FREMANTLE  , a seaport of

Swan county, Western Australia, at the mouth of the Swan river, 12 M. by rail S.W. of Perth . It is the terminus of the Eastern railway, and is a town of some industrial activity, shipbuilding, soap-boiling, saw-milling, smelting; iron-founding, furniture-making, flour-milling, brewing and tanning being its chief industries . The harbour, by the construction of two long moles and the blasting away of the rocks at the bar, has been rendered secure . The English, French and German mail steamers call at the port . Fremantle became a municipality in 1871; but there are now three separate municipalities—Fremantle, with a population in 1901 of 14,704; Fremantle East (2494); and Fremantle North (3246) . At Rottnest Island, off the harbour, there are government salt-works and a residence of the governor, also penal and reformatory establishments .