Fremantle Prison

Fremantle Prison is one of Western Australia's premier cultural heritage sites and tourist attractions. It is the State's only World Heritage listed building and the only World Heritage listed site in the Perth metropolitan region. Built by convicts in the 1850s, Fremantle Prison was used as a place of incarceration for 136 years before being decommissioned as an operating maximum security gaol in 1991. The empty prison with its solitary cells and gallows is a monument to a system of punishment that is uncomfortably recent. Visitors can 'step inside and do time' with Fremantle Prison's experienced guides on a range of fascinating tours. Prison Day Tours highlight convict and prison life, daring escapes and colourful characters in tales laced with prison humour. Visitors with a spirit for adventure can descend 20 meters below the Prison to explore a one kilometre labyrinth of tunnels by foot and by boat on a Tunnels Tour or delve into the darker side of the Prison's history at night on a spooky Torchlight Tour. In addition to its guided tours, Fremantle Prison also features exhibitions in the Prison Gallery, interpretive Visitor Centres, an onsite cafe and an award-winning gift shop.