Fremantle and the Inner Harbour are among the oldest institutions in Western Australia. For more than 100 years, the working port has played a leading role in shaping the physical, commercial and social environment of Fremantle.
Fremantle's role as a port began with the foundation of the Swan River Colony in 1829. The port city was named after Captain Charles H. Fremantle who arrived in the HMS Challenger and took possession of this part of the continent in the name of His Majesty King George IV at Arthur Head on 2 May 1829. Captain James Stirling arrived with 68 settlers in the Parmelia on 2 June 1829, and established the settlement on the Swan River, and the Port of Fremantle was created.
Thanks to vision and careful planning Fremantle is today Western Australia's major general cargo port.
To learn more about Fremantle Port history, simply click a menu item on the left.
Our History
