One nation, many stories

Day six was our trip to Rottnest, and we were up early in the morning to jump straight onto the ferry and make our way to the holiday island. Our first appointment was with Walter McGuire, a local Whadjuk Nyungar man who gave us an insight on the Aboriginal perspective on Rottnest Island’s history. Our tour with Walter started with a traditional Welcome to Country ceremony, so that we could pass freely and safely on Wadjemup (the Whadjuk Nyungar name for Rottnest Island). It was an enriching experience to be immersed within Aboriginal culture and it was my first time ever taking part in a traditional Aboriginal ceremony.

Hearing about the way the Indigenous people were treated and imprisoned for years for what was usually seemingly insignificant crimes really helped enlighten us about the hardships faced on Wadjemup. What I found really interesting was the way Ian, our second guide, explained the formation of the island to us by utilising sand and water to show the formation of Rottnest to explain how the island came to be. Getting to hear such distinct stories allowed us to have a more enriched understanding, and also allowed us to form a more rounded opinion of the matter.

Craft workers

We cycled away from the settlement along a series of salt lakes, framed against a stunning vista. The Oliver Hill Battery showed to us the entire island and views of the lakes and turbine. Our tour guide, Ian, took us through the battery which was an important part of the Fortress Fremantle concept - a World War Two defensive strategy relying on a series of forts to protect shipping and the naval base at Fremantle. Rottnest is a historical sanctuary situated outside the bustling metropolis of Perth which showed us that, even on a small island, decades of rich history could be tapped into anywhere.

The Wadjemup cultural tour today at Rottnest Island offered an alternative perspective to the typical perception of Rottnest Island as a fun tourist destination. We delved into the macabre reality of Aboriginal incarceration during colonial settlement, and embraced the traditional Noongar culture of Rottnest Island through the dreamtime stories and songs shared by Walter McGuire, our tour guide. I found that the recurring theme of freedom versus confinement was eminent throughout the day, both through Walter’s personal stories as an Aboriginal man and through our other guide Ian’s walk-through of the obscure and untold history which shadows the utopian island.

Oliver Hill Battery display image

As well as being a prison and internment camp, Rottnest Island has a military history with there being two local batteries. We visited the biggest of the two, Oliver Hill Battery, situated in the middle of the island with a radial range of 28km. Our time with Ian came to an end with a night-time story tour which challenged our critical and analytical thinking. Today was also the sixteenth birthday of our great friend, and fellow tour participant, Jack Watters. After six days of non-stop travelling, learning, and engagement, it was amazing to sit down for dinner together and celebrate.

WWII Tunnels at Oliver Hill Battery Ian's stories were fascinating and helped me visualise what it would have been like to live on Rottnest as an Indigenous Australian, a Governor or worker during times of difficulties and hardships. I found my understanding of Western Australia’s legacy and involvement in global conflicts developed. I was also interested to link history to our journey around Kununurra, Broome and Perth; all are connected with the land, and land use, in turn has affected their history, since people's treatment has subsequently shaped their involvement in global conflicts.

We visited the Oliver Hill Gun and Tunnels, and explored its history as an extension of Fortress Fremantle and its role in defending the Australian home front. Walking through the tunnels in the footsteps of past service people was a poignant experience as our tour guide engaged us with all aspects of their service on Rottnest Island. The Oliver Hill tour inspired me to consider the often unrecognised hardships and difficulty experienced by the soldiers on the home front.