You'd be Insane Not to Love It Here - Fremantle Shipping News

Or, “Our Horribly Arty Asylum”: Notes from a heritage games day held on Saturday 30 August 2025

It had the words “heritage” and “boardgame” in the title so naturally my sister and I were all over this like ants on a picnic.

The irony being that it was a beautiful day for a picnic but we’re very glad we spent it indoors.

Spent, in fact, within the largest public WA building constructed by convicts prior to Fremantle Prison. Did you know our Arts Centre with its high enclosing walls was once an asylum?

Not just that, but also accommodation for elder woman up until 1942, at which point it was converted to serve as housing for American soldiers during World War II.

Here’s the Statement of Significance for the “Museum and Arts Centre, Fremantle (Asylum for the Criminally Insane, Lunatic Asylum & Old Women’s Home)” on Finnerty Street:

“The Fremantle Museum and Arts Centre complex has cultural significance for the following reasons:

It has historic significance as a major demonstration of the building program undertaken in the colony during the convict era,

it has strong associations with the treatment of mental health and women in 19th century colonial society,

it is an outstanding local example of colonial gothic architecture,demonstrating the design capabilities of E.Y.W. Henderson and George Temple Poole,

it has social significance as the first major restoration project in Western Australia, and
the place is held in high regard for its colonial architecture and its more recent use as a focal point for cultural activities in Fremantle.”

Construction of the asylum started when Fremantle’s population was at a humble 8,000 and within the the temporary aslyum at the corner of Cliff and Croke Streets, the overwhelming stench of seaweed, jellyish, and beyond, presented a growing item of concern regarding the welfare of patients, and their warders. But many visitors don’t know a jot about this while admiring exhibitions or attending workshops at the Fremantle Arts Centre!

Enter Fiona Giles, historical architecture guru, and the fruits of her labor over four years. Fiona studied the gnarly exploits of the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre during her residency here and felt compelled to explore its rich textured history of characters and physical and social evolution.

We can still recognise the namesake of one key figure, the curious Dr Barnett with his pegleg, in our streets a short stroll away.

Patients included miners and Chinese labourers suffering from sunstroke and opium addiction during the 1890s gold rush. Others included women suffering from post partum depression, and another curious figure who had emigrated to Australia from the UK and forged records to marry her own family member, allegedly.

No wonder Fiona felt inspired to explore it all deeper and invite the uninitiated in through a fun, interactive means by assuming the roles of people inspired by real figures associated with the asylum.

Patients escaping or dying, overcrowding, overrepresentation of female inmates labelled as immoral “fallen angels” unfit to join society, outbreaks of disease, staff harassment and abuse, it’s not for the fainthearted. You have plenty to deal with as you attempt to sow mischief, write a compelling article about the exploits, or simply tend to patients. Meanwhile, the place undergoes renovations and changes layouts as you progress!

The aim of the game is to close the problematic asylum as soon as possible. If too many of your teammates die, or you reach the historic closure date of 1905 prior to completing the game, you lose!

The event was sold out and followed by a rare exclusive tour of the centre.

Very well done, Fiona. Looking forward to next time!