This illustration provides a detailed historical overview of Fremantle Prison, presented in the style of an annotated map or infographic. At the center is a rendering of the main prison complex, surrounded by an array of individual sketches of notable figures, convicts, and architectural features. The layout is dense, covering the prison's history from its establishment in 1850 to 1886 as a convict establishment in the Swan River Colony.
The composition is highly structured, using text blocks and parchment-toned backgrounds to organize information about specific prison areas, such as the kitchen, hospital, chapel, and gatehouse. Scattered across the scene are small portraits of guards and inmates, alongside sketches of historical artifacts like leg irons, a hangman's noose, and a flogging apparatus. On the right side, an illustration of a sailing vessel commemorates the escape of Irish Fenian convicts on the Catalpa.
The art style is reminiscent of a sketchbook or vintage archival document, utilizing a muted colour palette of earthy browns, tans, and soft greys against a pale background. Fine ink lines define the illustrations and the hand-lettered historical accounts that fill the space. The overall mood is academic and somber, serving as a visual history lesson that highlights both the daily operations and the difficult conditions of the colonial prison system.