A museum charting the region’s seafaring history with old boats and modern ships, stories about old shipwrecks and even the chance to get on board a submarine.
Located in the port city of Fremantle, the Maritime Museum belongs to Perth’s Western Australia Museum. On the coastline of the Indian Ocean, the impressive museum is full of all kinds of remarkable seafaring artifacts, and offers visits incredible insights into how the seas have influenced Australian culture as well as trade and industry all over the world.
Delve into the history of the seas at the Indian Ocean collection with its replica boats and tools. Learn about the tribes that have sailed round here for thousands of years, and discover more about their crafts and how they used the water to trade and how they communicated.
Get up to date at the Hooked on Fishing exhibit which will show you how Fremantle’s South European fishermen navigated these waters. Then check out the Fremantle Harbour exhibit to find out more about the huge shipping industry that has historically dominated the region. Here you can even learn about the 10-Pound Poms, the English immigrants who moved here decades ago.
In the Cargoes meanwhile, you can find out about the minerals and agricultural exports that bring the money into the state. Then see the Naval Defence galleries with artifacts from Australia’s maritime conflict. You can even tour the HMAS Ovens outside, an Oberon class submarine.
Wander to the Shipwrecks gallery on Cliff Street, also part of the West Australian Museum. Here you can see remnants of Dutch trading ships like the early 17th century Batavia vessel with its extraordinary story of a mutiny ending in the ship’s disaster.
Located by the waterside at Fremantle’s Victoria Quay, the Maritime Museum is about 22 kilometres from the heart of Perth. Open daily except on major public holidays. Paid parking is available or you can get there on public transport. If you are visiting on the second Tuesday of the month, a voluntary donation is accepted in place of an entry fee.
