Grand Australia Circumnavigation

Stroll through Fremantle and visit the coastal city’s renowned museum for Western Australia’s seafaring history. Travel to Perth’s sister city, where you will meet your guide and walk through streets lined with historic buildings, quaint cafes and vibrant street art. Once a bustling whaling port and gateway for mass immigration, Fremantle has become a celebrated haven of culture and history. Learn about the UNESCO Site, Fremantle Prison, built by nearly 10,000 men exiled from Britain and Ireland. Stop at the renowned, sail-shaped Maritime Museum overlooking the Indian Ocean. Here you can delve into Fremantle’s maritime history through exhibits featuring some of the most awe-inspiring vessels in maritime history, including the famous America’s Cup-winning yacht, Australia II, and an Oberon-class submarine. Afterward, you will return to your awaiting ship.

Learn about coin casting at the Perth Mint and see the bells brought here from London at the Bell Tower. View the magnificent cityscape of Perth and learn about the history of Perth and Fremantle on the way. Soak up the views of the skyscrapers and see the memorable architecture before making your way to the famous Perth Mint. Find out more about coin-making and the secrets of Australian gold. The Perth Mint is the home of the Australian Kangaroo gold coin, the largest and most valuable coin in the world. Board your coach for Perth’s iconic Bell Tower, which was built to mark the start of the new millennium. Twelve of its 18 bells once rung in St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in London. Ride the glass elevator for a 360° view of Perth, the Swan River and the Darling Range in the distance before returning to your ship.

Visit Rottnest Island and travel back in time to the 19th century. Take a ferry to the island and explore its beauty from the comfort of your motor coach. View the 19th-century Wadjemup Lighthouse—Western Australia’s first stone lighthouse, built to provide a safer sailing passage to Fremantle Port and the Swan River Colony. Learn more about the Aboriginal prisoners who were brought to Rottnest Island in 1838. Keep an eye out for the friendly quokka, a marsupial belonging to the kangaroo family found only in western Australia. Admire the views from the rugged West End, where you can disembark for a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk. Indulge in a delicious lunch at a local restaurant followed by free time to relax, rent snorkeling equipment and explore local marine life, or rent a bike and take an invigorating cycle.

Visit leading wineries of Swan Valley and indulge in a chocolate tasting. Established by Captain James Stirling in 1820 as part of the Swan River colony, the valley boasts a long history of wine production. These iconic wines are famed for their easy-drinking flavor profiles and encompass fresh, fruity reds alongside crisp, light whites, all well respected for their perfectly balanced flavors. Enjoy a tasting of local wines before stopping for a delicious local lunch. Afterward, continue on to the Margaret River Chocolate Factory to enjoy a tasting of their sweet offerings. Cap your excursion with a final stop at a renowned vineyard to sample a selection of wines, before returning to your ship.

Embark on a journey through local history while enjoying a panoramic sightseeing tour through Perth and Fremantle. Travel to Perth to see its highlights as you marvel at soaring skyscrapers amid green open spaces. Enjoy a walk through Kings Park—a shining jewel in the city’s crown. Kings Park, one of the largest inner-city parks in the world, offers magnificent views of Perth and the Swan River. Once you are finished exploring, you will be transferred to your river boat for a relaxing picturesque cruise along the Swan River to Fremantle. Enjoy a morning or afternoon tea as you soak up the scenery upon the pristine waters of the Swan River and enjoy a lively commentary from your skipper. Upon arriving in Fremantle, you will be taken on a panoramic sightseeing tour through this charming coastal township. After taking in the local highlights, make your way back to the pier.

Discover one of Western Australia’s most fascinating and significant cultural attractions. Journey to the historic Fremantle Prison, the largest convict-built structure in Western Australia and the most intact convict establishment in the southern hemisphere. Built in 1850 by the first prisoners who lived there, its towering limestone walls were constructed of rock dug from the hill it was built on. From then until 1991, it was the state’s primary place of confinement for men, women and children. Meet your guide and explore the site, hearing about the storied history of the prison. Walk the halls and learn the intriguing accounts of prisoners from Britain and Ireland who were condemned by the British justice system, and how their legacy helped to shape the future of Australia. Afterward, return to your ship.

Set out on foot along the Boorloo Bridge and immerse yourself in the rich heritage of the Whadjuk Noongar people. After a scenic drive, join an Indigenous and non-Indigenous guide and collect your headset, which provides an immersive soundscape to accompany your tour. Begin your walk across Boorloo Bridge toward Matagarup, the Whadjuk Noongar name for the area around Heirisson Island and the Swan River, while discovering how European exploration and settlement from 1827 have impacted the Whadjuk Noongar people through First Nations and early European narratives. View public artworks as you hear Dreaming stories, ancient narratives of Australian Aboriginal culture, and see the bridge’s S-shaped curves, evoking the mythological Wagyl, or rainbow serpent. Gain insight into sacred traditions and learn the significance of Yagan, a renowned Whadjuk Noongar leader, then return to your ship.