Fremantle Prison, at 1 The Terrace in Fremantle, is a former convict-built jail and a World Heritage-listed site where guided tours trace Western Australia’s penal history. Built in the 1850s, it remained in use until 1991. Choose a daytime tour for stories of convict life, prison routines and escapes, or book a Torchlight Tour for an after-dark visit. The cells, prisoner artwork and underground tunnels each reveal a different part of the site’s history. Tours can cover confronting subjects, so check whether the theme suits everyone in your group.
Built by convicts in the 1850s
Fremantle Prison was built by convict labour between 1851 and 1859, when the site was known as the Convict Establishment. Convicts arriving at Fremantle Harbour cut limestone blocks for the prison. Its five-metre-high walls enclosed a complex that grew to include the main prison, a gatehouse, cottages and underground tunnels.
The prison received transported convicts after Western Australia became a penal colony in 1849. In 1886, it was transferred to the colonial government for use as a gaol for locally sentenced prisoners. It continued operating until 1991. The site opened to the public the following year and became the first building in Western Australia added to the World Heritage List, in 2010, as part of the Australian Convict Sites.
Choose a tour to match your interests
Day tours take different routes through the prison and focus on different parts of its history. The Convict Prison Tour covers convict life, while Behind Bars and True Crime explore other chapters of the jail’s past. The Doing Time Tour includes the kitchens, men’s cells and solitary-confinement cells. The Great Escapes Tour covers famous inmates and includes the women’s prison.
Some tours focus on the building and its art as well as daily life inside. In the art cell, drawings by prisoner James Walsh cover the walls of his former quarters. Stories of successful escapes add another perspective on confinement. Guided visits can also take in the exercise yard and execution chamber, and accounts of punishment form part of the prison’s history.
After dark and beneath the prison
The Torchlight Tour takes place after dark and concentrates on the prison’s darker history. It is an atmospheric option for visitors comfortable with macabre subjects; it may not be suitable for young children. The Tunnels Tour offers a different kind of visit, descending into passages built by prisoners beneath the site. It lasts about two and a half hours, and participants must be at least 12 years old. The tour includes an underground boat ride and provides hard hats, boots and headlamps.
The prison also hosts concerts in the main prisoners’ courtyard, giving the historic site a setting for live music. If you plan your visit around an event, check its details separately from the tour options.
FAQ
When was Fremantle Prison built?
Convicts built it between 1851 and 1859. It was known as the Convict Establishment during its early years.
When did Fremantle Prison close?
The prison remained in use until 1991 and opened to the public in 1992.
What tours are available at Fremantle Prison?
Options include Convict Prison, Behind Bars, True Crime, Doing Time, Great Escapes, Torchlight and Tunnels tours. Each focuses on a different part of the site or its history.
Is there an age limit for the Tunnels Tour?
Yes. The Tunnels Tour has a minimum age of 12 and lasts about two and a half hours.
