Watami / Green Island

Statement of Significance

Watami/Green Island has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: The place has significance to the Menang Noongar as the place of the Bronzewing pigeon and links to the Watarri/Warrecoolup stories. It was one of the earliest sites for a fruit and vegetable garden to supply the military settlement established by Major Lockyer in 1827. It is a place that has become synonymous with early racial interaction and tragedy between the transient sealers and the local Menang peoples. It is an important breeding ground for the Australian Pelican, being one of only four permanent pelican breeding grounds in Western Australia.

Physical Description

Watami/Green Island, comprising 2 hectares, is located in Miaritch/Oyster Harbour approximately 6.5 kilometres northeast of Albany townsite, approximately 750 metres from Bayonet Head, the nearest point on the mainland. Some of the notable features of this place include: • Important Australian Pelican breeding ground Some modifications of this place include: • Modifications in natural vegetation

History

For the Menang Noongar, Watami is the place of the Bronzewing pigeon and also has links to the stories of Watarri/Warrecoolup Watami was visited and noted by many of the early British and European explorers. Captain George Vancouver, who set foot on the island in 1791, called it ‘…The little verdant island with the most beautiful herbage’. [WA 1/2/1947] Vancouver noted the luxuriant grasses and vegetables and also planted vine cuttings, water cress, pumpkins, oranges and lemons on the island for the benefit of those who would visit later. In 1801, Captain Matthew Flinders also visited the island, noting that the plantings of Vancouver were no longer extant and in fact described the island as having wiry grass, sandy soil, a few stunted shrubs and many rat holes. Only two years later, Captain Louis de Freycinet also inspected the island in which he described it as having legions of ants which had destroyed all the plants. The formal naming of Watami as Green Island may be linked to Major Edmund Lockyer the first commandant of the Frederickstown settlement, who mentioned visiting “Green Island” in his journal in 1827. Here the body of an Aboriginal man was discovered by Lockyer. The man had reportedly been fatally shot by a group of sealers. Lockyer was to learn that a group of Aboriginal men had been marooned on the island by the sealers who took their women. Lockyer also noted that the island would be an excellent location for a vegetable garden as it would be safe from kangaroos. Wakefield, who succeeded Lockyer, planted cabbage, lettuce and other vegetables on the island, and a hut was also erected on the island for a gardener to live in. Once the government farm at Strawberry Hill was well established, it superseded the need for Green Island to produce supplies. Watami/Green Island is mainly known as being an important breeding ground for the Australian Pelican, being one of only four permanent pelican breeding grounds in Western Australia, which includes Mandurah, Shark Bay and Rockingham. In 1988, the island was designated as a Class 1A Nature Reserve

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High/Moderate Authenticity: High/Moderate

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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