Fremantles

Fremantles is a term used to refer to multiple uses of the name Fremantle, most prominently the port city of Fremantle in Western Australia. The city was named after Captain Charles Fremantle, who claimed the Swan River Colony for Britain in 1829. Located at the mouth of the Swan River, about 19 kilometers southwest of Perth, Fremantle serves as a major shipping hub and has a long-standing maritime history.

Beyond the city itself, the name Fremantle is associated with various local institutions and sites in the area. Fremantle Prison, a historic maximum-security prison that played a significant role in Western Australia’s convict era, is a well-known landmark. Other notable places include the Fremantle Markets, Fremantle Harbour, and a range of historic and cultural venues that reflect the city’s heritage and waterfront character.

In Australian military and political contexts, Fremantle has inspired the naming of a class of vessels and related projects. The Fremantle class patrol boats, used by the Royal Australian Navy beginning in the late 20th century, exemplify how the name has been extended into naval nomenclature. The plural form Fremantles thus commonly denotes these various uses of the Fremantle name across places and institutions, while the singular Fremantle typically refers to the city itself.