when did fremantle prison close

Fremantle Prison officially ceased operating as a maximum‑security prison in late 1991, after more than a century of continuous use as a jail.

Exact closure date

Most historical references give 30 November 1991 as the formal closure date, which is when it stopped functioning as an active prison and prisoners were transferred to the new Casuarina Prison. Some heritage and tourism sources describe it more generally as being “decommissioned in 1991” without always repeating the exact day.

What happened after closure

• After closing in 1991, the site shifted from a working prison to a preserved heritage place managed by the state, with a focus on conservation and adaptive reuse.

• It is now a major cultural and tourism site, part of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage listing, and open to the public for tours and events rather than incarceration.

TL;DR: Fremantle Prison closed as an operating prison on 30 November 1991.