Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a dynamic, vibrant port city situated at the mouth of the Swan River twenty kilometres down stream from Perth, the State capital.
The city is renowned for its cosmopolitan atmosphere with strong southern European, particularly Italian, influences. It has preserved its architectural heritage and is arguably the best example of a late nineteenth and early twentieth Australian city.
It has many attractions including the spectacular Western Australian Maritime Museum, Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour and the famous Cappuccino Strip.
Fremantle, as the State’s premier tourist destination, has shopping seven days a week and a large variety of restaurants and cafes, pubs and yachtclubs-segelvereine. The city is well served by public transport (rail, bus and ferry) and is renowned as a walking and cycling town.
Yacht Racing and Fremantle
Fremantle has had a long standing history with major yachting events. The 1987 America’s Cup regatta is remembered for the dramatic saiing as the teams battled it out, match racing in the howling winds of the “Fremantle Doctor”.
Fremantle was stopover host for the prestigious Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race (now known as the Volvo Ocean Race) in 1993 and 1997-98 and was widely regarded by the sailors as the most enjoyable and relaxing host port of the race. Fremantle's superb yachting facilities, its hospitality, the race organisation and perfect weather conditions assured an unsurpassed stop over.
In 2005 Fremantle will be a host port for the Clipper 2005 Round the World Yacht Race and will follow that up by hosting the Leg 1 stopover for the VELUX 5 Oceans in 2006.
Tourism Minister, Bob Kucera, when announcing the VELUX 5 Oceans stopover in 2003, said of the race, "It is an event which is known as sailing's ultimate challenge so it will bring some of the toughest and most exciting sailors in the world to our backyard. This comes hot on the heels of securing host port status for the Clipper 2005 Round the World Yacht Race and together the races reinforce Fremantle's return to international yachting prominence. Together with the Clipper 2005 race, this successful VELUX 5 Oceans bid means that the Western Australian economy stands to gain a $3.3million boost. The visit will provide a valuable jobs boost in the tourism and hospitality industries."
He went on to add, "As with the Clipper Race, Fremantle will be the only Australian stop for these 25 or so solo sailors, which represents quite a coup for the State, and for the Fremantle Sailing Club.”
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