The Roundhouse

It's the oldest public building in Western Australia, opening a mere 18 months after European settlement in Perth in 1831.

For over 50 years, The Roundhouse first served as a goal for convicts. Since it has been a Police Lockup, provided accommodation for the Water Police, and been used as simple storage space for Fremantle Ports.

Inside, eight cells and a jailer's residence all open onto a central courtyard. Based on a panopticon, an 18th-century design that allowed one security guard to watch over all inmates. Or at least that's what they were led to believe. In 1837, a tunnel was dug for the Fremantle Whaling Company, running beneath the site linking High Street to Arthur Head. Today you can wander through this 45-meter tunnel directly to the Indian Ocean.

Heritage guides give tours of the Roundhouse daily, eager to share their knowledge of the building and its hidden rooms. At one o'clock, guides re-enact the historic time signal by firing the Roundhouse cannon that can be heard down High Street. With a quick presentation beforehand, this ritual is worth arriving in time to witness.

A quick history lesson: back in the early 1900s, guards at the Roundhouse would signal time to sailors and seafarers so they could readjust their chronometers (navigational clocks). When the clock struck one, electrical impulses released from the Perth Observatory ran down to Fremantle via telephone wires and released the time ball, which was sitting at the top of a pole, causing it to slide down a bar. Simultaneously, the guards fired a gun, so seafarers were alerted by both sight and sound.

This 1 pm spectacle remains today. For the adventurous, it's possible to book to fire the cannon yourself. You even receive a certificate to commemorate the day. And fear not. If you do not feel that trigger happy, you can still watch the action unfold from a safe viewing distance. Earplugs optional!

Entry by gold coin donation. Take a Virtual Tour here.

The Roundhouse sits on a peninsula at Arthur Head, offering a breathtaking view of Bather Beach and the Indian Ocean.

Post-visit, wander down to the sand via J Shed art studios. Behind the colourful doors of this beachside warehouse, you'll find the working studios of local artists, including Greg Hames, famed for the life-sized bronze sculptures you'll see throughout Freo, ceramic artist Jenny Dawson, textiles in Rose Megirian's studio, and South Korean sculptor, Jina Lee. Pop in to see that artist at work before bagging one of the sun loungers at Bathers Beach House, Australia's first licensed beach, for a Spritz literally in the sand.

Also make time to….

Stroll the historic West End: High Street has the highest density of heritage-listed buildings in all of Western Australia (most from the Goldrush era of the 1890s). Take a stroll down High Street from The Roundhouse to see some of the port city's finest. En route, peruse the shelves at Record Finder, New Edition bookstore, and the local artisan wares at Common Market. For food and drink, you are spoilt for choice with coffee from Hush, pizza (and pinball games) at Palace Arcade, or take to the roof terrace at the heritage hotel, The National, for sweeping 360-degree views over Fremantle's rooftops.

Photo credit: This is Fremantle