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Swan River—North Fremantle
This is a walk along the north bank of the Swan River from the Fremantle Traffic Bridge, heading eastward.
I began at the 1939 Fremantle Traffic Bridge. We're looking west, before heading east.
You can still see the remains of the 1866 'stick' bridge.
Looking in the other direction: the west end of 'Northshore'.
Northshore are zing droom nents.
And look like this.
And have moorings like this.
Continuing east, we see the newer Stirling Bridge, the Red Herring - now Dome - under it on the other side of the river, and the Captain Cook tour boat approaching.
I heard a CLUNK and looked out to see the motorboat with the big outboard motor at an angle of thirty degrees up over the moored yacht. The motorboat has gone back to check out the damage. I guess the skipper wasn't looking where he was going: three youngish guys, perhaps on their way back from Rotto.
I climbed all the steps up to the bridge roadway to bring you this photo.
Anyone wanna shoot a few baskets?
East of the dominating bridge is a pleasant little sandy beach. This is looking back westward.
And then looking upriver.
Just inshore from the river at this point is the North Fremantle cricket ground, the Gilbert Fraser Reserve. The pavilion can be glimpsed from the beach.
The grandstand is listed on a Heritage Office page, but has recently suffered a cheap and nasty restoration.
Across the cricket green, in the background, Benningfield House, distinguishable by its controversial solar power panels. The lucky owners can watch the cricket from their upstairs side verandah.
The cricket ground is also used for fire brigade competitions. I assume this stand was for viewers to watch the finishes, but it's past its use-by date.
At the end of the sandy beach, past the cricket ground, we come to Pier 21, an 'apartment hotel'. This is the cute little path leading from one of the many jetties to the accommodation.
The jetty in question is somewhat less attractive than the path.
I should show you some of the Pier 21 units.
I'm guessing these swans and cygnets are hanging around in front of the units for a feed.
The path continues beyond Pier 21, and we come to private apartment blocks.
Then the Water Police.
Then a tiny 'beach' beyond, called 'Harvey' Beach. There used to be a larger swimming area at the end of Harvest Road until the Water Police facility was built.
End of the path. Not long ago one could keep going and reach caves in the limestone cliffs. People have lived in them probably for thousands of years.
Back up Harvest Road a bit, it's possible (but difficult) to find a narrow, steep path that leads up to the top of the cliff.
The hill is called Cypress Hill, and these are the views you get from up there.
Including the roof of the Water Police station.
And the front entrance of Pier 21 (with the Red Herring/Dome in the distance).
On Cypress Hill: a house with a face!
Walking back now, that's Cantonment Hill over there, with the signal station on top - now the Volunteer Rescue Service. That whole hill and area around was Defence Department land, worth squillions.
On the way to Rotto: a floating gin palace passing what was a hotel with a restaurant called Sunny's Shining on the Swan – now a condo.
Garry Gillard | New: 1 December, 2009 | Now: 1 September, 2023
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally hosted at freotopia.org/river/northfreo/index.html, and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.