8 Bustling Fremantle Pubs And Breweries

We delve into the top pubs and breweries in the port city of Fremantle.

As the home of the iconic Little Creatures Brewery, Fremantle means business when it comes to beer brewing. So, as you would expect, the town has plenty of great breweries and pubs to choose from. Whether you’re a craft connoisseur after a classic tasting experience or simply want to enjoy a drink in an ambient venue at the end of the day, you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Here are eight of the best breweries and pubs to try in Fremantle.

1. Little Creatures

huge pumps of beer inside the brewery of Little Creatures, Frematle — Little Creatures is an iconic Fremantle brewery. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

An iconic venue for WA, Little Creatures Fremantle is where it all started for this legendary brewery. The Fremantle location welcomes visitors from far and wide every day. Grab a pale ale and a pizza and soak in the brewery ambience, or wander into the oceanfront backyard to enjoy your beer and nosh in the sunshine. The beer comes direct from serving tanks pumped straight from the brewery, so it doesn’t get any fresher.

Address: 40 Mews Road, Fremantle.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am – 11pm; Sun 11am – 10pm.

2. Calamity’s Rod

guests enjoying a drink at the courtyard of Calamity's Rod brewery in Fremantle — Calamity’s Rod is a dedicated craft nano-brewery out of shipping containers.

In the heart of Fremantle, the people behind the Hougoumont Hotel (one of Fremantle’s best hotels) took a bit of their car park and built a dedicated craft nano-brewery out of shipping containers. But don’t worry, it’s not restricted to hotel guests only – Calamity’s is open to the public .

They produce a small range of high-quality beers from classics to new-wave brews and have a constantly evolving extra list of ‘experimental’ beers.

On Fridays, guests can meet the owners-slash-brewers – twin brother duo Dan and Geoff – to tour the brewery and go deep into the chemistry of their boutique beer operation. And on Saturdays, they pop a DJ into their courtyard to provide jukebox jams while you enjoy your ice-cold drink.

Address: 15 Bannister Street, Fremantle.
Opening hours: Wed, Thurs and Sun 4pm – 9pm; Fri and Sat 4pm – 11pm.

3. Union Brewery and Distillery

Union Brewery and Distillery is located within the uber-hip Sunshine Harvester Works food hall. Enjoy a drink from their rotating roster of handcrafted beers – they have 12 taps in total – or a spirit like their Bellwether Whisky, Beacon Gin and Union Limoncello. Pair it with some of the local vendors’ burgers, dumplings, pizza, gelato or Asian street food.

Address: 7 Phillimore Street, Fremantle.
Opening hours: Wed and Thurs 5pm – 10pm; Fri and Sat 5pm – 10.30pm; Sun 5pm – 8pm.

4. The National

the rooftop bar with fairy lights in The National Hotel, Fremantle at sunset — Have sunset drinks on the rooftop.

The beautifully restored National Hotel is a pub and one of the best hotels set in the heart of Fremantle. Its ground floor is a beautifully restored heritage venue with live music, a wide selection of drinks and a relaxed alfresco area that spills onto the historic cafe strip.

Meanwhile, the rooftop garden offers sprawling 360 views to Rottnest and over the port – a great spot for an evening sunset drink.

Address: 98 High St, Fremantle.
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 11am – 11.45pm; Thurs-Sat 11am – 1am; Sun 7.30am – 11.45am.

5. The Local

the front signage of The Local Hotel, Fremantle — The Local Hotel is just minutes away from South Beach.

Located a short walk from South Beach, The Local is quite literally a pub for everyone, boasting three different ‘mini bars’ with different atmospheres. Grab a pint in the front bar or alfresco tables, a Yamazaki on ice in the Whiskey Bar or a glass of wine in the Garage Bar (which has a kid’s corner to keep the little ones entertained).

Address: 282 South Terrace, Fremantle.
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11am – 10.30pm; Fri 11am – 12am; Sat 9am – 12am; Sun 9am – 10pm.

6. The Old Courthouse

Outside area at the Old Courthouse in fremantle — Every man and his dog will have fun at this welcoming pub.

Kids and dogs will have as much fun as the grown-ups (and humans) at this welcoming pub.

The Old Courthouse has sprawling grass to run around on, toys and a sandpit, and little family members will be entertained while adults enjoy a local beer or wine listening to live music.

Hot tip: their happy hour runs from 5 – 6pm Monday to Friday and features $6 pints and wines.

Address: 45 Henderson Street, Fremantle.
Opening hours: Tues and Wed 12pm – 10pm; Thurs – Sun 12pm – 12am.

7. Beerpourium

shared plates of food on the table at Beerpourium, Fremantle — Pair your beer with classic pub meals.

If you’re serious about beer, you have to visit Fremantle’s Beerpourium . Located in the heart of Fremantle on the famous cappuccino strip, this pub showcases the ever-evolving variety and quality of Australian craft beer.

It has a constantly rotating roster of beer taps to bring visitors the latest and freshest beers on the market. Plus, they have a woodfired food menu featuring classics like pizzas and parmis, as well as less-common things like lamb gozleme and woodfire-baked Brie with chilli jam.

Address: 13 South Terrace, Fremantle.
Opening hours: Thurs 4pm – 12am; Fri and Sat 11am – 12am; Sun 11am – 9pm.

8. The Left Bank

the al fresco dining scene in the courtyard of The Left Bank, Fremantle — Soak up laid-back vibes in the open courtyard. (Image: The Left Bank)

The Left Bank – or The Lefty, as it is affectionately referred to by locals – is a Fremantle institution. The riverside location, the open courtyard overlooking the water and the laid-back vibes make it the perfect place to unwind with a beer, wine or cocktail.

It’s especially enjoyable come 4pm when the courtyard becomes drenched in the afternoon setting sun. They often have live music in the garden, and parts of the venue are also dog-friendly.

Address: 15 Riverside Road, East Fremantle.
Opening hours: Mon – Thurs and Sun 11am – 11pm; Fri and Sat 11am – 11.30pm.

Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023 , it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

Aerial view of Mandurah. — Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

The best things to do in Mandurah

Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries . The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

Dolphins swimming in Mandurah. — Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah. — Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

Where to eat in Mandurah

Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery . Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery ; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

On a Murray River Lunch Cruise , the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience , where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops. — Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

Where to stay in Mandurah

With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

The Sebel Mandurah , just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre , cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats . You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river — Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.

9 bustling breweries and pubs in Fremantle