Rottnest Podcast

Rottnest Island Podcard

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 15:36:08 +0800

Podcards, the ideal way to tell your friends what they are missing. Send your card by email, phone or to iTunes.

See the natural environment of Rottnest Island and the life that it supports, including images of the Island's bird life, marine life, reptiles and amphibians, flora, geology, and of course the quokka.
Orignal Music by Lucky Oceans from Album”secret steel”

Download may take several minutes

DIY Rottnest Cycling Tour

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:41:57 +0800

Rottnest Bike Hire
Exploring Rottnest Island on a bicycle is a time honored tradition, and a fantastic way to experience the beauty and isolation of the Island and truly appreciate the lack of traffic and abundance of fresh air and tranquillity.  Hire a bike from Rottnest Bike Hire for the duration of your stay on the Island, or bring your own bike!
Because there are no private motor vehicles on Rottnest, exploring the Island on a bicycle is a fantastic way to experience its beauty and isolation. Rottnest Bike Hire accommodates a wide selection of bikes, helmets, tandems, child trailers and more.
There are over 50 kilometres of road and cycleways to great beaches for swimming, diving and surfing, or for just a leisurely cycle to see the Quokkas and bird life that abounds the island.

Download the Explorer Map for roads and distances

Rottnest from the air video

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:41:39 +0800

Visitors can experience Aboriginal, European, colonial, maritime, military, recreational and social heritage on Rottnest Island, which to a certain extent is reflective of the development of the State of Western Australia.  The history of Rottnest Island has created a rich and significant cultural heritage. First records of human occupation of Rottnest Island are from more than 6,500 years ago when the Island was still attached to the mainland, and Aboriginal people inhabited the area.
Since its initial European exploration from the 17th Century and its settlement in 1829, Rottnest Island has been through a number of stages of development and has been used for a variety of purposes.

Architecture video

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:37:57 +0800

The first Europeans took up residence on Rottnest Island shortly after the first settlement of the Swan River Colony was established in 1829. Rottnest Island was considered to be of interest 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 was proposed, containing 177 lots of 1/3 of an acre and other lots of 10 acres to be offered to the public. These lots were contained within the area now known as Thomson Bay and extended around to what became Bickley Bay on the site where Kingstown Barracks stands today.

The Prison video

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 18:33:56 +0800

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 the prison era was restricted. For almost a century the Island served as a prison for Aboriginal people (except for a short period of closure between 1849 and 1855) during which some 3,700 Aboriginal men and boys, from many parts of the State, were imprisoned.  Between 1838 and 1931, it is reported that 369 Aboriginal prisoners died. While most deaths were caused by disease, it is reported that five prisoners were hanged. An Aboriginal cemetery is located within the Thomson Bay Settlement.  Over the prison period, the Aboriginal prisoners constructed a large number of buildings and other structures including the seawall, lighthouses and other heritage buildings, mostly under supervision of Henry Vincent who was Superintendent of the establishment for 20 years.

Internment during WW1 video

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 18:18:06 +0800

In June 1940 the Italian ship, the Remo, was taken over from its owners at Fremantle and became the first Italian ‘prize’ of the war. The Italian officers from the boat were interned at Fremantle Prison and the crew was sent to Rottnest Island.  In 1945 some 200 Italian prisoners of war were also held on the Island for several months, awaiting repatriation to Italy. They assisted with removing military installations and generally making the island habitable for tourists again.  Italy’s entry into the Second World War triggered a mass round-up of Italians across Australia. The arrests began at 7.00 am Perth time on June 11 1940, coinciding with 12.00 pm 10 June in Italy – the official beginning of Italy’s involvement in the hostilities.  In the following three months, local police lock-ups, state prisons and community halls throughout the State were used to hold men who had been interned until they were taken to temporary accommodation at the battalion camp near the airport on Rottnest Island. Many, though not all, passed through Fremantle Prison on their way to Rottnest.

Lighthouse Tour video

Sat, 17 Jun 2006 19:27:43 +0800

Come and experience the breathtaking views from the top of the Wadjemup lighthouse. The only Lighthouse to be open to the public on Rottnest Island, this is a unique opportunity to discover what goes on within the walls of a real lighthouse.  
The view from the highest point on the Island will take your breath away with spectacular 360 degree views. Crystal blue and turquoise waters gently frame the stunning views of this beautiful Island in the Indian Ocean. From the top of Wadjemup Lighthouse you will see a distant mainland Australia to the east and to the west stunning vistas that will take your eye to the edge of the world. The Minister for Tourism, Mark McGowan, MLA officially opened Wadjemup Lighthouse on Saturday 5th November 2005. This historic event saw the public allowed into the heritage building for the first time in 109 years.

Quokka video

Sun, 21 May 2006 10:57:45 +0800

Rottnest Island's famous marsupial, the quokka, is discovered in this informative walking tour. With an educational focus, this walk leads participants to the quokka's natural habitats and imparts some interesting facts about this iconic animal.

Quokkas were one of the first Australian mammals seen by Europeans. In 1658 Dutch mariner Samuel Volckertzoon wrote of sighting "a wild cat" on Rottnest Island. De Vlamingh thought they were a kind of rat and hence named the island "Rottenest" (Dutch for "rat nest") in 1696.