Overview

This page has a full description of this section of the trail, including supporting photographs. You can read this page and/or

• Download a PDF summary of this (click on this link); and

• A JPEG version of the map only (the figure below).

Starting point

 The starting point is the Fremantle Train Station.

Getting there using public transport

The best way to get using public transport by train, but the Station is also a significant bus station, so there are many buses that terminate here.

Turn around point

The turn around point is the South Beach Café.

Getting back to the start from the turn around point – if you don’t want to do an out-and-back walk

The best way to get back using public transport is using the Blue Fremantle CAT, getting on at stop 11 or 12, which takes you back to Fremantle Station.

Summary of the walk

Figure 1 below shows the route. The total one-way distance is 4.1 km, making it a 8.2 km out and back walk. If you also walk along the south mole, the one way distance is 5.6 km, making it a 9.7 km out and back walk (i.e. the one way distance includes the out and back of the south mole section).

Water and toilets

Any toilet blocks are noted below in the text in italics. These are also sources of potable water. Any additional drinking water taps and showers are also noted in italics.

Figure 1: Fremantle Station to South Beach walk (not including the walk along south mole).

Walking guide

From the Fremantle Station head west (i.e. turn right), and after about 200m you will notice a path to the right that crosses over the railway lines.  Plate 1

Take this path and head towards and passed the E Shed and walk along the water front towards the Maritime Museum (Plate 2).

E Shed has numerous cafes as well as a public toilet.

As you arrive at the Museum you will notice the “Welcome Walls” at the front of the Museum (Plates 3 and 4). These walls list all those people who immigrated to WA and arrived at Fremantle by ship.

There is also a striking statue of a migrant young couple.

From here you can either walk around the Museum – there is a narrow path (Plate 5) - or walk past the Museum. The walk around path is open between 9:30am to 5:00pm daily.

This path will give you a close-up view of a submarine now permanently in dry-dock (Plate 5).

As you leave the Museum, head south and you will approach a crosswalk that leads to a gap between a red brick building and a grey metal building (Plate 6).

These buildings are part of the Challenger TAFE centre, the specialist Maritime Training Centre. After walking through this complex, you will come to Fleet Road. From here you can follow this road which follows the South mole and ends at a light house (Plate 7). This will add about 1.5 km to the walk. The road takes up almost the full width of the Mole, but there are a couple of places where there is a narrow path – see Plate 7). It’s worth the walk as the views south and across the harbour are spectacular.

There is a public toilet block near the lighthouse (Plate 7).

From Fleet Road there are two options. Walk along Bathers Beach until you reach the rock groyne part of the Challenger Boat Harbour (Plate 8), and Mews Road, or the path that will take you past the tunnel entrance to the Round House (Plate 9).

There are many things to see and do in this area, including place to eat, the Round House and works of Art, including Aboriginal. There are also site of European heritage significance here, including the site of the original jetty used by the early settlers before the port was constructed.

Once you are ready to leave, head south along the duel use path adjacent to Mews Road and parallel to the railway line – it is not possible to walk along the waterfront here (Plates 10 an 11).

There is a public toilet in the carpark on the right about 300m passed the Ferris wheel (visible in Plate 10).

Follow this path until you get to South Beach cafe (Plate 12)  where there is a public toilet.

Garry Middle, July 2017