Maritime History
Rottnest waters contain a number of shipwrecks which were found when people were exploring the south west coast of Australia
Exploration
The early discovery of Rottnest Island was in the 17th century by the Dutch trying to find a route. Europeans were the first to actually go on the island. Willem de Vlamingh was the next person to go to rottnest who gave Rottnest its name originally named it Ratsnest which it got changed to Rottnest.
Shipwrecks
There have been thirteen shipwrecks on the cost of Rottnest it is probbly to dangerus to dive on they because of the sharks.
Pilot servicers and lighthousers
The operation of the pilot station is another element in the maritime history. The pilot station was operated in 1848 and 1903.The pilots were experienced sailors there job was to guide boats around dangerous reefs and into Fremantle harbour mainly to deliver supplies to the swan river colony. Over its fifty five years of operation,the Rottnest Island pilot station used a number of boats. Generally the boats were double-ended whale boats,a slightly larger lugger and small dinghy.
The houses played a key role in the pilot boat operation by providing a communication between the pilot boats and incoming ships.Rottnest first lighthouse was built in 1899 which was constructed by prisoned aboriginal people. Fifty years later it got replaced to be a bigger and taller lighthouse on Wadjemup Hill; and in 1900 Bathurst was built,11 people lost their lives on a New York ship on when it got wrecked in 1899.
Military History
Rottnest Island has been used in a military role in both World War I and World War II it should be used as a memorial site not a place where we can remember those people who lost their live there.
World War l
With the start of World War I the defense department commanded that they would use rottnest island for military uses, they used this for a prisoner of war camp in 1914.the camp held 989 people.
In December 1915 the prison was turned into a accommodation.
World war ll
In 1940 rottnest island was turned into a war ground for the military.
The island was only meant to be military grounds for three months but then it went for 5 years.
The guns in rottnest were always armed.
Buildings history
In 1881 the colonial government thought it would be a good place build a boys reformatory it was built next to the aboriginal prison.
The reformatory was running for twenty years.
John Watson the carpenter was asked to construct the reformatory it had a kitchen,workshop,two large dormitories,a school room and it has four small bells.
The reformatory was closed in 1901, but since 1909 the reformatory was used a holiday accommodation.
The Wadjemup Lighthouse was built in 1849 and has been there ever since.
Aboriginal History:
Man made things have been found on Rottnest as late as 6,500 years ago to maybe even tens of thousands of years ago.This suggests early Aboriginals lived there and since that the Aboriginals on Rottenest or known to the local people as Wadjemup is supposed to be a place of spirits and is significant and there are currently 17 places on Rottenest the are listed in the Aboriginal Heritage, This pretty much means no touching without permission.
Sadly, in August 1838 10 Aboriginal prisoners were brought to the island. A year later the whole island was declared a penal establishment for Aboriginals. For almost a century access was denied to Rottnest, accept on duty for the prison and over that period about 3,700 aboriginal men and boys were brought to the island. 369 prisoners were reported to be dead there, mainly from disease, 5 prisoners were executed, there is now a cemetery in Thomson Bay Settlement for all the Aboriginals that died. While the prisoners constructed many buildings on Rottnest, the lighthouses the seawall and other things, mainly supervised by Henry Vincent who was the Superintendent of the establishment for 20 years.These aboriginal men boy They were chained to six other people in a really small cell locked in at night in that cell you could not even walk around no toilet pitch black six other people for 12 hours every single night for 15 years or more.
These days aboriginal people if they don't pay their speeding find they could get sent to court and maybe get sent to prison for not paying a speeding fine.
http://www.rottnestisland.com/the-island/about-the-island/our-history
http://www.rottnestisland.com/the-island/about-the-island/our-history/maritime
http://www.historycouncilwa.org.au/advocacy/rottnest-island
http://www.westernaustralia-travellersguide.com/little-salmon-bay.htmlhttps://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g488366-Activities-c47-Rottnest_Island_Cockburn_Greater_Perth_Western_Australia.html
http://www.rottnestisland.com/the-island/about-the-island/our-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rottnest_Island
Rottnest waters contain a number of shipwrecks which were found when people were exploring the south west coast of Australia
Exploration
The early discovery of Rottnest Island was in the 17th century by the Dutch trying to find a route. Europeans were the first to actually go on the island. Willem de Vlamingh was the next person to go to rottnest who gave Rottnest its name originally named it Ratsnest which it got changed to Rottnest.
Shipwrecks
There have been thirteen shipwrecks on the cost of Rottnest it is probbly to dangerus to dive on they because of the sharks.
Pilot servicers and lighthousers
The operation of the pilot station is another element in the maritime history. The pilot station was operated in 1848 and 1903.The pilots were experienced sailors there job was to guide boats around dangerous reefs and into Fremantle harbour mainly to deliver supplies to the swan river colony. Over its fifty five years of operation,the Rottnest Island pilot station used a number of boats. Generally the boats were double-ended whale boats,a slightly larger lugger and small dinghy.
The houses played a key role in the pilot boat operation by providing a communication between the pilot boats and incoming ships.Rottnest first lighthouse was built in 1899 which was constructed by prisoned aboriginal people. Fifty years later it got replaced to be a bigger and taller lighthouse on Wadjemup Hill; and in 1900 Bathurst was built,11 people lost their lives on a New York ship on when it got wrecked in 1899.
Military History
Rottnest Island has been used in a military role in both World War I and World War II it should be used as a memorial site not a place where we can remember those people who lost their live there.
World War l
With the start of World War I the defense department commanded that they would use rottnest island for military uses, they used this for a prisoner of war camp in 1914.the camp held 989 people.
In December 1915 the prison was turned into a accommodation.
World war ll
In 1940 rottnest island was turned into a war ground for the military.
The island was only meant to be military grounds for three months but then it went for 5 years.
The guns in rottnest were always armed.
Buildings history
In 1881 the colonial government thought it would be a good place build a boys reformatory it was built next to the aboriginal prison.
The reformatory was running for twenty years.
John Watson the carpenter was asked to construct the reformatory it had a kitchen,workshop,two large dormitories,a school room and it has four small bells.
The reformatory was closed in 1901, but since 1909 the reformatory was used a holiday accommodation.
The Wadjemup Lighthouse was built in 1849 and has been there ever since.
Aboriginal History:
Man made things have been found on Rottnest as late as 6,500 years ago to maybe even tens of thousands of years ago.This suggests early Aboriginals lived there and since that the Aboriginals on Rottenest or known to the local people as Wadjemup is supposed to be a place of spirits and is significant and there are currently 17 places on Rottenest the are listed in the Aboriginal Heritage, This pretty much means no touching without permission.
Sadly, in August 1838 10 Aboriginal prisoners were brought to the island. A year later the whole island was declared a penal establishment for Aboriginals. For almost a century access was denied to Rottnest, accept on duty for the prison and over that period about 3,700 aboriginal men and boys were brought to the island. 369 prisoners were reported to be dead there, mainly from disease, 5 prisoners were executed, there is now a cemetery in Thomson Bay Settlement for all the Aboriginals that died. While the prisoners constructed many buildings on Rottnest, the lighthouses the seawall and other things, mainly supervised by Henry Vincent who was the Superintendent of the establishment for 20 years.These aboriginal men boy They were chained to six other people in a really small cell locked in at night in that cell you could not even walk around no toilet pitch black six other people for 12 hours every single night for 15 years or more.
These days aboriginal people if they don't pay their speeding find they could get sent to court and maybe get sent to prison for not paying a speeding fine.
http://www.rottnestisland.com/the-island/about-the-island/our-history
http://www.rottnestisland.com/the-island/about-the-island/our-history/maritime
http://www.historycouncilwa.org.au/advocacy/rottnest-island
http://www.westernaustralia-travellersguide.com/little-salmon-bay.htmlhttps://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g488366-Activities-c47-Rottnest_Island_Cockburn_Greater_Perth_Western_Australia.html
http://www.rottnestisland.com/the-island/about-the-island/our-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rottnest_Island