Maritime
Perched on the Indian Ocean's shore, the Western Australian Museum — Maritime is symbolic of Fremantle’s past, present and future as a coastal city and port.
The Museum houses several unique galleries that explore WA's relationship with the sea. From leisure boats and handcrafted sailing boats to commercial pearl luggers, the Museum inspires visitors to discover WA’s affinity with the ocean.
The Museum is home to the winning America's Cup yacht, Australia II, an Oberon class submarine — HMAS Ovens, Jon Sanders’ Parry Endeavour and many other iconic vessels from WA's maritime history.
What's On
Immerse: Exploring the Deep
Immerse will plunge the visitor into an alien environment and experience what it's like to explore and work below the ocean.
Immerse will focus on technological innovations, illustrating the challenges, ingenuity and opportunities the underwater industry brings to the broader community. It aims to inspire young people to explore technical, subsea and marine related subjects as future careers by showcasing the offshore industry and research organisations in Western Australia.
Note: Thursday 1 Dec 2011 – Immerse will be closed for maintenance from 8am until 1pm. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Further information about Immerse: Exploring the Deep
- Maritime 9:30am – 5:00pm, Sat 3 September 2011 – Fri 2 March 2012
- Image copyright of WA Museum
Immerse: diving deeper into underwater technology
Batavia Lecture Series 2012, Programs and Events
Corioli Souter, Curator – Immerse: Exploring the Deep; Curator, Maritime Archaeology, WA Museum
6.00pm, Friday 17 February 2012
NWS Shipping TheatreThis lecture explores key exhibits in the Immerse: Exploring the Deep exhibition currently on display at the WA Museum - Maritime (until 2 March 2012). People have been pioneering ways in which to explore and ultimately utilise the resources found on and below the sea-bed. Helmet and corselet or ‘hard-hat’ diving was introduced to the pearling industry in the 1860s and since then Western Australians have been at the forefront of subsea technological innovation. This includes underwater technology in many sectors: the oil and gas sector; specific scientific endeavours; the search for historically significant shipwrecks such as HMAS Sydney; investigating the flora and fauna of the world’s oceans; and the future of finding renewable sources of energy offshore.
Join Corioli for a short presentation followed by a guided discussion tour through the exhibition, with a special focus on the underwater technologies employed in maritime archaeology.
Cost: $12 per person. Includes refreshments after the lecture
Bookings: Essential on 9431 8455. Please RSVP by 5.00pm, Wednesday 15 FebruaryMaritime 6:00pm - 7:00pm, Fri 17 Feb 2012
- Image copyright of WA Museum
Tales of Women at Sea: The remarkable women who dared to 'invade' the maritime domain
Batavia Lecture Series 2012, Programs and Events
Presented in association with the Nelson Society of Australia Inc.
Gillian Mead
Member, Nelson Society of Australia Inc.
6.00pm, Friday 23 March 2012
NWS Shipping Theatre
Join Gillian Mead as she relates the true 'her'-stories of women who boarded vessels (often disguised as males) and experienced life at sea in the same manner as male sailors. These adventurous women showed remarkable courage and adaptability as they faced the many trials and challenges that awaited them on these ships. They embarked on these journeys despite prevailing eighteenth century attitudes that superstitiously regarded the sea as a male domain.
COST: $12 per person. Includes refreshments after the lecture
BOOKINGS: Essential on 9431 8455. Please RSVP by 5.00pm, Wednesday 21 MarchMaritime 6:00pm - 7:00pm, Fri 23 Mar 2012
- Hannah Snell
- Image copyright of Gillian Mead
Long Term Exhibitions
Cargoes
This gallery tells the stories of the many kinds of cargoes that have passed through the Western Australian ports, and how sea trading has shaped Western Australia.
A wall of cargoes displays the incredible variety of trade goods, from sandalwood to sheep, whale oil to wheat, all celebrating Western Australia’s maritime trade.
- Cargoes
- Photo from WA Museum
- Image copyright of the Western Australian Museum
Fremantle
The story of Fremantle Harbour is told against the background of the modern ever-changing shipping activity in the port, located just outside the museum.
Explore the gangway that bought thousands of immigrants ashore, learn about the port's history, and the story of CY O’Connor.
- Fremantle Off Gangway
- Photo by Andrew Rowe
- Image copyright of the Western Australian Museum
HMAS Ovens
The Oberon class Submarine HMAS Ovens is an authentic Cold War-era vessel situated on Fremantle's historic World War II submarine slipway. This exhibit serves as a living memorial to submariners and those who gave their lives while serving from Fremantle during World War II.
Guided tours of the submarine leave every half hour (10am - 3.30pm) from the Western Australian Museum - Maritime. Bookings are advised. The guided tours take approximately one hour and reveal intimate details about living and serving aboard the 89 meter long vessel. Quite amazingly, 63 people served aboard the vessel living amongst pumps, controls, sensors, tactical equipment and torpedoes in extremely cramped conditions.
Individual tickets to the submarine or joint tickets with the Maritime Museum are available. View admission details on the Western Australian Museum - Maritime page.
Find out what life is like aboard a submarine and immerse yourself in Fremantle's secret wartime history.
Health and Safety information: because the tour includes climbing 9 meter high scaffolding stairs, steeply inclined ladders and bending through narrow hatchways, a reasonable level of fitness, freedom from significant injuries, and the ability to climb independently (without walking aids) is required. Please see the Submarine Access Policy and the Submarine tour FAQs.
Age Restrictions
For safety reasons, children under the age of five are not permitted to participate on the submarine tour.Note: tours can be canceled because of severe weather conditions (eg. high winds, thunderstorms or high temperatures) - tickets will be refunded in such events.
Vounteering: if you are interested in volunteering as a tour guide, find out how on the get involved page of this website.
- HMAS Ovens
- Photo from WA Museum
- Image copyright of the Western Australian Museum
Hooked on fishing
This gallery explores Western Australia’s fishing industry, especially the contributions of our fishing communities. The gallery features stories from the past and the present that have helped shape the industry. See Aboriginal fish traps, stories of Fremantle’s Fishing Boat Harbour, the beautiful Broome pearling luggar Trixen, and learn about the history of Western Australia’s varied fishing industries.
The exhibition brings together a compelling mix of technological innovation, changing experiences and the challenges of managing the ever-increasing pressures on fish stocks.
- Hooked On Fishing
- Photo by Andrew Rowe
- Image copyright of the Western Australian Museum
Indian Ocean
The people bordering the Indian Ocean have been linked by trade and the exchange of ideas for thousands of years.
This gallery traces the paths of these maritime travelers, giving visitors a chance to explore the roots of our modern multicultural community. Experience the sights and sounds of a 15th century Middle Eastern marketplace, and see the Sama Biasa (Indonesian Fishing Boat).
- Indian Ocean
- Photo by Andrew Rowe
- Image copyright of the Western Australian Museum
Naval Defence
Stories of bravery, war, peace, sacrifice, weapons and naval defence are showcased in this gallery. This exhibition explores the role of naval defence in protecting Australia’s interests, the Royal Australian Navy's post war role, and the strategic importance of Fremantle.
The exhibition is bought alive with WW1 Tenix AE2 submarine conning tower and Sleeping Beauty replicas.
- Naval Defence
- Photo from WA Museum
- Image copyright of the Western Australian Museum
Robert Steele Steam Machinery Exhibition
Robert Steele Steam Machinery Exhibition is located in a wharf shed adjacent to the Maritime Museum in Victoria Quay. This exhibition houses many historic engines from WA's maritime past, and also showcases restored engines in action and full movement.
- Compound steam engine in the Robert Steele Marine Machinery exhibition
- Photo from WA Museum
- Image copyright of WA Museum
Swan River
Changes and the development of the Swan River are traced throughout this gallery, encompassing the natural, social and transformations within the landscape.
Climb aboard the Valdura, an old Swan River ferry, and see Lady Forrest, Fremantle’s first steam pilot boat, both restored to their original condition.
- Valdura Steam Boat
- Photo by Andrew Rowe
- Image copyright of the Western Australian Museum
Tin Canoe to Australia II
This gallery celebrates Western Australian’s love affair with the water.
The exhibition displays watercraft, old and new, that showcase the adventures of people challenging nature and themselves as they “take on the world” on the water.
The gallery features the Parry Endeavour, the yacht that took solo yachtsman Jon Sanders* three times around the globe and Australia II, the racing yacht with the winged keel that won the America’s Cup from the United States in 1983.
* Further information about John Sanders' journey can be found on the Curtin university library website.
- Tin Canoe to Australia II
- Photo from WA Museum
- Image copyright of the Western Australian Museum