Fremantle West Australia & the 40th Anniversary of Australia's 1983 win of the America's Cup

Did you know that it is the 40th Anniversary of one of Australiá's biggest international sporting achievements? Fremantle in Western Australia has been celebrating this event over the weekend. 

On 26 September 1983, the yacht Australia II, skippered by John Bertrand, made history by winning the oldest sporting trophy in the world, the America’s Cup, when they took it from the New York Yacht Club who had held it since 1851 for 132 years.  

 

The Australia II was owned and built by a syndicate Western Australians headed by former businessman Alan Bond. The syndicate had unsuccessfully challenged for the Cup three times, but in 1983 the Cup was theirs. 

 

Unfortunately holding the Cup was short lived - In a disastrous defence off Fremantle in Western Australia four years later, in the summer of 1986-87, Kookaburra III was trounced 4-0 by Stars and Stripes 87, skippered by 1983 loser, Dennis Conner. 

However the America's Cup defense put Fremantle on the international map and injected millions of dollars into Fremantle and the Western Australian economy and refurbished and enlivened the port city. 

I remember watching the footage on TV and all of Australia was cheering together. This was long before I started blogging and I don't have photos, but here is some footage and information which I borrowed off the net. 

WA Museum - America's Cup winner 1983

Maritime Museum - 40 years on

Royal Perth Yacht Club

You can still see Australia ii - it is housed in the WA Maritime Museum at Victoria Quay in Fremantle. 

I have just read that The America's Cup is currently held by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, who successfully defended the 36th America's Cup in March 2021 using an AC75 foiling monohull called Te Rehutai, owned and sailed by the Team New Zealand syndicate. However the race will not be run in New Zeland - it will be run off Barcelonia in Spain in September-October 2024. 

And a little about Fremantle - 

Fremantle was established in 1829 as a port for the new Swan River Colony settlement and was the major city in Western Australia for much of its early history. It was here that the first settlers landed on their arrival from England, and it was the first port of call in Australia for many migrants and visitors. Fremantle handles the majority of the State's imports and exports.

Fremantle is a rich mixture of cultures and nationalities -a unique blend of a lively multicultural yet relaxed lifestyle which attracts hundreds of tourists and visitors daily.

Within easy walking and cycling distance, visitors can experience contemporary circus, fine crafts, original music and theatre, galleries, museums, bookshops, buskers, cafes and restaurants, and a lively nightlife. Along with maritime history and extensive architectural conservation of its historical buildings, visitors can discover the past and present.

At the western end of High Street on Arthur Head, a headland overlooking the Indian Ocean is the Round House, Western Australia's oldest building, built as a goal in 1831 two years after the first settlement in Western Australia (the first convicts arrived in 1850). Below you can see the Round House at the end of High Street. Underneath the Round House is the Whalers Tunnel built in 1837 by the Fremantle Whaling Company to allow easy access between Fremantle and the ocean.

Below you can see some of Fremantle Harbour - the training sailing ship Leeuwin taking passengers for a late afternoon cruise, and a huge container ship being brought into dock by tug boats. Near here is the WA Maritime Museum at Victoria Quay which amongst other exhibits, houses Australia II. 

Boats, the water, and fishing are an integral part of Fremantle. Here is the lively waterfront precinct, where you can have a feed of fish and chips almost any time day or night.

The Fremantle Markets are abuzz with activity and crowds every Saturday and Sunday. It is the place to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, gifts, art, clothes, almost anything you can think of. 

The Fremantle Prison dominates the skyline and history of Fremantle. Built from local limestone by convict labour in the 1850s and decommissioned as an operating goal in 1991, and now Heritage Listed, the goal is the largest convict built structure in Western Australia. The photo you see here is the gatehouse. The goal now welcomes thousands of visitors every year - there are numerous tours including a torchlight tour if you are feeling brave, and a tour 20 metres below to explore the labyrinth of tunnels below the prison. The complex also houses the Children's Literacy Centre.

The photo below shows some of the terrace workers cottages adjacent to the Fremantle Markets. There are many more examples of these terrace houses around Fremantle.

Many of the early buildings in Fremantle were built of local limestone with decorative wrought iron lace work on their balconies. Between 1890 and 1912, following the discovery of gold in Kalgoorlie many buildings were replaced by the solid buildings we see today, many with very decorative plasterwork scrolls and patterns on their facades. In recent times many of these have been converted into private residences, art spaces, restaurants, shops etc, beautifully restored and retaining the character of Fremantle. The University of Notre Dame also occupies a great number of these buildings across the centre of Fremantle, bringing a young and multicultural vibrancy to Fremantle.

One notable building, is the old Bond Store bulding.  Built in 1851 from local limestone by convicts to store food, clothing and equipment, and later converted into a Customs House and Bonded Warehouse, it now houses the Maritime Museum Shipwreck Gallery where you can see relics of shipwrecks run aground on the Western Australian coast on their way across the Indian Ocean to the Dutch East Indies - a fascinating place to spend a few hours.

High on a hill overlooking Fremantle and the port is the war memorial, remembering those who have lost their lives during war. I hope you have enjoyed this little look at Fremantle and the winning of the America's Cup. Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.  I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!     Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On Saturdays Critters - Viewing Nature With Eileen Travel Tuesday Pictorial Tuesday  ThroughMy Lens  Image-in-ing My corner of the world through my camera  Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity.         and Little bird - Pienilintu Thankful Thursday  Welcome to Nature Thursday Skywatch Friday Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.