The Roundhouse, Fremantle: Visitor guide with times, parking & accessibility

This guide explains how to visit the Roundhouse in Fremantle, Western Australia, including how to get there, what to expect on arrival, and how to plan your time around this historic lookout and former gaol. You’ll find practical details on parking, opening hours, facilities, and nearby attractions you can visit on the same day.

Quick visitor summary

What is the Roundhouse?

The Roundhouse sits on a limestone headland above Bathers Beach at the western edge of Fremantle’s town centre. Built in 1831, it is the oldest public building in Western Australia that survives today. The structure was originally a gaol with eight cells arranged around a central courtyard, holding prisoners during the early decades of the Swan River Colony.

I walked up the short stone pathway on a clear autumn morning and found the building smaller than I’d expected, compact and functional rather than grand. The walls are thick limestone blocks, cool to the touch even in warm weather. People visit today for the coastal views, the daily firing of the Time Ball and Signal Gun at 1pm, and the sense of standing at a place that has marked Fremantle’s edge for nearly two centuries.

How to get to the Roundhouse

The Roundhouse is located on Arthur Head, at the western end of High Street in Fremantle. If you are driving from Perth, take the Stirling Highway south or use the Kwinana Freeway and exit at Canning Highway, following signs into central Fremantle. The building is about a five-minute walk west from the Fremantle Town Hall along High Street.

If you are using public transport, the Fremantle train line runs regularly from Perth station and takes around 30 minutes. From Fremantle station, it is a 10-minute walk west through the town centre. Buses also service Fremantle from various Perth suburbs, stopping near the central shopping precinct.

Parking at the Roundhouse

There is no dedicated car park at the Roundhouse itself. Street parking is available on nearby roads including Cliff Street and Captains Lane, but spaces are limited and often fill quickly during weekends and school holidays. Paid parking is available at the Town Hall car park on William Street, around 400 metres away, and at the Kings Square car park on Queen Street, both within a five-minute walk.

Parking meters operate Monday to Saturday in central Fremantle. Sundays and public holidays are typically free in most metered zones, though you should check signage on arrival.

Opening hours at the Roundhouse

The Roundhouse is open daily from 10:30am to 3:30pm. The site is managed by volunteers, and while the grounds are accessible outside these hours, the interior cells and tunnel are only open during staffed times. The Signal Gun is fired at precisely 1pm every day, and many visitors time their arrival to watch this short ceremony from the viewing platform.

Best time to visit the Roundhouse

Weekday mornings tend to be quieter, with fewer tour groups and school visits. I found mid-morning around 11am a good time to explore without feeling rushed. If you want to see the gun firing, arrive by 12:45pm to secure a spot on the upper platform.

Late afternoon visits are worthwhile for sunset views over the Indian Ocean, though the building interior will be closed. The light changes quickly as the sun drops, and the headland offers unobstructed western views across Bathers Beach and out to sea.

What to expect when you arrive

The entrance is through a small gatehouse at the top of a short slope from High Street. Once inside, you can walk around the circular courtyard and look into the old cells, which now hold interpretive displays about early colonial history and the building’s use as a gaol. The displays are simple, with some reproduction tools and photographs.

A narrow tunnel, known as the Whalers Tunnel, runs beneath the building down to the beach below. The tunnel was hand-carved in the 1830s and is steep, uneven and dimly lit. It is open to the public during staffed hours, and the walk down takes about two minutes.

Facilities at the Roundhouse

There are no cafés or food outlets at the Roundhouse itself. Public toilets are located at the base of the hill near Bathers Beach, around 100 metres from the tunnel exit. There is minimal seating on the headland, though low stone walls provide some informal resting places.

The site is not fully wheelchair accessible. The courtyard is on level ground, but the tunnel is steep and uneven, and the upper viewing platforms have steps. Mobility-impaired visitors can access the main courtyard and views from the northern side of the building.

Nearby attractions you can visit on the same day

Bathers Beach sits directly below the Roundhouse and is a sheltered spot for swimming or a walk along the sand. The Bathers Beach House café is open for breakfast and lunch with outdoor seating overlooking the water.

Fremantle Markets on South Terrace are a 10-minute walk east and operate Friday to Sunday. The Western Australian Maritime Museum is five minutes south along the waterfront near the WA Shipwrecks Museum, and the Fremantle Prison, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a 15-minute walk inland. All of these sites can be combined into a half-day or full-day visit to Fremantle.

Practical questions about visiting the Roundhouse

The Roundhouse works well as a short stop during a wider visit to Fremantle rather than a standalone destination. The afternoon sea breeze, known locally as the Fremantle Doctor, can be strong, so bringing a light jacket is sensible even in summer. If you are visiting with young children, keep a close watch on the tunnel steps and near the cliff edges on the headland.

More Perth travel

Other Perth travel articles on Planet Whitley include:

• Visitor tips for the Western Australian Botanic Garden in Perth.
• Practical Perth beach guides: Plan a visit to Scarborough Beach, Cottesloe Beach or Coogee Beach.
• Quokkas by the beach on Rottnest Island.
• Practical tips for visiting the Caversham Wildlife Park.
• Why the Swan Valley is a perfect stopover.