen so many black swans all in one place, they’re stunning! Do you see white swans on the river too?

    Reply

    • Rhonda Albom

      Now that you mention it, no I didn’t see any white swans. We have black swans living on the by by my house in NZ and there are no white swans here either so it seemed really normal.

      Reply

  13. Lexa Cain

    That place is adorable! I like touristy towns. There’s always something to see or do, and tourists are usually so friendly. (And there’s always a millionaire’s row, and I never get to live there! lol)

    Reply

  14. Kathy Marris

    We spent a week in Fremantle a few years back and loved it. Historically it is an interesting city and the cafe scene is very vibrant. The Swan River cruise looked fabulous. 🙂

    Reply

  16. Comedy Plus

    What a way to end your cruise. I would have dumped the luggage right away too and then off for some great coffee and a bit of something. You both had an amazing cruise.

    I would love to be on the water here in our own boat. I like that kind of cruising the very best.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

    Reply

  18. Steve - A Hole in my Shoe

    Rhonda, it looks like you had a great cruise down to Fremantle and it was a pleasure to meet with you Jeff for a coffee.

    Reply

  19. Hilary Melton-Butcher

    Hi Rhonda – it looks an amazing little city … just beautiful … and with lots of interesting things to do – great photos … and I particularly like the dish. The museum does look interesting … cheers Hilary

    Reply

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