Day 102 - 105, Perth ( Tue 06th Oct - Fri 09th Oct )

Perth

River Ferry Perth

Our visit to Perth was intentionally short, we didn't really want to spend too much time in the big cities on this trip so we aimed at just seeing the highlights, we also had family to visit hear so we spent a fair bit of time with them.

We actually stayed at Manning with family, manning is not very far at all from South Perth where you can catch a ferry across the river to the CBD, perfect for us to see the city.

The ferry ride across the river is quick and inexpensive, once across walking to the main mall in town is pretty easy.

Perth From Kings Park

King Park Perth

We took the ferry over to the CBD a couple of times while we were in Perth, spent some time looking at the city sites and also took a fairly long walk to Kings park which was very nice, we took the short cut back "Jacobs Ladder" from the park which consists of a lot of steps down the hill but gets you back into the CBD a little faster.

London Court, Perth

Off the Hay Street Mall we found London Court, and interesting old English style lane way with little shops and restaurants, at each of the entrances there are ornate chiming clocks set above large iron gates.

Perth Parks

Fremantle

Fremantle Prison

We had a day trip to Fremantle and looked around the town, visited the great markets, and did a prison tour.

The prison tour we did was 90 minute tour and cost only $55.00 for the family, great value we thought.

There we a variety of tours available including a night one,or you could package a couple together if you wanted.

The tour we did was fantastic, it really gave you an understanding of prions life and explained the colorful history of the prison.

Fremantle Prison Cell Block

During the tour you get to see how cells changed in size over the years, most were generally very small and at times cell were shared by more than one inmate.

Toilet Time In Fremantle Prison

The Boys were lucky enough to be picked out of the crowd to hold up the cell toilet bucket which each cell had for the convenience of the inmates.

Fremantle Prison Church

The nicest and apparently popular place in the prison was the multi denominational church, it was built by inmates and is just very serene in comparison to the rest of the prison.

Fremantle Prison Kitchen

Another very popular place in the prison was the kitchen were inmates could work, if you worked there you had many more privileges then the general population, including better food, more showers, and access to knives LOL.
Another advantage in the kitchen was the fact that you had lots of space and were able to move around in an uncrowded space.

Fremantle Prison Art

Some prisoners were allowed certain privileges for good behavior, one been painting supplies and permission to paint the walls of their cell, we saw some amazing art on the cell walls, some reproduced from books or photos but a lot done also from memory.
One of the most striking cells was one where the prisoner was said to be the most violent personever kept in the prison, he got painting rights to keep him camp apparently.

Fremantle Prison Art

Fremantle Prison Art

The last part of the tour was the Whipping Post and the Gallows, you could skip this part if you wanted but we did it as it was a big part of prison history.

The lash was dished out fairly regularly in the old days, the most any one person got was 64 !.
To ensure you didn't die they would have a doctor standing by and when he thought you were near death he would stop the lashings, it wasn't over then though, they would rub salt into the wounds, take you off to the prison hospital, and when fully healed you would go back to get the rest of the lashings.
Sometimes it took two or three sessions to get the all your lashings.

Fremantle Prison Gallows

Unlike the the punishment of lashing, the gallows were a one visit only punishment.
I was surprised to hear how much ritual and superstition surrounded the act when hanging a man, it was incredible, a very interesting lesson in Australian history.
One of the things I learnt was that a hangman's noose  is not what I thought it was.

Hangman'sNoose

Perth and Fremantle were very nice , probable could have stayed there for a few days but we do have to keep moving, the Fremantle prison was just fantastic, I would highly recommend a visit.