The journey to Wadjemup commenced with the act of a crime.  These transgressions ranged from the very petty, for example use of obscene language or the theft of a loaf of bread through to the extreme, murder, offences under the Criminal Code Act 1901-2.  Individuals found guilty of the former were in some instances sentenced to six months imprisonment, the full extent of the law. Others were jailed for seemingly trivial matters such as the receipt of liquor, an offence under the Aborigines Act 1905, a draconian measure restricting the lives of Aboriginal people throughout the State. The sentencing of an offender to Wadjemup was also seen as an opportunity to temporarily remove a perceived nuisance from the location where the crime had been committed.
 

Some of those found guilty of the latter were jailed by a system that failed to take into consideration tribal law including payback and other cultural practices.  A significant number could not understand why they were being arrested. 
Many of the alleged perpetrators who would eventually make their way to Wadjemup were arrested within a day or two of committing an offence.  Others from more remote locations were arrested weeks even months later.  In many cases this occurred hundreds of kilometres from where an offence was allegedly committed.  The trek back to the station of the arresting officer often taking several days and was completed on foot and in chains.
 

Standing trial was a completely unfamiliar experience to many of the alleged offenders.  Though represented by council, their limited understanding of English together with the procedure of the courtroom was often a barrier to receiving a fair trial.  There were also many inconsistences in sentencing that occurred across the state. 
 

The journey from the place of conviction to Fremantle and onto Wadjemup varied across the state.  For example, those found guilty at trial were escorted by boat from places such as Esperance and all ports between Wyndham and Geraldton to Fremantle.  There are at least two instances one in 1900 and another in 1919 of prisoners from the Kimberley who were brought down in neck chains.  In certain cases, they were held in captivity for many days until a ship arrived.  Those prisoners from the Murchison and Eastern Goldfields were transported by stream train to Fremantle, a journey lasting up to three days.  Many of them arriving tied with ropes and in the clothing they had been  arrested in.  
Their journey was a traumatic and trying experience, compounded by the alienation from family and country.  It is estimated that up to twenty-five prisoners died whilst in transit from the place of arrest to Wadjemup.  
 

After their arrival they were held in the Fremantle lock-up for a period of up to seven days pending the departure of a vessel to the island. 
For those who had never seen the ocean or travelled by watercraft the journey to Wadjemup was terrifying even more so in choppy conditions when sea sickness was rife.