Join us to commemorate one of convict history’s boldest escapes, as the Fenian story is told in our free outdoor exhibition Flight of the Fenians: 150th anniversary of the Catalpa rescue.
150 years ago, six Irish political prisoners risked everything for liberty. As members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, they dreamed of an independent Ireland, free from British rule—a dream that resulted in their transportation to Fremantle Prison in 1868.
In April 1876, under the watchful eyes of their captors, they slipped away from their convict work parties and raced south to Rockingham, pursued by the authorities. Their goal was to reach the American whaling ship Catalpa, waiting offshore. This was a daring, international rescue that defied the odds and continues to capture the public’s imagination 150 years later.
Exhibition Dates: 19 March - 1 November 2026
Location: This outdoor exhibition is located in the Terrace Gardens, at the front of Fremantle Prison (adjacent to the Gatehouse)
Times: As this exhibition does not require access via the Gatehouse, it is accessible at all times, subject to lighting conditions.
