A Major Asset - The Extent of the Port of Fremantle

Three-dimensional maps such as this are ‘old-tech’, not the least, for the amount of space they take up, but they give an instant view of the area, controlled by the Port of Fremantle. The term ‘ports’ is used because there are several areas which they are in charge of. First is the Inner Harbour itself. Built in the late 1890s, and officially opened in 1897, the Inner Harbour replaced the ‘Long Jetty’ and lightering operations in South Bay, where the Fishing Boat Harbour now stands. Such is the adaptability of the Inner Harbour that it is still in full use today and handles the largest roll-on roll-off and container ships, products tankers, cruise ships and service vessels for the survey and oil-and-gas industries.

There was a port at the south end of Cockburn Sound from the 1880s to the 1920s. That facility consisted of a number of jetties at Rockingham for ships loading timber from Jarrahdale. After those facilities closed things were fairly quiet in the area until the 1950s when, progressively, the oil refinery, steel works, nickel works, fertilizer plant and grain loading facilities were built.

Finally, between Fremantle and Rottnest Island, is the outer harbour area, Gage Roads. This is where ships waiting to load  cargo, usually grain, can anchor at low cost and with little possibility of fouling another vessel. It must be very lonely, though, out there on your own.