Rottnest Island
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The Basin and Bathurst Lighthouse. |
Rottnest Island () is located 19 km off the coast of
Western Australia, near
Fremantle. The island is 11 kilometres long, and 4.5 kilometres at its widest point. The land area measures 19 km². It is classified as an A Class Reserve and is managed by the Rottnest Island Authority. No private ownership of land is allowed.
The Western Australian vernacular diminutive is "Rotto". It has been an important holiday destination for over 50 years.
Rottnest Island was inhabited by
Aborigines since approximately 30,000 years ago, until rising sea levels separated the island from the mainland of Western Australia approximately 7,000 years ago. The island features in
Nyoongar Aboriginal
mythology and was called Wadjemup. There are Aboriginal artifacts on the island that have been dated from 6,500 to more than 30,000 years ago.[
1]
There were no Aborigines on the island when the first Europeans began their explorations in the 17th century, and the mainland Aborigines on the west coast did not appear to have any boats, so the island then probably had been uninhabited for the last few thousand years (some tribes of Aborigines did have crude boats, like those at
Sydney Cove on the east coast). (Appleyard & Manford, 1979)
The island was observed by various
Dutch sailors from
1610, including
Frederick de Houtman in
1619, and the three ships
Waekende Boey, the
Elburg and the
Emeloort in
1658. The name was bestowed upon the island by the
Flemish fleet captain
Willem de Vlamingh on
29 December 1696. de Vlamingh believed that the indigenous
marsupial called a
quokka was in fact a large
rat ("rattenest" meaning "rat's nest" in the
Dutch language).
Other explorers that stopped at the island included the French expedition of
Nicholas Baudin in 1801 and 1803,
Phillip Parker King in 1822, and Captain
James Stirling in 1827. They commonly reported (unlike today) that much of the island was heavily wooded. (Appleyard & Manford, 1979)
Upon the establishment of the British
colony in nearby
Perth, ten Aboriginal prisoners were sent to Rottnest Island in August 1838. The Colonial Secretary announced in June 1839 that the island would become a penal establishment for Aboriginal people, and between 1838 and 1931, Rottnest Island was used as an Aboriginal prison to "pacify" "local natives". In "pacifying" an Aboriginal population, men were rounded up and chained for offences ranging from spearing livestock, burning the bush or digging vegetables on what had been their own land. It has been estimated that there may be as many as 369 Aboriginal graves on the island. Except for a short period between 1849 and 1855 during which the prison was closed, some 3,700 Aboriginal men and boys, from all parts of the state, were imprisoned.
The island became more or less devoted to recreational use in the 1900s, aside from a brief period of exclusive military use during
World War II. Wartime
cannon batteries and camouflaged sites are still in existence at various parts of the island.
One of the most little known aspects of Rottnest's history, even to Perth locals, is that was the home of an
internment camp in both
World War I and World War II. In WWI it was mostly used for German and Austrian enemy aliens, but was closed towards the end of the war due to appalling living conditions. During WWII it was used exclusively for Italian enemy aliens. This too was closed about halfway through the war, and its occupants were sent to various internment and work camps, with some finding themselves as far away as
New South Wales. Many of the internees held at these camps had been law-abiding citizens of Western Australia for many years.
Another aspect of
World War II was the placement of large guns in the middle of Rottnest Island for defence of the
Fremantle port, and the construction of a railway between the jetty at Thompson Barracks at the eastern end of the island and the guns for the transport of materials for the guns.
After WWII the guns and the buildings related to them were either removed or abandoned, and the railway was removed. In the 1990s the guns and the railway were extensively reconstructed for use as a tourist attraction. However parts of disused military installations and older structures on the island have issues due to their construction containing
asbestos.
A well-maintained wildlife preserve, Rottnest is popular with divers (the island and its surrounding
reefs are littered with
ship wrecks),
surfers (there are several notable reef breaks at the west end of the island at Strickland Bay, Salmon Bay and Stark Bay), and recreational fishers. A snorkel trail at Parker Point features underwater interpretative plaques that give information about the very unusual marine environments surrounding Rottnest. The island is the southernmost point along the Western Australian coastline at which coral grows. Rottnest is one of the few areas in the world where the
quokka can be found. This is largely due to the exclusion of
feral cats and other animals such as foxes from the island.
The island features historic buildings and pleasant beaches (all reachable via the many cycling tracks; cycling being the island's main mode of transport - private or hire cars are not allowed on the island). The main settlement is located at Thomson Bay, facing east towards Fremantle. Other settlements are located at Geordie Bay and Longreach.
Rottnest Island has very few permanent residents. Those people that do reside on the island are either island workers or family members. A considerable number of island workers now commute from the mainland.
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Rottnest 'Sea Eagle III' ferry returning to Fremantle. |
The island is visited by nearly 500,000 visitors per year.
70 % of all visitors come for the day only. The majority of visitors come in summer, with nearly 20% of all visitors coming in January. The Island has accommodation for up to 2850 visitors, while day only visitors can number up to 5000.
The Island has been an important holiday destination for over 50 years, making it an iconic location for generations of Perth residents who have used the island as a place to celebrate rite of passage events such as the end of secondary school. As accommodation is so popular and limited, there is a ballot for unit accommodation during the Western Australian school holiday period.
The
Rottnest Lodge and the
Quokka Armsare hotels on the island.
The main form of transport for the bulk of visitors to the island is a range of
ferries that travel from Fremantle, Perth, and
Hillarys. A small
airport for
light aircraft is located near the main settlement.
Controversy
The island is administered by the Rottnest Island Authority, a body of the Western Australian government, set up specifically for the purpose. The authority collects revenue by imposing a "landing fee" on all visitors to the island. In recent years, the authority has come under criticism with accusations of mismanagement and poor planning.
The island is very popular with school leavers celebrating the end of their exams - the island authority has set aside an area especially for them, with the intent that they can enjoy themselves without disturbing other island holiday-makers during this time (known in Western Australia as '
Leavers week' or just 'Leavers'). In
1986, outrageous student behaviour resulted in multiple arrests and expulsions from the island, and made national news. Particular public outrage occurred over several students being charged with animal cruelty following an alleged game of 'quokka soccer' (kicking a
quokka around as if playing
soccer). Revelry also occurs on Rottnest Island every
New Year's Eve.
The Rottnest Island Authority is trying to alter its image from 'blotto on Rotto' to a family oriented inclusive holiday destination, and policies are in place to allow everyone to have an enjoyable holiday experience.
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One of five naturally-occurring salt lakes, a unique feature of Rottnest Island |
Due to its early discovery and description by explorers, and its isolation from the mainland - Rottnest has had a vital role to play in understanding aspects of south west western Australian ecology. At various times state and federal government scientists have been able to research a range of phenomenon on the island and then make comparisons with mainland issues. Books and papers have been written about Rottnest and its flora and fauna.
Being separated from the mainland with no fresh water supplies on the surface, power, water and waste disposal have always been difficult and expensive. In 1996 Rottnest introduced the first public place
recycling program in Western Australia. In 2000 they were the winners of the 3R awards (reduce, recycle and reuse).
Originally water was sourced from rainwater using large bitumen sealed catchment areas. In the 1970s freshwater was found underground and was used to supplement the rainfall collected water. With further development and reducing natural rainfall, desalination of saline groundwater commenced in 1995. This is done using the
reverse osmosis process and can produce 500 kL per day.
With the increased power demands from the desalination plant and the increasing price of
diesel, harnessing the power of the wind has been planned since 1979. In the 1980s, 2
wind turbines were built, however high maintenance requirements and excessive power generation resulted in diesel remaining the main power source. In 2004 a new 600 kW wind turbine was erected, but will be restricted to 100 kW output until the power station is upgraded. This will generate approximately 37% of Rottnest's power requirements, save over 400,000 litres of diesel per year and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by over 1,100 tonnes. [
2]
*The
Rottnest Channel Swim, a long distance
swimming event from
Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island, is held annually.
*
Schoolies Week (November)
Diving is a very popular activity at Rottnest. Its varied limestone reef terrain, and plentiful fish make it a very interesting diving destination. In particular, Diving for "Cray's" or Crayfish
Western rock lobster, is popular among the locals in the summer months. The season opens November 15th each year, and runs through until June 30th. Crayfish may be caught in special traps or "pots", or when diving either by hand or by using a Crayfish "Loop". The loop is a spring loaded steel cable attached to a long pole. It is illegal to use any means that might puncture the shell to catch the Crayfish. The bag limit is 8 per license, with a maximum of 16 per boat.
A number of locals make the start of Crayfish season an annual pilgrimage from the mainland. At the start of the 2005 season, the event was commercialized by Gage Roads Brewing company as the "Gage Roads" Cray Hunt. Prizes were awarded for the heaviest boat catch, and also the largest Cray. Unofficially, a number of people have been celebrating the start of the Cray Fishing season with "CrayFest" since 2000.
The US television show
The Amazing Race 9 featured an episode with events on the island.
*
List of features of Rottnest Island for alpha lists of cottage names, and named features usually found on Rottnest Maps
}}}
*
History and Culture (Rottnest Island Authority)*
Environmental Initiatives* Appleyard, R. T. and Manford, Toby (1979).
The Beginning: European Discovery and Early Settlement of Swan River Western Australia, University of Western Australia Press. ISBN 0855641460.
*
Rottnest Island Authority's home page*
Western Australian Government tourist information on Rottnest Island*
Rottnest Island Sea and Swell Data from the Western Australian Department of Transport*
West Australian Fisheries Dept - Commercial Fisheries of Western Australia - Rock Lobster*
The unofficial CrayFest site
