Fremantle History Centre

The Fremantle History Centre is a source of historical information on Fremantle and East Fremantle. The collection includes biographical files, newspapers, council minutes and agendas, publications and maps and plans. 

The Fremantle History Centre (located at Fremantle Library) is open Monday to Friday.

If you have a query, please use this form and fill in as much detail as possible to help us answer your question. 

Friends of the Fremantle History Centre

The Fremantle History Centre invites you to register your interest in becoming an inaugural member of the Friends of the Fremantle History Centre. Free for residents to join, Friends of the Fremantle History Centre will provide assistance with a variety of tasks including research, processing items for the collection, and training. This is an exciting project for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes of a local history collection. You will be trained in classification, cataloguing and scanning of rare historical items. This is a new project, so you will have the opportunity to be a part of its evolution as we adapt to an ever-changing environment.

For more info, or to register your interest, please contact the Local History Librarian weekdays on 9432 9592 or via email 

Photographic Collection

Search for historic Fremantle and East Fremantle images through our online archive 
Search for books and oral histories from the collection

Contact the Fremantle History Centre regarding usage or view the application for use policy

Looking for People?

• State Library - Family history guide  – Passenger lists and other publications, plus details of eresources available to State Library members.
• Post Office Directories - Lists people by locality, individual surname, government service, and by trade or profession. Covers 1893-1949.
• State Records Office - Includes hospital and health records, births deaths and marriages, prison and gaol records.
• Western Australian Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages – Search the online indexes for births deaths and marriages as follows, Births (1841-1932),  Deaths (1841-1971) and Marriages (1841-1936).
• Metropolitan Cemeteries Board – Looking for where someone may be buried? Search the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board for Fremantle, Karrakatta, Guildford, and Midland Cemetery, as well as Pinnaroo Valley and Rockingham Regional Memorial Park.
• East Perth Cemeteries – Search for burials at the East Perth Cemetery.
• National Archives of Australia –  Search a range of Australian government records from 1901 to present.
• Australian War Memorial –  Records regarding Australian service personnel.

Looking for Properties?

• Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage –  Search the State register of historical sites. City of Fremantle has a local heritage list.
• Post Office Directories – Great to discover who lived in your house over the years from 1893 to 1949.
• Australian Heritage Photographic Library – Find images and information about heritage sites in your local area.
• City of Fremantle Applications and Open Data Hub can give you heritage information about your property in the Fremantle area.

Handy Indexes

• City of Fremantle and Town of East Fremantle Street Names Index
• Fremantle Council elected members and staff 1895 to present
• Town of East Fremantle council elected members and staff 1897 to present
• North Fremantle Council elected members and staff 1895 to 1961
• Alma and Skinner St burial records 1831 -1899
• Hotels in Fremantle 1829-
• Obituaries 1929 -1941
• City of Fremantle and Town of East Fremantle Memorials, Plaques, Sculptures, and Statues
• Purchasers of Fremantle Town Lots 1829 - 1837
• Purchasers of Fremantle Town Lots 1855 - 1879

Other Links of Interest

• Trove – Search text of historical newspapers, images, oral histories, film and more.
• State Records Office – Search their online database to look at historical maps, convicts records, school records or virtually any document created by the state government.
• Royal Western Australia Historical Society - The society advocates for history and heritage throughout the State, and runs a museum, reference library and photographic collection.
• People's Ocean Knowledge Trail - Information on Nyoongar country and stories.