This is a vibrant suburb and one of the best places to live in Perth.
Fremantle, Perth (south west)
Thinking of moving to Fremantle? You probably couldn't do much better. Fremantle is a chilled out kinda place with a lot to offer, and is about as vibrant as you can get in Perth. It's creative, bo-ho, cosmopolitan, multi cultural, arty, has gorgeous Victorian architecture, a great cafe culture and happening night club scene. It's also on the water, has a great train service and is just 19km south west from Perth, or a 20 minute drive away.
Freo, as the locals call it, has an interesting convict and maritime history. It's still a functioning port. The streets are charming, there's a good market (Fremantle Markets), craft shops, galleries, and quite a few pubs and microbreweries. The live music scene is pretty good here too. And if you like festivals then you are in on a winner. Fremantle has several annual festivals including the Fremantle festival in November, the Fremantle Street Arts Festival over Easter, and the West Coast Blues n Roots Festival in March.
The beaches are great, the winds can be full-on which brings out the wind and kite surfers. Actually, the wind in the afternoons is very refreshing on a hot summer's day and is referred to as the "Freo Doctor". Rottnest Island is a short trip away. And if you like Aussie Rules footy, Fremantle has it's own team, the Fremantle Dockers. This place also has a hospital, a university, and plenty of primary and secondary schools.
Politically, Fremantle is progressive and almost an anomaly with residents happy to fight for what they believe in, and most likely to vote for the Labor Party or the Greens.
Property prices, as with much of Perth, is pricey. But in this case you do get what you pay for.
