Fremantle Harbour: A Hub for Trade and Transportation

Fremantle Harbour is a vital hub for trade and transportation in Western Australia. It has been a significant port for over 150 years, with the first commercial wharf opening in 1897.

Fremantle's strategic location makes it an ideal spot for ships to dock and unload cargo. The harbour is situated on the north shore of the Swan River, which provides a safe and sheltered anchorage for vessels.

The harbour's importance extends beyond its geographical advantages, with a diverse range of cargo passing through its docks every year. In 2019, Fremantle Harbour handled over 2.5 million tonnes of cargo, including containers, bulk commodities, and general cargo.

Fremantle Harbour has an impressive array of facilities and infrastructure that support its busy operations.

The harbour facilities from north to south include the Alcoa Jetty, Kwinana Bulk Terminal, BP Oil Refinery Jetty, Kwinana Bulk Jetty, and CBH Grain Jetty.

The Kwinana Bulk Terminal, operated by Fremantle Ports, serves for the export and import of bulk cargoes such as coal, gypsum and cement clinker. It's home to Kwinana Bulk Berth 2 (KBB2), which has two ship unloaders, Number 4 and Number 5, with minimum rates of 400 tonnes and 1,200 tonnes per hour respectively.

The terminal was originally owned by BHP, which operated a steel rolling mill at Kwinana from 1956 to 1995, and a blast furnace between 1968 and 1982. The BHP Kwinana Nickel Refinery opened in 1970.

A railway from the harbour was constructed in the 1880s, and continued to be developed with railway workshops, sheds, marshalling yards, locomotive depots, and Fremantle railway station, which opened in 1907.

Here are the harbour facilities listed from north to south:

The harbour facilities in the area are quite impressive.

The Alcoa Jetty is one of the facilities located from north to south.

Kwinana Bulk Terminal is another facility in the area, handling large volumes of goods.

The BP Oil Refinery Jetty is a critical facility for the region's energy needs.

Kwinana Bulk Jetty is also located in the area, serving as a storage and transfer point.

CBH Grain Jetty is the final facility in the sequence, catering to the grain industry.

Here's a list of the harbour facilities in order from north to south:

The Container Terminal at Fremantle Port has a rich history. On 28 March 1969, the first container ship to arrive in Australia, the Encounter Bay from the United Kingdom, docked at the terminal.

The terminal itself was officially opened the following day by Premier David Brand. The expansion scheme that included the new berths at the terminal began in 1965 as the Up-River Extensions Scheme.

By 1970, Fremantle Port had moved 50,000 containers. This marked a significant milestone for the port's container handling capabilities.

The Container Terminal has played a vital role in the growth of Fremantle Port, facilitating the movement of containers between Australia's major cities, including Sydney and Melbourne.

The rail link in this area was constructed in the 1880s. It's interesting to note how far back this infrastructure dates.

A railway from the harbour was built in the 1880s, and it continued to be developed over time.

Railway workshops were initially located here, but they were later moved to Midland Junction. I've heard that this move was quite a significant undertaking.

The railway from the harbour was developed with railway sheds, railway marshalling yards, and locomotive depots. These facilities were crucial to the smooth operation of the railway.

Fremantle railway station was opened in 1907. I've heard that this station was a major hub for the railway at the time.

Freight rail operates along the Kwinana freight railway, which is dual gauge. This means that trains can run on both standard and narrow gauge tracks.

The signaling equipment in Fremantle has a fascinating history. In 1928, the Signal Station was moved from Arthur Head to a site on Cantonment Hill.

This change marked the beginning of a new era for signaling in the area. The building on Cantonment Hill was replaced in 1956 by a new structure.

This new structure had a relatively short lifespan, as it was soon superseded by a signal station on the Port Authority administration building. The new signal station was opened by Premier David Brand on 5 March 1964.

Kwinana Bulk Terminal is a vital facility for the export and import of bulk cargoes such as coal, gypsum, and cement clinker.

The terminal is operated by Fremantle Ports and is home to the KBB2 jetty, which is approximately 500 metres long.

The jetty has two ship unloaders, Number 4, with a minimum rate of 400 tonnes per hour, and Number 5, with a minimum rate of 1,200 tonnes per hour.

The overall conveying system has a maximum rate of 1,500 tonnes per hour and is connected to rail through standard and narrow-gauge conveyor.

BHP originally owned the jetty as part of its local steel works, but sold it to Fremantle Ports in 2002.

The BHP Kwinana Nickel Refinery opened in 1970, and the company operated a blast furnace at Kwinana between 1968 and 1982.

The North Mole is a significant structure built in the 1890s. It was extended almost immediately after completion and has undergone several extensions since, with the most recent being in the late 1980s.

The North Mole was extended to accommodate the construction of the Rous Head harbour. This harbour was being built at the time and required a new entrance.

A lighthouse is situated on the western end of the North Mole. Initially, it shone with a green light, but was later changed to red.

The change in the North Mole lighthouse's colour was necessary to prevent confusion with the white light on the South Mole.

The Outer Harbour in Fremantle is a key facility for the import and export of bulk cargoes and liquids. It's home to several jetties, including the Alcoa Jetty and the CBH Grain Jetty.

The Outer Harbour was first developed in 1955 to service the Kwinana industrial area, which has since seen rapid expansion in the 1960s and 1970s. This expansion has made the Outer Harbour a crucial part of the region's infrastructure.

The Outer Harbour's facilities are operated by both Fremantle Ports and private companies. Fremantle Ports operates the Kwinana Bulk Terminal and the Kwinana Bulk Jetty, which handle a range of bulk cargoes and liquids.

Fremantle Inner Harbour has been a crucial economic asset for Western Australia since 1897, serving Perth and its surrounding region's freight needs for over 120 years.

The harbour currently handles around 800,000 containers annually, but this number is expected to grow to over three million containers in the next 50 years.

Planning for a new container terminal has been ongoing, with modelling consistently showing that Fremantle Port and its surrounding roads will reach capacity within the next two decades.

The harbour's capacity constraints are driving the State Government's proposal to relocate Fremantle's port activities to Kwinana to meet Western Australia's future freight needs.

The Future of Fremantle project is exploring possibilities for the redevelopment of the Fremantle | Walyalup Inner Harbour precinct, with a consultation hub available for the public to learn more and have their say.

During World War II, Fremantle Harbour played a significant role as a major Allied naval base. It accommodated scores of naval vessels, including battleships, troop transports, and hospital ships.

The harbour was a crucial stop for many passenger liners and converted troop carriers, such as the RMS Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary, which anchored in Gage Roads due to their size.

In 1940, boom defences were installed in the harbour as a security measure, and anti-aircraft installations were built to protect against potential threats.

An anti-submarine indicator loop was installed between Swanbourne and Rottnest by January 1941, warning of any ships passing over it.

The harbour's outer defences included an anti-submarine net spanning 9370 metres of seabed from Woodman Point to Garden Island along Parmelia Bank, as well as another indicator loop 183 metres further north.

Following the loss of battleships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, many ships sought refuge at Fremantle, with up to 30 vessels at anchor in Gage Roads at times.

In the inner harbour, it was common to see up to four vessels of substantial size lying in tier, due to the prevailing weather conditions and the circumstances forced upon the port.

Fremantle Submarine Base was the largest submarine base in the southern hemisphere during World War II, with over 170 submarines from the U.S., British, and Dutch navies using the port.

The US Navy built a submarine repair facility on North Quay in 1943, and the harbour's slipway on the south side of the entrance was an important part of the wartime role, now home to the Western Australian Maritime Museum.

Fremantle Harbour is a natural harbour, nestled between the Swan River and the Indian Ocean. It's a vital part of the city's history and identity.

The harbour's entrance is marked by the famous Fremantle Lighthouse, which was built in 1903 and stands at 18 metres tall. It's a striking sight, and a great spot for photos.

The harbour is home to a diverse range of boats and ships, including fishing vessels, yachts, and cargo ships.

Gage Roads serve as a shipping lane and anchorage for sea traffic heading towards the port of Fremantle.

The area is the most northern of one of four coastal basins formed from the flooding of a depression between Pleistocene aeolianite ridges running north–south.

The seabed of Gage Roads is covered by seagrass, which is a type of underwater vegetation that supports marine life.

The South Mole is a crucial part of the harbour layout, built in the 1890s from the southern point of the Swan River mouth.

It was constructed as a breakwater to ensure a safe anchorage for vessels in the Inner Harbour.

A light house was added in 1903.

Initially, the light house shone a white light, but it conflicted with the Woodman point light house.

This led to a change in the South Mole light to a green beacon.

The green light has been shining ever since to avoid any navigation conflicts.

Fremantle Harbour has a rich history of engineering and heritage. It's listed as a National Engineering Landmark by Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.

The harbour's construction is a notable achievement, with the Institution of Engineers, Australia Western Australia Division listing it as a National Historic Engineering Landmark.

Here are some key dates in the harbour's engineering history:

The history of Fremantle's port is a fascinating story that spans over a century. The Swan River Colony was founded in 1829, but the entrance to the Swan River estuary was blocked by a rocky bar, making it impassable for seagoing vessels.

The first steamship to enter the port was HMS Driver on 4 December 1845, marking a significant milestone in Fremantle's port history.

Fremantle shipping was initially served by the Long Jetty, which extended into the open sea, where Bathers Beach is today. Sailors disliked the Long Jetly for its harsh conditions, with Captain D. B. Shaw of the American barque Saranac describing it as "terrible" in 1892.

Cargo was offloaded onto the jetty and then taken down Cliff Street in Fremantle's West End, before being loaded onto barges that sailed up the river on the westerly sea breeze and back to Fremantle on easterly winds.

The harbour's engineering heritage is a testament to the ingenuity of its designers. It's listed as a National Engineering Landmark by Engineers Australia, a recognition of its importance in the country's engineering history.

The harbour's construction was a complex process that involved blasting and dredging the rocky bar to create a channel, deepening the river basin, and building two moles to protect the harbour entrance. This was a major feat of engineering that required careful planning and execution.

The inner harbour was opened on 4 May 1897, with the steamer Sultan being the first ship to enter the partly built port. This marked a significant milestone in the harbour's development.

Two lighthouses were built to guide ships into the harbour, with the green-coloured South Mole Lighthouse being the first to be completed in 1903, followed by the red-painted North Mole Lighthouse in 1906.

The harbour's design has remained largely unchanged to this day, a testament to the boldness, brilliance, and foresight of its designer.

If you're not a fan of the bustle of Fremantle Harbour, there are plenty of other places to enjoy the water.

One alternative is Rottnest Island, located just off the coast of Fremantle.

You can take a ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest Island, which takes about 25 minutes.

Alternatively, you could visit Hillarys Boat Harbour, a more laid-back and family-friendly spot with shops, restaurants, and plenty of boat activities.