Sustainable tourism – the Rottnest Island experience

Abstract

Introduction Rottnest Island’s natural environment offers visitors bays and beaches of outstanding natural beauty fringed by clear turquoise waters and protective reefs only 18 kilometres from the Western Australian capital city of Perth (Figure 17.1). The island is home to several listed threatened flora and ecological communities. It is referred to as Wadjemup by the traditional Aboriginal custodians of the land, the Whadjuk people, who have strong spiritual connections. In 1838 a prison was established on Rottnest Island and in the following 93 years there was a steady flow of Aboriginal prisoners to the island including Elders and warriors representing all regions of Western Australia. Today, Wadjemup remains significant to Aboriginal culture both locally and nationally. Rottnest Island also has a modern history as a recreational destination with a formal declaration of the island as an A-Class Reserve occurring in 1917, to be managed and maintained for public recreation use. Today, Rottnest Island remains an A-Class Reserve and is managed by the Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) under the Rottnest Island Authority Act 1987 for the provision of recreational and holiday experiences and for the protection and conservation of the natural environment and cultural heritage. Rottnest Island does not have permanent residents and its inhabitants are made up of contractor staff, government officers and over 500,000 visitors per year. Nonetheless, there is a strong sense of attachment among the Western Australian community. Decisions made about the management of Rottnest Island are often closely scrutinised by the public at large. This sense of place is in part the result of inter-generational visitation patterns to the island when individuals and families experienced key life milestones on the island, such as learning to ride a bike and experiencing a first kiss. The RIA is unique to other tourism businesses in Western Australia due to the scope and diversity of its responsibilities. The RIA is effectively a government agency operating as a commercial tourism accommodation and tour provider, while also administering and managing private business activities and providing community services such as environmental and heritage conservation. It is also responsible for the provision of utilities such as power, gas, water and waste management (Rottnest Island Authority 2009).