Round House and Whalers Tunnel

THE ROUNDHOUSE
- The Roundhouse is the oldest public building in the State of Western Australia. Opened in January 1831, just 18 months after settlement, it was built to hold any person convicted of a crime in the settlement and was used until 1886.
- After it ceased being used as a gaol it became a Police Lock-up until the late 1890s and then was used as accommodation for the Water Police, and afterwards as a storage facility for Fremantle Ports. When threatened with demolition in the 1920s it was saved and later control went to the State Government before it was deeded to the City of Fremantle.

WHALERS TUNNEL
- While the Roundhouse above is only open during the day, the Whalers Tunnel in Fremantle is open 24 hours a day. It’s free to visit, too.
- To make the most of your trip to visit the tunnel, you can make it coincide with the Round House cannon firing. This spectacle occurs daily at 1pm.
- It’s a tradition that played a vital role in timekeeping between 1900 and 1937, and enabled the nearby moored ships to confirm the correct setting for their chronometer. And while its actual use is long past, the daily event is now part of Fremantle’s eclectic personality.

Fremantle Volunteer Heritage Guides:
- The Fremantle Volunteer Heritage Guides are a friendly group of volunteers who open the Round House each day for visitors and tell the history of the Round House.
- They rely on donations to continue running so if you visit the Round House please remember that donations are greatly appreciated!