Wadjemup/Rottnest Island

Child Places

• 03254 Rottnest Island Light Station
• 27033 WRANS House, Wadjemup/ Rottnest Island
• 00532 Sea Wall
• 00517 Bathurst Lighthouse & Quarters
• 09146 Battery Observation Post & Timber Signal Station
• 00516 Thomson Bay Settlement, Wadjemup/ Rottnest Island
• 04426 Fairbridge Bluff
• 03437 Vlamingh Memorial Lookout
• 00525 Kingstown Barracks
• 00515 Boatshed
• 03436 Cemetery
• 04425 Salmon & South Points
• 04423 Raised Platforms & Notches
• 00526 Oliver Hill Battery, Wadjemup/ Rottnest Island
• 04427 Mount Herschell Quarry

Values

• The place is rare as a whole island significant for its role in the early establishment of farming, Defence, and imprisonment of Indigenous.
• Significant role in history of contact with Aboriginals and imprisonment.
• The place plays a significant role in Western Australia’s early pioneer history and pastoral industry.
• The place has aesthetic value as it contributes to Perth’s Sense of place and it visible from a large portion of Western Australia’s coastline.

Physical Description

 Rottnest Island is approximately 1859 hectares in area containing 200 hectares of classified settlement area and 200 hectares of salt lakes and swamps.
 Rottnest Island sits approximately 18kms from the mainland coast.
 Rottnest Island is 11 kms long from East to West and 4.5 kms from north to south.
 The island comprises of two main recreational areas, Thomson Bay and Geordie Bay. Most of the remaining island is comprised of salt lakes, swamps and ow shrub land.

History

‘The first Europeans took up residence on Rottnest Island shortly after the Swan River Colony was established in 1829. It was considered to be of interested as a place with potential for salt harvesting, farming and fishing. In December 1830, Benjamin Smyth surveyed Rottnest Island for the Surveyor General. A plan for the township to be known as Kingstown Barracks was proposed continuing 177 lots of about 1/3 acre. These lots were to be offered to the public. These lots are located at the present Thomson Bay settlement. Some areas were also taken up for pastoral use. Farming comprised successful cereal cropping and other attempts at establishing vegetable gardens and vineyards. Thomson Bay was named after a major landholder at the time – Robert Thomson.
Rottnest was also used as a penal Establishment. Ten Aboriginal prisoners were brought to the Island in August 1838. After a short period when both settlers and prisoners occupied the island, the Colonial Secretary announced in June 1839 that the island would become a penal establishment for aboriginal people. The Crown resumed all land on the island compensating settlers with land on the mainland. Access to the island during its use as a prison was restricted. It continued to be used as a prison until 1904, when it was closed however prisoners continued to be used to build roads and other works until 1931.
In 1881, the Western Australian Government decided that the island would be a suitable location to reform boys who had come into conflict with the law. The Rottnest Island Boys Reformatory was opened in 1881 and operated for 20 years. It officially closed in 1901 and the building have since 1909 been used for holiday accommodation.
From 1902 ferries carried holiday makes to Rottnest Island on Sundays. During these times visitors and prisoners were kept apart. The first public jetty was built in 1906 to the South of the Thomson Bay settlement (at the site of the Army Jetty today). A tram track was laid from the jetty to the Thomson Bay settlement and horse drawn trams were used to carry visitors and goods. The tram was replaced by motor vehicles in 1925.
In 1907 a scheme fro transforming Rottnest Island from a penal settlement to a recreation and holiday island were drawn up by the Colonial Secretary’s Department. A number of houses in the Thomson Bay Settlement were also made available for use and the opening season was 1911.
In 1917 Rottnest Island was declared an A class reserve under the Permanent Reserve Act 1899 and the Rottnest Board of Control was formed.
Rottnest was used during World War I as an Internment and Prisoner of War Camp from 1914 to the end of 1915. In September 1915 the camp held 989 prisoners including 841 Austrian and German Internees and 148 prisoners of war. Recreation and Holiday pursuits were reestablished in 1915.
In June 1940 the island was declared a prohibited area and all recreational activity ended, the declaration was intended to last for three months but continued for five years until June 1945. During the war period, administrative firs command staff and a coastal artillery gunnery school occupied Rottnest Island.
Recreational and holiday pursuits have continued on Rottnest Island from this time to the present day except for its closure in 1914 and again from 1940 to 1945 for military functions.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity- Low
Authenticity- High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.