A FAB ARVO IN FREO

Australians love to shorten words - but there is no end to the fun even a budget traveller can have in one fabulous afternoon in Fremantle! But be warned... you WILL be tempted to take it all the way into the evening and beyond!

We hopped on a train from Perth Station and just 25 minutes later were gliding past the impressive (and sometimes quite ugly) shipyards and container stacks on the way to Freo. No matter though, because as soon as we arrived in "Freo" we were struck by the charming colonial-heritage-meets-groovy-modern-town feel of this bustling hub of food, shopping, culture and FUN!!

Strolling through the streets which are lined with a superb mix of eateries, pubs and cafes, as well as all kinds of shops across the full range of price brackets and tastes, we were immediately swept up in the relaxed holiday feel of the place. The fact that it was Friday afternoon and everybody was starting to unwind for the weekend may have had something to do with it - but speak to some of the locals and you get the impression that they tend to be a little bit laid back about things every day of the week. And yet the folks were just as savvy, friendly, and "with-it" as in any Australian city. Must be the fresh sea breezes that wind down the streets and all the arty,hippy,chilled out vibes.

We stopped in at a couple of little boutiques, and because the sales were on, grabbed a bargain or two. Then we headed for the famous Fremantle Market. And what a great place for quirky knick-knacks and cute little souvenirs. We couldn't resist a fabulous little wooden jigsaw puzzle of a racing car,which doubles as a learning aid for counting. Great gift, great price - we might end up keeping it! My favourite part of the market, it must be said, was the corner bar where you can have a beverage of your choice in the relaxed ambience of a truly local watering hole. On market days - Friday, Saturday and Sunday - the bar always has genuinely talented, hand-picked "buskers" performing (musicians and performance artists who entertain you with their talent for your donations) and this Friday we enjoyed a couple of drinks to the mellow grooves of blue-grass and blues vibes that perfectly complemented our mood. We never got his name but his interpretation of a couple of Ben Harper hits made us sit back and shut-up!

Next we strolled around to the Norfolk Hotel - just next to the Football Ground,home of the currently infamous Dockers. The Fremantle Dockers are having a terrible season, but Freo locals are dogged supporters of their boys... and still throng to the Tuesday evening training sessions and the games (See "Football Fever" for more details). Visiting the training sessions is something you can do at absolutely no cost if you want to speak to some die-hard football fanatics and get some pointers and tips about the Australia's most popular sport. Some of you will obviously enjoy getting up close to the hulking braun that is an AFL team.

The Norfolk Hotel is great local hangout for meals and catch-ups. It's a superb stone building with a cosy atmosphere and a large, busy but comfy courtyard. But we thought the beers themselves were way too expensive for our budget. So just one pint each was all we had before traipsing off down the little side streets, admiring the diverse and interesting architecture and nipping into funky shops to tease ourselves with the prospect of grabbing a bargain here and there.

So it was that we stumbled across the extremely cool and wonderully cost-free exhibition opening at The Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery on Henry Street. It was wonderful. We looked at some great artwork whilst sipping on great local wines and talking about all things cultural with some fascinating local and international artists. Now there's an example of what wonderful unexpected surprises can await the adventurous traveller. The Moores Building Gallery also houses a groovy little cafe which is open during the day if you fancy a hit of caffeine with your art. Check them out at Moores Art Gallery  and definitely drop in for a peek when you visit Fremantle.

By now the afternoon had turned into a cool fresh evening and we were ready for some serious tucker and a good brew: the choice was obvious. Off we went to Little Creatures - undoubtedly one of the jewels in Freo's crown. This place is a must experience venue. Check out Little Creatures  It is the brainchild of a group of friends who worked in various breweries together and decided that they could combine their expertise and ideas to produce a unique and truly pleasurable micro-brewery/eatery experience. The venue is right on the waterfront and is a massive boathouse/crocodile farm which has been converted into an amazing space for enjoying their absolutely sensational ales, ciders and food. First we sat in the courtyard at the front for a pint and watched the passers by. Then we adjourned to the garden at the back, right on the waterfront, overlooking some rather impressive marine craft. It was a superb surprise to find possibly the one place in the entire state where we could eat, drink and smoke all at the same table! The "creatures" as the superbly trained, friendly staff refer to themselves helped us make some great choices in terms of grub. We started with tapas style marinated olives with herbs and fetta which were perfect with the Little Creatures cider. Then followed a spicy Italian sausage pizza - perfectly done with a thin crispy crust. We also couldn't resist the char-grilled squid with a coriander mayonnaise that was finger-licking divine. The squid was just slightly overcooked - but even wood shavings would have been delicious with that mayonnaise!

Little Creatures also has a "loft" bar which is open Thurs-Sat and a gallery section showing the work of hot young artists from in and around Perth and Fremantle. Check out the ever-so-funky pieces on the mezzanine level. But we had scored a hot tip about a quirky little cafe called Galaxy, which on a Friday evening turns into a banging little bar with a swinging 1980's groove. It was a superb surprise and we were as thoroughly entertained by the crowd and the music as they were by us!!

All in all, as warned at the outset, the arvo did stretch on well into the wee hours of the night. The trains back into Perth fortunately run up until 2AM!