swamped

Fine reporting from Nicole Cox at The Sunday Times on a dinghy being dumped off the beautiful island.

Two blokes were collected about 500m off Marjorie Bay late this morning.

At least they were there: this story earlier this week by ace reporter Geoffrey Thomas said locals were eschewing Rottnest for Asian destinations.

Rottnest has borne the brunt of the changing travel patterns and in the eight months to the end of February attracted 32,330 fewer people - a 13 per cent drop - than the 247,249 in the same period the previous year, Geoff reported.

But Rottnest Island Authority chief executive Paolo Amaranti said June visitor numbers were in line with previous years and last-minute bookings were up last month.

"The number of winter packages sold to date far outstrips those sold for the same period last year," Mr Amaranti said.

"Demand for RIA accommodation units continues to far outstrip supply during the peak summer period, with 4500 applications received for the summer ballot 2010 for a total of 1300 available units."

poor line

We loved this letter in last week's POST about idiot boxes on the beautiful island.

The correspondent, of course, wrote one of the great Rottnest books: respec'.

'Your report, “Tellies are off at Rotto” (POST, 24/7), outlined how Rottnest authorities were considering scrapping TVs.

'George Williams, a regular visitor to the island, summed up the feeling of many, saying "if I wanted to watch TV I'd stay at home".

'Mr Williams' comment brought back memories of an item in The West Australian of February 1967 which told of the poor telephone access to Rottnest after 5pm.

It concluded with the laconic footnote: "Many people visit Rottnest to escape telephones".'

tee off

Rottnest Swim authorities are offering $500 or free entry to the epic event to the winner of a T-shirt competition.

The winning design will be on the 4500 garments produced for the swim and the artist will be in the race book.

Rottnest Channel Swim Association President Raymond Yong said a different long-sleeve shirt has been created for the event each year since 1994.

Only four colours can be used the design, it must be provided in high-resolution PDF or JPEG format, and the Association will own the copyright.

More design details are at www.rottnestchannelswim.com.au.

Entries to admin@rottnestchannelswim.com.au or PO Box 2004, Claremont WA 6010 by September 3.

The Swim is on February 26.

trees please

There is still time to do good works on the beautiful island.

The Rottnest Society says there are still several places available for their tree planting weekend this weekend (August 13-15).

"If any of you would like to take up the places at such please contact me as soon as possible," Soc Prez Sue Folks says.

"It will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. The latest you could get there would be on the 7.30am ferry Saturday and the earliest you could return would be on the 2pm ferry."

Some of the fine print...

$20 person for accommodation on the Friday night (even if you do not arrive until Saturday morning). Payable to a Rottnest Society person once on the island...

Depending on the forecast closer to the weekend you will need to make sure you take wet weather gear, sturdy sneakers or shoes, hat, gardening gloves (they always have extras), long pants (better than shorts if the midgies are about), insect repellant, sunscreen, water and generally enough warm clothes...

in a galaxy far, far away...

Uh-oh: someone call the Rottnest Island Authority.

A magnificent image created especially for Rotto Bloggo by outstanding blogging documenter of Fremantle, Love Freo.

A speeder would be handy for getting out to the West End...and a purple light sabre would be just the ticket for beheading and scaling herring at Pinky's.

May the Force be with you, on and off the beautiful island.

rotto chopper ride

Barich? Subiaco? A church?

Read on - there is a mention of the beautiful island in this report from last week's POST...

Subiaco Primary School dad and Channel 7 personality Adrian Barich will host a cocktail party for the P&C on August 20.

The major fundraiser will be on Friday, August 20, at the Subiaco Church of Christ in Bagot Road.

Organisers Marina Hogan and Justine Oxley said the night would include fantastic food and wine donated by a variety of local businesses and eateries, great music, entertainment, a silent and a main auction, a raffle and much more.

"We've been really overwhelmed by the generosity of the Subiaco business community," Justine said.

Donated prizes include a pearl pendant and South-West getaways at Yelverton Lodge, Chandeliers on Abbey, Smith's Beach Resort and Loose Goose Farm Stay.

There will also be a helicopter ride to Rottnest, a VIP family pass to the Channel 7 Christmas Pageant, a signed pair of Danny Green's boxing gloves, Dockers and Eagles merchandise, a purple bra signed by Russell Crowe and a bedroom suite.

Restaurants Perugino and Third Avenue will provide the cocktail food for the party.

Tickets cost $45 and include a welcoming champagne cocktail, a selection of hot and cold food, music, entertainment, the opportunity to bid for auction items, door prizes and other spot prizes on the night.

Entertainment will feature renowned local improvisation comedians including Sam Longley from The Big Hoo Haa.

The organisers' 100% donation goal for the party has almost been achieved, apart from dressing up the venue.

"Perhaps there are one or two businesses out there that could help us with the costs of theme-ing the venue and in return get some inexpensive advertising and promotion," Justine said.

For more information on sponsoring and tickets, call Justine on 0411 257 691 or Marina on 0414 825 463.

big house

REFORMATORY PRISON. PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT AT ROTTNEST. A TEMPORARY
PROVISION.

They were not very punny with their headlines at The West in 1919: here is a report from the paper on the beautiful island.

The third par is an epic by itself, too.

We are mildly confused and not as full bottle as we should be on the Rotto reformatory.

Perhaps our senior fellow bloggers - namely Fremantlebiz - can help us out.

Cabinet decided yesterday to establish a reformatory prison at
Rottnest for the accommodation of selected good conduct prisoners under the
indeterminate sentences system.

The establishment of the prison on the island is only temporary and the buildings to be erected are to be suitable for handing over subsequently to the Rottnest Board of Control.

In making the announcement yesterday, the Colonial Secretary (Mr. Broun) said that a reserve for a reformatory prison had been selected sometime back and
the idea of the Government in view of the necessity for the provision of
that institution was to make use of the reserve on Rottnest temporarily and
to erect buildings which could be readily convertible into bungalows and
handed over to the Board of Control should the necessity arise through any
decision to set the island apart exclusively as a tourists' reserve.

It was imperative that the work should be started at once as there were a number of good conduct prisoners, awaiting transfer to a reformatory prison under the indeterminate sentence system.

The men who would be sent to the prison on the island, would not be a menace to the public on the island or the tourists: they would be men of good moral character apart from the lapse which brought them within the grasp of the law and would not be men who had committed murder or offences against the person.

The erection of the necessary buildings would be carried out by the prisoners themselves under the direction of officers from the Public Works Department. This would be the most economical way of erecting them and would provide necessary work for the prisoners in connection with their training under the new Act.

rottofest

We wonder if Rottofest were fretting over the date of the election: we are sure there was a big sigh of relief when Julia went for August 21.

After you have voted and spent a week savouring Julia/Tony's success, pop over to the beautiful island for funk and funnies.

Last year sold out in two weeks, so you better get your skates on.

Merrick is emceeing Launch the Comedian, there will be screenings of short films and comedy skits...all on Rottnest!

"Due to holding an absolutely stellar closing party on the Sunday night, we highly recommend you use some of those accrued sick days / holidays and write off Monday the 30th and return that day," the organisers say.

The Scotch of Saint James will be there: "...imagine the groove of Supergrass, mixed with the dark beauty and tones of BRMC, surging with the stoner bliss of QOTSA, all smattered with the rock’n’roll dance ethic of Kasabian."