March 11, 2026

Enen the disembarkment ramp in Fremantle is colorful!

Perth, Australia is about a 30-minute train ride from the port of Fremantle. Many passengers arriving in Fremantle take the train to Perth because it is a larger city. Chongae and I have been to both cities and we much more prefer Fremantle.

To be honest, I don’t think the independent folks of Fremantle care if you visit them or not. That independence stems from the fact that Fremantle started as a penal colony when Britain sent 9,000 convicts to Fremantle in 1850. It was those convicts that built many of the city’s major structures. That was followed by Irish born civil engineer C. Y. O’Connor designed the modern harbor that transformed Fremantle into Western Australia’s main port, boosting trade and immigration. Immigrants from Italy, Greece, Croatia and the Netherland made Fremantle their home creating a strong multicultural character that is evident in the vibrant art scene today.

It is also the people’s strong connection to the ocean that makes Fremantle so unique. During World War II Fremantle became the largest submarine base in the Southern Hemisphere with allied submarines operated from here throughout the war.

Where Freemantle proudly puts its sailing bonafides front and center, is at the Western Australia Maritime Museum which celebrates Australia’s 1983 victory in claiming the America’s Cup yachting trophy from the United States, which had held it for 132 years! Australia II, the yacht with its innovative winged keel, rests in a place of honor facing out to the sea. Four years later the race was held just off Fremantle and put the city on the map for the sailing world. This is a really big deal for Australians!

But Fremantle is really just a cool place to hang out for the day and that is actually what Chongae and I did. Some photos:

Chongae and I playing with one of the unique art installations in the city.

The type of typical entertainment you find in Western Australia. They do not allow you to take any photos with the axes.

The trees in the main square are huge. Chongae found a great Korean restaurant. A happy Fremantle resident.

The town square. A unique sculpture of a sculpturer creating a sculpture. The local church.

At the end of this relaxing day Chongae took some photos of the sun setting from our balcony. She made it into this awesome collage!

We now sail on to Bali, Indonesia.

Thirdmill Update:

I wanted to share this amazing story with you regarding Pastor Josiah Katumu. Take a few minutes and read how a tragic situation can be turned into a blessing:

Josiah Katumu: From Kenya to the World – byFaith

Thanks for traveling with us.