Basically going over there , in Feb 09 on a WHV. Plan is to work there until the weather turn then go up the coast.

Now which would be best place to stop Fremantle or perth (north bridge)?? With regards to price and finding some work ??

Is a commute from Fremantle to Perth city centre possible ?? If so how long and how much would it cost ??

Was all set on perth , but then someone from here kindly answered my question via PM and has put Fremantle in head now ?!?!

Any help/advice would be great

Thanks in advance

OK, Fremantle is in Perth.

It’s a suburb of Perth and takes about 15 – 20 min on the train from the city centre.

So if you’re going to Fremantle, you’re still going to Perth!

Mikey

Sorry my bad What I meant was Perth central. thanks for correcting me though

Any advice/suggestions on my questions ?

Also how much is the fare on the train ?? Also is there bus route at all??

Thanks again

As a West Australian born and bred, I feel compelled to point out that Fremantle is not in Perth; it is in fact located nearly 20km southwest of Perth.

Additionally, Fremantle is not a suburb of Perth; it is a port, and a city in its own right.

I'm glad to hear that it still only takes 15-20 minutes to reach Fremantle from Perth by train. It seems that Transperth hasn't quite managed to destroy our public transport system just yet.

Thanks for that I was sure fremantle was a city in its own right just assumed Mikeyc was correct. As west Australian , which would you reccommend ?? Or better still what are the pro's and cons of both ??

Transperth's fare scale is based on a zoning system. Fares rise in proportion to the number of zones you are entering and/or crossing throughout the course of your journey. (See an overview of the zoning system here).

A Transperth ticket is valid across all of Transperth's bus, train and ferry services, so you do not need to purchase separate tickets for each mode of transport.

I have no idea what a ticket would cost these days, and I don't think prices are shown on the Transperth site (though I could be wrong). Be aware that Perth and Fremantle both offer free bus transport within and around the CBD, which can be very helpful.

Possibly, but you may have to change buses at some point, since Perth and Fremantle are serviced by different bus routes IIRC.

Thanks for the above links. Checked them previous though. I think Perth is on a winner i'll have enough time to stay near the coastline once I head over to the east coast.

Can always check out fremantle for a daytrip ......

Thanks . If anyone else has any suggestions opinions then just post away

Thanks again

I am a Perth boy myself (born in Princess Margaret Hospital, Osborne Park; raised in Bassendean and Craigie) but I find that Fremantle has more soul, and a certain gentility. The historic buildings have been more carefully preserved, and the skyline is not littered with modern monstrosities.

Freo feels more creative, arty and bohemian than Perth (at least, it did when I was living in WA 5 years ago) but good property comes at a ridiculous price, and I suspect you would find it unaffordable. You could consider living in Hamilton Hill or Bibra Lakes and commuting to Fremantle from there; it's an easily drivable distance, and buses are regular.

Freo is a pedestrian-oriented city (unlike Perth) with a network of one-way streets that can be frustrating to navigate, and public car parks located at the edges of the city (to keep them away from the pedestrian areas at the centre). Again, some people find this maddening; others find that it adds to the charm of the place. Personally, I think it's great.

You will find some excellent photos of Perth and Fremantle here.

Phew thanks for the informative post. Would the high prices of property include hostels and the like. I'm planning on backpacking Oz for a year.

Planning on staying for around 3 months maybe 4 weather and job dependant.

Was planning on just grabbing a room from some other backpackers who are renting a apartment long term be it in perth or Fremantle ..... Would you say this is realistic in Fremantle??

It certainly sounds realistic to me.

I don't know what the price of backpacking accommodation looks like in Freo these days, but I reckon if you get yourself a YHA membership card you should be pretty well sorted.

$350 per week will get you a private double room at a decent YHA hostel like the Sundancer.

If you want something a little more comfortable, good quality apartments start at around $650 per week (see the examples here) which sounds ludicrous, but might be affordable if split between four people.

And I'm sure there's plenty of other options.

Hi there
We've only been here a few months and live in between Perth CBD and Freemantle and personally I love 'Freo'. It has such a Bohemian feel, loads of back packers, boutiques, cafes (some with live music), but the night scene is very 'young' (speaking as a 35yr old!). We were out last week and sat outside a cafe (yes drinking coffee to round our night off - how old) and watched all the young things cavorting around! I've not spent as much time in Perth itself but it feels more 'efficient' and sophisticated. I suppose it depends what you are looking for. I'd say it takes about 30mins on the train and I think it's about $2:20 one way (from Perth to Freo)

I would defo recommend Freo. As a young man many years ago I lived just outside Freo and loved it. Still used to go to the city fo nights out etc but always preferred Freo. Better pubs and nightlife IMO. The city can be pretty dead during the week.
As you plans are flexible you can of course flick between the two. Living in one doesnt by any stretch preclude work/play in the other.

No, Fremantle is located within the Perth Metropolitan Area, which means it’s technically a Suburb of Perth.

The fact that it’s only 20k from the CBD show’s it’s still a suburb, as places like Yanchep (50k north are still Suburbs of the Perth Metro Area).


Mikey

I live in Freo and don't have a car.

It takes me less than an hour to commute to the CBD from door to door and I find the train system perfectly acceptable and the journey far more enjoyable than I ever did in London.

It costs me $30 a week to travel in (used to cost me about £40 in London) and we also enjoy the free CAT bus in Freo which stops outside our house - handy when you have shopping.

Freo seems to be a place that rarely if ever sleeps and there is usually somewhere open or something going on - it (for me) has a continuous 'buzz' about it which I love.

We have a few backpacker hostels there, some nice cheap places to eat and there is always something to do.

And you are not too far from the CBD should you want to go there.

If I can help in any way let me know, I can see if I can get the names of the hostels if you like.

Freo received city status in 1929. The fact that it now falls under the Perth Metropolitan area is irrelevant; this does not make it a suburb.

You can call it "technically a suburb" if you like, but this does not change the fact that it is a city port.