Looking to stay in Freo on grand final weekend? You may be up for $3000 a night

They may have crashed out spectacularly in the qualifying final last week, but the Dockers faithful are keeping the hope alive, at least according to local accommodation operators.

Even before Friday night’s sold-out, do-or-die clash with Geelong, for those looking to stay within the Fremantle city limits on the weekend of September 25 to 27, there are exactly six properties publicly available for a family of four.

And despite losing to Hawthorn in the first game of their finals campaign on Thursday, optimistic fans with one eye on the club’s minor premiership have already started making their plans for the big weekend in the hopes Freo will make their second-ever appearance in the AFL grand final.

“I think the city will be firing on all cylinders. That’s for certain,” City of Fremantle Mayor Ben Lawver said.

Around the city, hotels, pubs and even the local prison have reported a bump in bookings from visitors keen to lock in their spot for the big day, despite the club still being two matches away from appearing in the grand final.

Authorities said they were planning on an extra 40,000 people to be roaming the streets in the event of a Dockers grand final, with ticketed events springing up across the city to ensure the council can handle the huge influx in numbers.

Lawver said it was clear Fremantle fans were undeterred by how far the club still had to go before a premiership, and the city had to prepare accordingly.

At a council meeting last Wednesday, the local government responsible for hosting the thousands of fans expected to flock to the port city approved a budget amendment that would allow them to pull the trigger on $230,000 needed to accommodate the influx of visitors.

“What it’ll look like on the day is the city will close the cappuccino strip and create a live site, with big screens, and access to all the restaurants and cafés along the strip,” Lawver said.

“There’ll be you know special platforms for people that have mobility issues so that way they’ll be able to watch the game as well, and South Fremantle Football Club is doing a watch party at the oval with huge screens and food trucks.”

Of course, all tickets for the oval stream are full refundable and many pubs are only holding tables without requiring deposits due to the uncertainty, but according to Lawver, the lid was well and truly off.

“The accommodation is almost all booked out in Fremantle – I think there might be a couple of rooms left, but it’s basically all filled up,” he said.

“It’s great for us here in Freo and for the local economy.”

Of the accommodation that is left, one is a $6000 standalone apartment, and others are beds in youth hostels.

WA Premier Roger Cook is equally optimistic as the state looks towards the end of September.

“If the mighty Dockers make it through to the grand final, it will be a huge weekend for Fremantle, where the city will come alive with excitement, and hopefully, there will be plenty of reasons to celebrate.

“The uptick in accommodation bookings in Fremantle over the AFL grand final long weekend is exciting news for the port city, with local jobs and businesses set to benefit from an influx in visitors which will provide a significant boost to the local economy.”

Youth Hostels Australia, which runs the dormitories at the Fremantle Prison, said they had also seen a bump in bookings over finals.

“We’ve seen a really positive start to September at YHA Fremantle Prison, with bookings coming in above where we would normally expect them to be for this time of year,” a spokeswoman said.

“It’s great to see Fremantle attract interest as a destination, particularly from travellers looking for something different and affordable.”

Lawver said regardless of the outcome, the city would be benefit from Freo’s bumper footy year.

“Last time they made the grand final, it was an exciting day in Fremantle nonetheless,” he said.

Cook agreed.

“Whether we’ll be cheering on the Dockers or not, Fremantle is an ideal place to enjoy a long weekend in Western Australia, and I encourage everyone to soak up all it has to offer.

“Fremantle is one of Western Australia’s iconic destinations, having secured the prestigious title of Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2025, and is home to an incredible live music scene, outstanding food and wine offerings, buzzing markets and stunning beaches.”

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Hannah Murphy is a journalist with WAtoday.Connect via email.AdvertisementAdvertisement

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