Gage Roads

Updated on Nov 22, 2023

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Gage Roads is an area in the outer harbour area of Fremantle Harbour in the Indian Ocean offshore from Fremantle, Western Australia.

It incorporates a deep water sea channel as part of its function.

Gage Roads serve as a shipping lane and anchorage for sea traffic heading towards the seaport of Fremantle. Gage Roads was the location of the 1987 America's Cup,

Rottnest Island lies to the west of Gage Roads, Owen Anchorage and Cockburn Sound lie to the south.

Coastal geologyEdit

The area is the most northern of one of four coastal basins formed from the flooding of a depression between Pleistocene aeolianite ridges running north-south, and the subsequent deposition of east-west Holocene banks. The seabed of Gage Roads is covered by seagrass.

NamingEdit

Gage Roads was named after Rear-Admiral Sir William Hall Gage who was Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's East Indies Station when James Stirling was surveying the Swan River in 1826.

Shipping reportsEdit

Gage Roads is identified in shipping reports listing ships at anchor prior to entering the port of Fremantle.

AnchorageEdit

At certain times, over 10 ships can be seen anchored in Gage Roads waiting to enter the port of Fremantle. In addition to these waiting ships, oversized ships that are unable to enter the inner harbour due to size or draft are required to anchor in Gage Roads.

CruisingEdit

In the early 1900s, the local boat SS Zephyr regularly took cruises in Gage Roads. In the 2000s, the STS Leeuwin II has used Gage Roads for short sailing cruises.

WartimeEdit

During the World War II era, the Leighton Guns (also known as Leighton Battery) on Buckland Hill were part of the main anti-aircraft defence of the Gage Roads area.

The guns were still operable into the Gage Roads area in the 1950s.