Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Fremantle Prison is one of Western Australia’s premier tourist attractions and the only World Heritage listed building in the State.The Prison was built by convicts in the 1850s and was used as a place of incarceration for almost 140 years. With solitary cells and gallows Fremantle Prison is a monument to a system of punishment that is uncomfortably recent. Fremantle Prison now holds the key to history, mystery and fun. Step inside and do time with experienced guides on a fascinating Prison Day Tour. Explore the labyrinth of tunnels 20m beneath the Prison by foot and by boat on a Tunnels Tour adventure. Feeling brave? Delve into the darker side of the Prison’s history on an eerie Torchlight Tour.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Fremantle
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117 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Megan157 contributionsLook forward to booking another tour soon.We did a Torchlight Tour. Our prison officer (tour guide) was Deb. She ran a great tour. Lots of information and a few laughs. It was great to see more of the prison thanks to the renovations. We really enjoyed it.Visited December 2022Travelled with familyWritten 1 January 2023
- greytbrittaHartsdale, New York32 contributionsFun and InformativeWe took a Torchlight tour on Dec 30 and had a blast while getting a good education on the prison’s history. Our tour guide Justin is a fabulous storyteller, he made the daily grind come alive - thanks for an excellent (and scary) experience :-) The free exhibitions on the prison grounds are also well worth your time. This national treasure is very well organized and maintained.Visited December 2022Written 1 January 2023
- Helen SWhyalla, Australia31 contributionsHighly recommendFremantle prison tours. Heritage listed building dates back to convict era. Did above ground tour as well as tunnels tour which goes through old water network beneath the prison.Really good - and a special thanks to attendants who coaxed Helen into continuing when she nearly chickened out. Descending vertical ladders down 20 m open shafts is not for everyone.🤪😗🙃😲Visited January 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 January 2023
- Andrew B10 contributionsBrilliant tour and performances.There are many tours to be taken at this prison. This time, friends and I took the night-time Ghost tour. Excellent! Spooky, too...if you are in any way empathic, you're almost guaranteed to feel other 'presences' like I and a friend did...especially in the gallows and morgue areas. The staff are perfect...really brings the horror of the place to life, but in a humorous way. Great performances by the actors, too.Visited January 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 8 January 2023
- ARFDublin, Ireland10 contributionsHighly recommended and hugely positive experienceExcellent tour (historic convicts tour). Our superb guide Benny was a huge part of he experience...so entertaining, knowledgeable and genuinely funny as he told lots of stories along the way. First class experience - well done to all concerned. Highly recommended.Visited January 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 11 January 2023
- Peckish2 contributionsLocked up yourWe did the locked up tour for the kids during school holidays. Justin our tour guide was beyond amazing, kept the kids engaged and entertained all along , great sense of humour, provided a lot of info and insight into prison life and the history behind. Highly recommend for 8+ .Visited January 2023Travelled with familyWritten 19 January 2023
- Liisa and Dave BAdelaide, Australia2,504 contributionsFascinating historyWe did two of the tours which were discounted as we had a voucher in the entertainment book. We had the same guide (James) for both tours and he was fabulous! He told many fascinating stories of convicts from many years ago, of the women’s prison and the history about how many women got there which would be unheard of today! He shared about death by hanging and we were given a tour of the room in which that used to occur. It was interesting seeing the different cells and how little they advanced over the years. I loved hearing stories of prisoners whom were amazing artists. One of those paintings is still on the wall of a prison cell, painted by an indigenous man who was clearly gifted with artistic skills. The prison building itself looks pretty at night as it’s lit up in multiple colours. Well worth a visit if you’re interested in history.Visited February 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 February 2023
- DJD140215Stamford, United Kingdom285 contributionsConvict TourAnnette, our guide, was superb and told us many stories about individual prisoners of yesteryear. As there’s no really a lot to see, it looks would be better to provide one, combined tour, rather than offering different tours. It is a little confusing, though the gentleman on the gate was helpful in this respect.Visited February 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 February 2023
- Vid991234Christmas Island, Australia132 contributionsThe must do - tunnelsWent last minute and was squeezed on the tunnels tour last minute. Also did the convict tour. Personally I enjoyed the tunnels better - an adventure, boat and lots of safety equipment briefing. All Made enjoyable by the guides.Visited February 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 20 February 2023
- Dogface123Stamford, United Kingdom116 contributionsWell worth a visitWe spent a couple of hours exploring this place on a guided tour. It was a really interesting place to visit. We had an option of various tours to take and were not disappointed. We got to see the inside of the old prison, see the living conditions, and the area that the prisoners would’ve experienced and how the prison has changed over time. We also saw the execution chair. The tour guide was very informative, knew his stuff, and I would recommend to tour to anyoneVisited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 9 March 2023
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4.5
4,228 reviews
Excellent
2,871
Very good
1,129
Average
184
Poor
31
Terrible
13
Girlsfromwarrington
Warrington, UK46 contributions
Dec. 2023 • Couples
Thoroughly enjoyed our visit. A great tour guide who was very knowledgeable. I can’t believe this was still in operation until 1991 with the awful conditions.
Written 3 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erica M
Perth, Australia12 contributions
Nov. 2023 • Solo
Tunnels tour was fantastic. Chris was a great tour guide and very easy on the eye ❤️ Would 10/10 go again just to stare at his lovely face
Written 27 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philip H
2 contributions
Nov. 2023 • Couples
We did the convict tour, which was suggested to us because we are Irish! We had some invested interest in hearing about our ancestors misdemeanours. Karl is an excellent tour guide and a gifted story teller, and kept our attention for the entire tour. He added humour to the tour, which made it so much more enjoyable. He brought us around the prison grounds and told us stories of the convicts, some of which were hilarious and shocking in equal measure. My one criticism is that there is about 35 people in the tour group and at times there is some standing around and waiting for everyone to gather.
Written 19 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pippa B
8 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Family
We booked the torchlight 🔦 tour. Very atmospheric and a little spooky. Our guide was excellent, very informative (kept the group moving as we were there on a busy evening). Would recommend a visit, makes you realise just how grim prison life is.
I would like to do another tour to see the prison in daylight.
I would like to do another tour to see the prison in daylight.
Written 18 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brinty1
Wanaka, New Zealand4 contributions
Nov. 2023 • Family
We did the tunnel tour with Tristan as a guide. What a magnificant guide he was and took his tour guiding to a very high level. Unfortunately one of our family members suffered a claustrophobic event, but with true professionalism Tristan handed this over to Simon, another guide who made a great result of our situation.
100% recommend this tour. We laughed the whole time, and had a fantastic experience. Thank you.
100% recommend this tour. We laughed the whole time, and had a fantastic experience. Thank you.
Written 16 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rowan
United Kingdom157 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Family
Having visited here a few years ago I really wanted to show my partner what a great place this was.
The weather was perfect for us on the two occasions that we toured ( we did two different tours on different days ) and the wonderful Janine took us around both times!
She really brought the place to life and we were captivated by her stories - I only wish I had gone to see Moondyne Jo's resting place in the graveyard as it turns out one of my rellies ( died in the asylum ) is buried there too ) . Next time Fremantle!
Definitely worth a visit as this place is quite fascinating.
The weather was perfect for us on the two occasions that we toured ( we did two different tours on different days ) and the wonderful Janine took us around both times!
She really brought the place to life and we were captivated by her stories - I only wish I had gone to see Moondyne Jo's resting place in the graveyard as it turns out one of my rellies ( died in the asylum ) is buried there too ) . Next time Fremantle!
Definitely worth a visit as this place is quite fascinating.
Written 12 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alan W
Peel, UK18 contributions
Nov. 2023 • Couples
We went with a cousin to this old facility in Fremantle. We opted for the triple tours which allowed us to plan in lunch. The guides were very knowledgeable on their subjects, shout out to Matthew our guide on the last tour. There is a lot of interesting history in and around the prison of Western Australia from it's first settlers until 1991 when it closed. Very well worth the visit.
Written 11 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah C
Ashtead, UK1,167 contributions
Jan. 2023 • Couples
This was a lovely place to visit, history set out in a fascinating way and atmospheric to wander among the various prison rooms. Recommdned
Written 7 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rachael
Sheffield, UK45 contributions
Nov. 2023 • Couples
We did the ‘Behind bars tour’ and the ‘Tunnels Tour’. Both really good, the tunnels tour is an absolute must. It’s really interactive and Chris our guide was utterly superb. What a fantastic tour guide he is.
We highly recommend doing this and visiting the site.
We highly recommend doing this and visiting the site.
Written 3 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
woahwoah
Yorkshire7 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Couples
Interesting former prison. Free entry to the gatehouse displays / cafe / gift shop / small art exhibition. There are also several guided tours to choose from in the prison itself, at a reasonable cost.
I didn’t do a tour, because they all involved a lot of walking and standing (1 hour +). My husband however enjoyed the tour. It’s perhaps a shame they don’t offer a shorter / easier tour for those of us with mobility problems.
I didn’t do a tour, because they all involved a lot of walking and standing (1 hour +). My husband however enjoyed the tour. It’s perhaps a shame they don’t offer a shorter / easier tour for those of us with mobility problems.
Written 30 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, i’m planning on doing the torchlight tour for my sixteenth birthday with 5 other friends just wondering how early we should get there before the tour starts?
rob3170
Melbourne, Australia2,974 contributions
10-15 minutes should be ample, but if you're earlier there's a couple of things to have a look at pre-tour.
Marty C
1 contribution
How do I get there using public transport
Mitchell-Family-01
Australia1,388 contributions
Use the free CAT bus. Get off near the old market and it’s a 10 minute walk.
Can you please describe the 3 available tours so that we can decide on which to book.
Thank you
Karen
t16mytm
Singapore347 contributions
What is the entrance ticket cost for visiting the Prison
FremantlePrison
2 contributions
Hi t16mytm, access to the museum displays and exhibitions at the Prison entry is free of charge. To see inside the buildings and grounds you have several tours to choose from. Adult entry for one Prison Tour (Convict Prison, Behind Bars or True Crime tours) is $22AU. You can do two of these tours for $32AU or all three for $42AU. The Tunnels Tour underneath the Prison is $65AU and the Torchlight Tour on Wednesdays and Fridays is $28AU. Concession, child and family pricing is also available. Full tour and pricing information is available on Fremantle Prison's website.
snipyourpeepee
Singapore1 contribution
Hi there. I am interested in doing the Tunnels & Prison Tour Package on a Sunday. May I seek advice on what time would be good for me to start the tour as I would like to plan my schedule to include visiting the Freo weekend market.
Thank you in advance!
FremantlePrison
2 contributions
Tunnels Tours have a duration of 2 hours 30 minutes with Prison Tours having a duration of 1 hour 15 minutes. There are a multitude of options available, depending on which of the Prison Tours you would like to do - Convict Prison, Behind Bars or True Crime'. For the Tunnels we would suggest you do either the 9.00am or 9.45am timeslot to provide you with an early/mid afternoon finish at the Prison once you have completed your chosen Prison Tour.We would recommend you contact us by phone to make your booking and we can provide you with your options. The markets are a very short walk from the Prison and are open until 5pm on the weekend.
Shyenfoong
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia172 contributions
How do I book the tour? How many types are there ?
Do I do it on site or I have to pre book ? What is the best time to arrive ?
Thank you very much
FremantlePrison
2 contributions
We have a number of tours to choose from depending on your point of interest or how much time you want to spend at the Prison.
You can choose from the following:
• Convict Prison Tour
• Behind Bars Tour
• True Crime Tour
• Tunnels Tour
• Torchlight Tour
Full tour descriptions, departure time, duration and pricing can be accessed on our website. Tours can be completed individually, or combined as part of tour packages (where discounts are applied). We are generally quieter in the afternoons, after 2.00pm and our exhibitions and entry complex is open from 9am - 5pm, daily.
You can book online via the Fremantle Prison website for Tunnels and Torchlight Tours. Alternatively, you can also book by phone.
Due to the TripAdvisor guidelines we are unable to post our website address or phone number in our answer, however if you type Fremantle Prison into Google this information will pop up for you. If you have any further enquiries or to make your booking please do contact us by phone and we would be happy to assist further. We hope to see you at the Prison soon.
Shyenfoong
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia172 contributions
How do I book the tour? How many types are there ?
Do I do it on site or I have to pre book ? What is the best time to arrive ?
Thank you very much
sarah g
Worksop, UK391 contributions
We booked when we got there. There are about 4 different types of tour, so you may wish to look if there is anything on their website so you can time your visit accordingly. We just turned up and took the first available tour. It was excellent.
KathB35
Cambridge, UK20 contributions
I’d like to go on the Convict Tour but have a fear of climbing open stairs (I’m fine with closed stairs, with risers). Does the tour involve this? Thanks.
FremantlePrison
2 contributions
Hi KathB35, unfortunately the stairs inside Fremantle Prison are open, however there are railings and additional netting installed. As an alternative, the Behind Bars tour is entirely on the ground floor of the Main Cell Block and does not involve any stairs.
suzannelL7938BV
Perth11 contributions
Can i go on the tunnel tour if i am under weight by 5kg
FremantlePrison
2 contributions
Hi SuzannelL7938BV - Unfortunately, due to safety reasons you would not be able to take part in the tour. The weight restrictions are in place due to the legal weight capacities of the harnesses used on the ladder system. All participants for this tour are required to weigh between 40 - 140 kilograms and physically fit the safety equipment. The other three tours currently on offer, Doing Time, Great Escapes and Torchlight do not have weight restrictions.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Fremantle Prison
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