Fremantle Whalers Tunnel

The Fremantle coastline and river mouth sit on Whadjuk Noongar Country. For thousands of years, the Whadjuk Noongar people lived, travelled and fished along this coastline, with the land and waters forming an important part of their cultural landscape.

 

On 2 May 1829, Captain Charles Fremantle came ashore just east of Arthur Head. This landing became a major event in the founding of the Swan River Colony, as it was here that he formally claimed the entire west coast, then known as New Holland, on behalf of the British Crown.

 

Less than a decade later, between August 1837 and January 1838, the Fremantle Whaling Tunnel was cut through the limestone using convict labour. The tunnel later provided a direct pedestrian route between Bathers Beach, which served as the colony’s original port and the growing town of Fremantle.

 

The following year, the colony’s first gaol was built at Arthur Head, directly above the tunnel. Its construction coincided with the establishment of two local whaling ventures: the Fremantle Whaling Company and the Northern Fishery, also known as the Perth Fishery.

 

Both the tunnel and the nearby jetty, constructed using limestone quarried from Arthur Head, were used by the Fremantle Whaling Company.

 

Early expectations were high and the first season showed promise. However, by February 1838 the Perth Fishery company had collapsed. A combination of inexperienced crews, poor management, high operating costs and difficulties sourcing replacement equipment, often following accidents in Cockburn Sound, proved too much for the company to sustain.

 

The Fremantle Whaling Company continued operating until 1840, when falling international prices for whale oil and bone forced its closure. Its assets were dispersed, with the company’s warehouse, now known as the Station House (which was archaeologically uncovered in 1984), and jetty leased to Harbour Master Daniel Scott. The whaleboats themselves were repurposed as ferries on the Swan River.

 

Despite its commercial importance, the whaling station’s close proximity to the town was unpopular with residents. Residents frequently complained about the strong smells from whale processing so close to Fremantle, a problem made worse during the warmer summer months.

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Originally, the tunnel stood about 3.6 metres high and extended roughly 64 metres in length.

 

Over time, the surrounding cliffs were cut back, with the excavated limestone rubble used as landfill to fill low and uneven ground. While this was a cheap and practical way to raise land levels, it can lead to long-term issues such as ground movement or subsidence, particularly in areas affected by water.

 

A lesser-known side passage, sometimes referred to as a “secret tunnel,” branched off to the right (north) and led toward the Gunners’ Cottage. During World War II, this section was also used as an air-raid shelter. Fortunately, the threat of direct attack never reached Fremantle, with the closest wartime action occurring as far north as Geraldton, 419 kilometres away.

 

The tunnel continued to serve practical purposes well beyond its whaling days. Electricity cables ran through it between 1905 and 1919 and later, a sewerage pipe was installed through a trench in the tunnel, remaining in use from 1916 until 1975.