After the Perth Marathon: Fremantle

The Route: Perth Station → Fremantle Station → Fremantle Prison → Fishing Boat Harbour → Perth Logistics: Transperth Fremantle Line train from Perth Station, roughly 30 minutes each way. One line, no changes. Marathon Month: October Duration: Day trip

Perth Station ──(about 30 mins, Transperth Fremantle Line)──> Fremantle Station
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Perth Station <──(about 30 mins, same line)── Fremantle Station <─────┘

The Perth Marathon finishes on the turf of Optus Stadium on a Sunday morning, and by the following day the legs want somewhere flat, close and easy to leave. Fremantle fits. The trains from Perth Station to Fremantle run all day, take about half an hour, and drop you within a few minutes' walk of the old town.

October in Fremantle: spring in Western Australia. Days are usually in the low twenties Celsius, the water is still cold, and the Fremantle Doctor, the afternoon sea breeze that gives the town its cooling, tends to arrive from the south-west by early afternoon. It is not a beach month for most visitors, which suits a recovery walk. Rain is possible, so keep a light waterproof in the bag. Check the Transperth journey planner on the day, because weekend engineering works occasionally replace trains with buses.

Start at Fremantle Station and walk down High Street towards the harbour. It is roughly 700 metres of level, paved street with cafés and shopfronts on both sides and benches along the way. The town is mostly flat. The one gradient of note is the approach to Fremantle Prison, a short and gentle rise from the town centre. The prison is a World Heritage listed convict-built complex, and the main tours run through the day with an entry price around A$30 to A$40 depending on the tour (check the current fee and book ahead at fremantleprison.com.au). Expect stone floors, some steps and a good deal of standing, so choose a shorter tour if the quads are complaining.

Fremantle Markets, off Henderson Street, are open on a Friday to Sunday pattern rather than every day. If you are here on a Monday they will be closed, so check the current trading days before planning around them. South Terrace, known as the Cappuccino Strip, is a wide, flat street with outdoor tables that works as a lunch stop. The Fishing Boat Harbour is a short, level walk from the markets, and it is where the fish and chips are. Little Creatures Brewing has a large venue on the harbour edge, useful for a long lunch with a seat.

The Western Australian Shipwrecks Museum and the Maritime Museum are both close to the harbour and both indoors, which helps if the weather turns. Opening hours change, so check before setting out.

Trains return to Perth Station at similar intervals through the evening. The last services run late, but confirm the last train time at transperth.wa.gov.au before dinner.