Rothnest Island is located 18 kilometres off the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. The local Aboriginal people of the Noongar tribe call it "Wajemap", meaning "the place on the other side of the water where the spirits dwell". It is a small island - 11 kilometres long and 4.5 kilometres at its widest part. The total area is only 19 square kilometres. The entire island is a protected natural area - there are no private properties on the island. Australians simply call it Rotto, it has been one of Western Australia's favourite holiday destinations for almost 50 years.
As early as 30,000 years ago, Rothnest was inhabited by Aboriginal people until about 7,000 years ago when rising sea levels separated the island from the mainland. It is believed that after this event the island was uninhabited for many thousands of years, as the Aborigines did not have boats to cross the strait. The first Europeans arrived here in the early 17th century - they were Dutch navigators. Captain Willem de Vlaming gave the island the name Ratnest in 1696, which meant "rat's nest" in Dutch. He most likely did this because of the marsupial quokkas that inhabit the area - they do resemble large rats.
In 1830, shortly after the establishment of Fremantle harbour, one Robert Thomson settled on Rothnest Island with his wife and seven children - here he herded cattle and mined salt, which he then exported to the mainland. From 1838 to 1931 the island was used as a place of exile for "unruly" Aborigines. During the First and Second World Wars it was the site of an internment camp for mainly Germans, Austrians and Italians. In the 1940s, a small railway was built on the island, which, along with the gun emplacements and barracks, became known as the "Fortress of Rothnest Island" - today a popular tourist attraction.
The island's wildlife is quite remarkable. Rothnest is famous for three species of trees that are endemic, i.e. do not grow anywhere else in the world - the Rothnest pine tree, the Rothnest tea tree and the so-called skunk tree. Other members of the local flora include sea mustard, spinifex and wild rosemary or Ledum.
One of the most amazing inhabitants of the island is the quokka or short-tailed kangaroo. Its large population here is a result of the absence of cats and other predators such as foxes.
Birds are very abundant on Rothnest: in the coastal dunes you can find mottled cormorants, osprey, sandpipers, gulls, terns, parrots and reef herons. And the shores of the salt lakes are home to Australian pintail, stonechat, redstart, pegan, wagtail and other birds.
The rich reefs surrounding the island have given shelter to many species of fish, crustaceans and corals. Dolphins, Australian sea lions and even great humpback whales are sometimes seen in these waters.
Today, Rothnest Island, a major recreational area in the region, is visited by about half a million people a year. The majority of tourists - 70% - come in the summer and stay here for just one day to experience the amazing nature and historical heritage of these places. You can also go scuba diving, go fishing or cycle along the surf strip here.
Interestingly, Rotnesta is a favourite place for graduates to celebrate the end of school - at this time of year the island is even closed to other visitors, and you have to show your passport and school certificate to get in.
