The story of this place
Rottnest Island is today Perth's most popular holiday destination — a car-free paradise famous for white beaches, crystal water, and the quokka, the small marsupial whose perpetual smile made it a global social media phenomenon. But beneath the holiday veneer lies a history that shocked many Australians when it came to light. From 1838 to 1903, the island's stone buildings — now holiday accommodation — were built by Aboriginal prisoners from across Western Australia who were forcibly transported here for minor offences.
At least 3,700 Aboriginal men and boys were imprisoned on Rottnest Island. Almost 400 of them died and were buried in unmarked graves around the island. The limestone 'cottages' that visitors book as holiday accommodation were once prison cells. Noongar Elders describe Rottnest as a place of profound sadness beneath its beauty. In 2020, the Western Australian government began formally acknowledging the island's Aboriginal name, Wadjemup, and the truth of its history — a belated reckoning that continues today.