Fremantle Markets have operated in the same Victorian-era market building on South Terrace since 1897, making them one of the oldest continuously operating markets in Australia. On weekends (Friday afternoon through Sunday) the building fills with around 150 stalls selling fresh produce, handmade crafts, jewellery, clothing, secondhand goods, and food from a dozen different cuisines. The building itself is beautiful — original wrought-iron columns, timber floors, a high Victorian roof — and the market has enough genuine character and local produce to distinguish it from the purely tourist-oriented markets that have proliferated in other cities.
The fresh produce section is worth the visit on its own: WA stone fruits in summer, excellent citrus in winter, and local honey, olive oil, and specialty foods year-round. The craft section is variable — some stalls selling genuine handmade work, others selling mass-produced imports with local labels — so take your time and look carefully. The food court at the back of the building serves international street food that is a reasonable feed at market prices. Come early for the best produce selection; come mid-morning for the atmosphere when the market is busy but not yet impossibly crowded. The market is free to enter and occupies the South Terrace end of the Fremantle town centre, a short walk from the train station.