Slow boat to Freo
As with most new cities I visit it’s good to wander round in a random kind of way. It allows me to get my bearings and find some of the places that may be of interest. Not that I would ever visit a city without a Lonely Planet book just to help me along a little.
The plan is to meander through the CBD to the river and catch one of the boats going to Fremantle. Starting in Forrest Place the decorations and tree give a Christmas feel to things. Heading into Hay St and I find London Court, a little example of Tudor England. The entrance from Hay St leads into a narrow street with numerous shops selling much of the tourist pleasing stuff. It is overcrowded which does replicate London.
Coming out onto St George’s Terrace I head down Barrack St and through the Stirling Gardens with its statue of Alexander Forrest, early explorer of Western Australia and brother of John Forrest. Heading down, and passing the Supreme Court Buildings and across Riverside Drive to the Bell Tower.
The Bell Tower contains the 12 bells from St Martin in the Fields which were given to Perth as part of the Bicentennial Celebrations in 1988. The bells were originally cast in the 18th Century under the orders of the future King George II and have rung for every English monarch since.
There is a choice of boats and ferries that goes down to Fremantle. I ended up choosing Captain Cook Cruises since it gets closer to the harbour in Fremantle and had free coffee on board.
Leaving Perth on the Swan River affords some great views of the city and then we head down the river past all the houses, homes and boats to Freo.
Waiting at the docks is the Fremantle Tram Tours. I’d done a similar tram tour in Newcastle and thought this would be good way to see Freo. It was fun and the driver had grown up in Freo and knew it all intimately. The tram tour takes in much of the town and allows passengers to get on and off throughout to visit the attractions of the Maritime Museum, Fremantle Prison and the War Memorial on top of Monument Hill.
I had come here to find the statue of the late, great Bon Scott. A pilgrimage which should be made by every AC/DC fan. Naturally, it was part of the tram tour and it was here I got off. The Bon Scott statue is located on Mews Road, opposite Cicerellos fish and chip restaurant. The tram driver had recommended Cicerellos so it was there that I also had lunch, and probably the best fish and chips I’ve eaten outside of England.
Picking up the tram tour again we headed back around the streets of Freo before I headed to the Railway Station and took a train back up to Perth.
