Rotto Bloggo

2011-06-16T18:31:00.001+08:00

The anticipation of departure and arrival...

This MMS to email message was powered by Telstra. Sharing picture and video messages is easy with Telstra’s Picture and Video Messaging (MMS) service. To find out more, visit http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/services/messaging/picture_messaging.html.

You cannot reply to this email.

GBH

2011-01-28T15:20:00.002+08:00

This in from Police Media...Wannanup is allegedly also known as Florida and Port Bouvard...

Fremantle Detectives have charged a 18 year old Wannanup man with Grievous Bodily Harm after an incident at Rottnest Island at about 11.20pm on Wednesday night 26 January 2011.

It will be alleged that the man and a group of his friends approached a 21 year old man and a verbal altercation took place followed by some pushing and shoving. It is then that the 18 year old man struck the 21 year old male to the head causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head.

The injured man was taken to the Rottnest Island Nursing Post before being transferred to Perth for further treatment for a head injury.

The 18 year old man was taken into custody by Rottnest Police and later charged. He is due to appear in the Fremantle Magistrates Court on Tuesday 1 February 2011.

Police are requesting any person who may have witnessed the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

near Rottnest

2011-01-21T11:01:00.002+08:00

Pottering about - this just in from the Dept of Fisheries...

The Department of Fisheries has welcomed a magistrate’s decision to ban two men from fishing for 12 months and the big fines imposed on them, for illegally pulling other fishers’ lobster pots.

In Fremantle Court this week (Tuesday 18 January 2011), Magistrate Robert Lawrence ordered the men to pay fines, penalties and court costs of $6128.40 each, after they pleaded guilty to seven charges against both of them.

Magistrate Lawrence also warned the men that, if they breached the order preventing them from being involved in any fishing activity for a year, they would be committing a further offence and would be liable to a potential fine of $10,000 and six months imprisonment.

Jose Manual ROCHA of Fremantle and Joao Garces GONCALVES of White Gum Valley were fishing near Rottnest on the 29th and 30th of March, when Fisheries and Marine Officers observed the men pulling a total of 19 recreational rock lobster pots.

Acting North Metropolitan Compliance Manager Ryan Parker said not only had the pair pulled more than the daily limit of four pots, our investigations quickly determined that some of the pots did not belong to them and they had not been given permission by the lawful owners to retrieve them.

“We get a lot of calls from rock lobster fishers, who suspect their pots have been interfered with, so this is a warning to wrong-doers that we can and will pursue those who fish illegally in this way,” Mr Parker said.

“When they were apprehended at the Leeuwin Boat Ramp, the men had also knowingly concealed excess catch and undersize fish. The magistrate said all the offences were very serious and the pair had shown a blatant disregard for the law. The big fines and the fishing ban he has imposed deliver a significant outcome that will be a major deterrent.”

More details about the rules for recreational rock lobster and crab fishing are available from the Department of Fisheries’ website at www.fish.wa.gov.au.

Hmmm

2011-01-20T13:51:00.001+08:00

Not the book that springs to our mind when we think of the beautiful
island...

media mayhem

2011-01-16T09:51:00.003+08:00

There are sharply contrasting reports in the weekend media about the beautiful island.

A food review in The Weekend Australian magazine gives the hotel food two Weekend Australian maps out of five, while a report in The West's travel mag talks about fantastic quality of food.

John Lethlean's review in the Rupert organ is summed up: "Tweedle dee or tweedle dum".

"For an east coaster, the place has a kind of Côte d'Azur-like mythology surrounding it," he says.

But getting to the beautiful island is costly, he complains: "You’re basically down $100 before even your first sip of sem/sav, official Juice of the West."

The plan was to review Aristos', but the salt and pepper shakers gave John a shiver. He said he went "next door" to the pub, which we guess is more or less right.

The pub workers were cause for comment: "Both tell me it's their first day in different accents..." and then later: "The very same dishes return three times before we make it clear to a United Nations of waitstaff: bring us fresh burger and fish, please..."

John liked the chips.

A bit different is Niall McIlroy's piece: "The January sun glints off the turquoise ocean and seagulls screech and swoop..."

The news is Jason Gelineau from Canada is in charge of the hotel.

"...I worried a bit about what I would find here because, let's face it, the quality on Rottnest was not worth what was being charged. But the staff here are fantastic. There's a mixture of travellers, university students and those who are here throughout the year, and they all want to learn and grow," the Canuck says.

He says executive chef Georg Hessler is doing a great job: "The kitchen is small but the quality of food Georg is putting together is fantastic and the staff are so excited to work with him because of his knowledge. It's not pub fare, it's quality, and even though we may be putting out 2000 meals a day it consistently good."

Accompanying image is Tom Jellett's artwork with the Lethlean review.

booming business

2011-01-15T13:33:00.003+08:00

Another report from the beautiful island in that journal of record, POST Newspapers...the accompanying image was taken a year or two ago and is of a trolley full of specials.

Overseas business is booming for Greg Brindle.

The businessman's company Maranel Pty Ltd has had two Rottnest Island leases re-awarded to him and also picked up a third.

Mr Brindle's leases on the Thomson Bay and Geordie Bay shops were extended, and he also got the surf/clothing boutique shop in Thomson Bay.

The Rottnest Island Authority was tight-lipped about the deal and would not answer questions about leases on the island.

The POST understand Mr Brindle's leases were extended for 10 years.

The RIA would not say how many firms tendered for the business, or provide a copy of the tender agreement.

It did say the lease included a refit of the premises.

“A two year trial of a new water based seasonal fun park, Just 4 Fun, has begun operations for summer,” said spokeswoman Nicole Bailey.

“The picture hall is being operated by the RIA until a suitable long term operator is found.

new faces

2011-01-14T16:45:00.002+08:00

This news of the beautiful island from tomorrow's POST...we assume the other members are Laurie O'Meara, Geoff Totterdell, Denis Glennon, and Suzie Hunt.

A local advertising guru has joined the Rottnest Island Authority board.

John Driscoll, the chairman and CEO at the Marketforce Group in West Perth, was
elected to the body.

Mr Driscoll is a committee member of the Rottnest Channel Swim Association.

Another new board face is Sally Hollis, the national project manager at the Australian Tourism Accreditation Program.

She is also involved with the Tourism Council of Western Australia and is working with Ecotourism Australia.

Sue Murphy and Karen Jacobs retired from the board.

family visit

2011-01-12T11:34:00.002+08:00

Some good Rottnest pics here to soothe lovers of the beautiful island during the hideous intense unrelenting mainland heat.

Snaps include a quokka on the beach, the interior of a ferry heading back to civilisation at 9pm and a Pinky panorama.

The author/s have trouble with spelling Thomson Bay correctly, and indulge in apo abuse, but the pics are the thing.

forget Vegas or KP

2011-01-09T15:07:00.002+08:00

For those brides-to-be distressed by CHOGM cramping wedding style in Kings Park, there's always the beautiful island.

We happened on this PDF pushing Aristos: the Bunbury-born Mr Papandroulakis has an "extravagent range of affordable hospitality packages" for your nuptials.

He even spells Thomson Bay right: "Imagine spending your wedding within metres of the breathtaking Thomson Bay as your guests dine on only the finest quality seafood. Aristos Waterfront Rottnest specialises in creating a unique and relaxed dining experience that will ensure an unforgettable day."

He's a can-do host, but there are some things even he can't shift: "Weather permitting, we can seat 200 people, however our outside table are fixed to the floor and cannot be rearranged."

In our view prices are more than reasonable: the house white is $32 a bottle, and Fat Yak, Big Helga and Stella are a mere $10 each.

"Allow Aristos Waterfront the opportunity to help you turn Rottnest into your very own island getaway while you ease into enjoying your new life together."

best job

2011-01-08T09:54:00.002+08:00

We are grateful to Paul 'Fremantlebiz' Weaver for alerting us via Stalkbook to this job ad:

Ranger Full Time, Permanent, Level 3 Rottnest Island (Residential).

Residential! Living on the beautiful island...escaping the ragged heat of the mainland...fishing every day...going to - oh, stop it. The torment!

The details:
Implementation of the Marine & Terrestrial Reserve’s compliance program
Participation in environmental projects
Assisting emergency services
Provision of information, knowledge and advice to visitors, island residents and other local groups.

The money: $55,913 - $60,707 p/a

The RIA wants you to have:
Demonstrated practical experience as a Ranger in a related or similar setting, including experience in statutory investigation and reporting.
Well developed interpersonal skills and a strong customer focus, with proven negotiation and conflict resolution skills in a compliance setting.
Demonstrated initiative and decision-making ability in high-pressure situations.
Practical experience in natural resource management activities.
Current “C” Class Licence.
Possess or have the ability to attain, prior to appointment, recognised recreational SCUBA qualifications. (The successful applicant will require an AS2299 current Dive Medical clearance for scientific diving (SCUBA) )
Possess or have the ability to attain, prior to appointment, Current Senior First Aid certificate and recognised qualification in Oxygen Resuscitation.

Get those applications in by January 21

tragic history

2011-01-06T13:06:00.002+08:00

"Three hundred and seventy two Aboriginal prisoners are still buried on Wadjemup/Rottnest. They were imprisoned for crimes such as spearing a sheep."

We are grateful to the City of Melville for the heads-up on an artisitc event about the beautiful island.

The venue is Applecross, but the subject is Rottnest’s tragic past as a place of imprisonment and death for Aboriginal men...

The Quod Project is a multidisciplinary art exhibition by Non-Indigenous Artist Tania Ferrier about The Quod – a building that is better known as the tourism accommodation called the Rottnest Lodge.

South Fremantle Artist Tania Ferrier said unearthing the history of Rottnest (or Wadjemup as it is referred to by Noongar people) was an emotional experience.

“It is estimated that 373 Aboriginal prisoners died on Wadjemup/Rottnest and five of these people were executed by hanging. Three hundred and seventy two Aboriginal prisoners are still buried on Wadjemup/Rottnest. They were imprisoned for crimes such as spearing a sheep,” Ferrier said.

Historian Dr Neville Green was a source for Ferrier and in his book Far from home – Aboriginal Prisoners of Rottnest Island 1838 to 1931 Dr Green states that the number of Aboriginal men who died on the island makes it the largest deaths in custody site in Australia.

“This is Australia’s colonial history but you don’t hear about it because it’s actively suppressed,” Ferrier said.

The Quod Project is significant in size and includes a range of mediums from photographs and paintings to video and installations. Fortunately, for the purpose of the exhibition, three patients’ rooms inside the Heathcote gallery mirror the layout of the cells in The Quod.

One of the installations is a life-size cell which is based on research of the appearance of a Quod cell prior to it being turned into a holiday unit. The installation is accompanied by recordings of Indigenous Elders reading from texts about actual conditions in the cells.

In collaboration with James Kerr, Ferrier has produced approximately 25 large format photographic prints, as well as a series of digital prints on canvas that are re-worked archival Wadjemup/Rottnest tourist posters.

The exhibition included the involvement of Indigenous Elders Cedric Jacobs and Noel Nannup, who modelled for the photographs and added their voices to recordings.

For a photograph called ‘Ascension’, Indigenous dancer Michael Smith chose to interpret the history of The Quod by creating a dance called ‘Wardong Wadjemup’, which translates to Rottnest Crow. The crow embodies the spirit of the dead prisoners as Michael leaps, flies upward, ascends and sets their spirits free.

“Ascension transcends The Quod Project and speaks for Indigenous youth in prison today. It speaks for the past that has affected the present,” Ferrier said.

A series of small oil paintings called ‘Diatribes’ juxtapose images of Ferrier’s family holiday history at The Quod with images from the Rottnest Quod Penal history.

City of Melville Curator Soula Veyradier said, “I find the untold histories of the place both fascinating and extremely sad. But The Quod Project is ultimately positive because this public presentation and discussion means that we, as a community and a place, will know ourselves better.”

“I expect a range of responses to the exhibition from the very positive to denial of the damage done to the Aboriginal community.

“The Quod Project exposes hidden history and holds up a mirror to ourselves; are we responsible for our ignorance?”

The Quod Project will be opened by the Manager of Artsource’s Regional and Indigenous Development program Ron Bradfield (Jnr) at the Heathcote Museum and Gallery on Friday, 21 January from 6.00pm. People are invited to RSVP to the opening by Tuesday, 18 January 2011 to claire.bushby@melville.wa.gov.au or phone 9364 5666.

The free exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday, 22 January to Sunday, 27 February 2011.

An Artist’s Forum with Artist Tania Ferrier, Writer Josephine Wilson and Indigenous Elder Noel Nannup will be held on Sunday, 20 February from 1.00pm to 3.00pm.

The Heathcote Museum and Gallery is located at Heathcote Cultural Centre, Swan House, Duncraig Road in Applecross. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday 10.00am to 3.00pm, Saturday and Sunday 11.00am to 3.00pm.

For further information contact 9364 5666 or visit www.melvillecity.com.au/facilities/museums

no neoprene

2011-01-05T13:03:00.003+08:00

The epic and glorious event that is the Rottnest Channel Swim looms.

The great day is February 26: alas, international commitments mean Rotto Bloggo will not be in (or even on) the water next month.

But we were grateful for this update from the RCSA site...

This is a notice to advise that under clause 22 of the Constitution, the Rottnest Channel Swim Association Committee at the Committee Meeting on 30 November 2010 amended By-law 1. Final confirmation of the Committee Meeting Minutes will take place at the next Committee Meeting to be held on 14 December 2010, however the Committee wishes to inform and advise Members that By-Law 1 which governs the use of swim wear and artificial swimming aids has been amended and approved to be in force with immediate effect. For ease of reference, By-Law 1 reads as follows:

In any Rottnest Channel swim attempts, no swimmer shall use or be assisted by artificial aids of any manner. Swimmers are permitted to grease the body before a swim, use goggles, wear a maximum of two caps, nose clip and earplugs. Swimmers must wear one bathing suit that does not contain neoprene, rubber or any other material that aids buoyancy and complies with FINA’s Rules for Open Water Swimming with the exception that until 28 February 2012 the bathing suit may be a swim skin of any brand, or the pointzero3 or nero swim suit made by Blueseventy. In addition to one bathing suit that complies with this rule, swimmers may wear one rash vest or stinger suit made of porous textile material (such as nylon or lycra), which does not extend beyond the ankles, the neck or the wrist.

jetty jitters

2011-01-03T09:21:00.005+08:00

More wholesome news of the beautiful island from POST Newspapers...we've since heard a rumour the jetty problems might be something to do with ferry wash.

One of the pics shows bricks to be used as reinforcements below the waterline.

A CHUNK OF the ferry jetty at Rottnest Island was cordoned off last week while repairs were made to the structure and the sea bed.

Island authorities were tight-lipped about the reason for the work, but holiday-makers said there was a problem with the sea bed.

A Rottnest Island Authority spokeswoman would not answer questions about how the damage happened or how much of the jetty was roped off.

A holiday maker said a worker told her the damage happened a few days before Christmas.

“He said something happened to the sea bed and divers were fixing it with white bricks,” she said.

“He said whatever happened caused the collapse of part of the jetty.”

About 50m of the jetty was cordoned off while the repairs were made.

Another holiday maker said it looked as though something big and heavy had been dropped onto the side of the jetty.

“Berth 2 has been closed to facilitate the works and ferry operators moved to other berths,” The RIA spokeswoman said.

“This will have no impact on ferry schedules.”

they love it

2010-12-31T09:34:00.002+08:00

This from that journal of record, POST Newspapers...the ferry company announced it was doing online bookings and special deals...

Adam Wootton and Allison Chapple are the winners of the Rottnest Express family ferry ticket passes.

The POST was inundated with entries: all spoke of people's deep attachment to Rottnest.

Mr Wootton, of Wembley, wrote: “When I was young I was a Scout and we would go camping on Rottnest every year to participate in island rubbish clean up.

“While there we not only were able to help make the island a pristine example of an isolated, under- developed environment but we also got to explore the whole of the island hunting down trash that had drifted.

“These were the best days of my life and whenever I return to the island I feel young again as I associate Rottnest with these cherished childhood experiences.

“Now I have grown up and had two children of my own I hope to finally take them there to experience the joy of snorkelling in The Basin, riding across the island to the light houses or exploring the underground gun batteries tunnels whilst learning about our history.

“So to me the island is almost a fountain of youth and that is why I love it.”

Ms Chapple, of Subiaco, said it was where her children learned to ride a bike, fell down the cliffs, discovered salt water showers and experienced a TV-less week.

“All that with the joy of missing school to go on the cheap in June,” Ms Chapple said.

juvie

2010-12-30T15:39:00.003+08:00

Thomson Bay? Pinky's? Baghdad Lake?

We wish this superb photo had more accompanying info.

Our sources thought we would be delighted with a pic of a Rotto bird - and we yield to none in our joy at a sharp image of a juvenile Banded Lapwing (aka Vanellus tricolor).

It was papped a couple of weeks ago, but the exact location is not revealed.

This is a juvenile, of course.

Even though we are marooned in a western suburb, we can shut our eyes and pretend to hear "er-chill-chaar-char".

Flickr image here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahameb/5297410116/ Juvenile Banded Lapwing

oh Aunty

2010-12-29T14:59:00.002+08:00

We are grateful for any news of, about or near the beautiful island - but sometimes our patience is tested.

If the ABC was writing that intro, they might have said: "...our patients is tested".

The intro to this 7.30Reportland item: "An increasing number of shark sightings in Western Australia is raising alarm bells".

Clumsy! Then:

"A number of shark sightings have raised alarm bells and forced the evacuation of Perth's popular Trigg Island Beach."

Ouch! A bit further on:

"Since those attacks, there's been a spate of sightings. The site of this whale carcass feeding frenzy off Rottnest Island has only further fuelled Perth's shark fears."

Aaarghh!

Accompanying pic from this Rotto Bloggo yarn in 2008.

Long way

2010-12-26T19:10:00.000+08:00

The beautiful island seen from the Scarborough heat haze...we know
where we'd rather be...

cocaz!

2010-12-24T11:54:00.002+08:00

Rotto Bloggo wishes our army of readers a Merry Xmas.

Except those...acquaintances there right now who will be toasting tomorrow with sparkling and pulling on WC Eagles crackers.

We loves these Santa hats and strange spellings from this crowd:

'Amazing week-end with some friends ! A beautiful island as if we can’t see all. I have discovered new animals, like the cocaz, a mix between a rat and a kangourou but much more cute than a rat, and also huge pelican, but no dolphins this time. We slept on the beach looking at the stars, we have done a fire on the sand :) Awesome !!!!'

ironing board at WT!

2010-12-23T09:07:00.003+08:00

These auto-generated sites are poetry: this is from HotelsFirst.com - "Search, Review, Reserve in Seconds".

'Rottnest Lodge nightly rates from $314.03 USD $314.03 USD lowest price guaranteed!
If you find a lower publicly available rate online for the same dates, hotel, and room category, we will match the price and refund you the difference.
Select a Room & Rate
Kitson Street |View MapRottnest Island, WT
Location.
This lodge is located in Rottnest Island. The Basin is an area attraction.
Features.
Dining options at Rottnest Lodge include a restaurant and a bar/lounge.'

There's a map, and it helpfully points out the Cohunu Koala Park is 30.2 miles away.

Need to get to a Nearby Airport? Perth Entertainment Centre (PEC) is 18.7 miles away.

'Clock radio Ceiling fan Balcony Iron/ironing board Hair dryer Dial-up Internet access Phone Television'.

HotelsFirst.com is powered by Mint on a Pillow.

Island graffiti

2010-12-20T18:05:00.000+08:00

Mural at Shenton Park train station showing the view from a Freo
train...

agog over Gage Roads

2010-12-18T16:16:00.003+08:00

Action, drama, intensity: no, not the WACA or Julian Assange's life or even Operation Unite: it's all happening (or allegedly happening) on the beautiful island.

"A Perth magistrate wants an independent agency to investigate the officer-in-charge of Rottnest police station after finding the off-duty sergeant was the "aggressor" in a bar melee on the island," The West reports.

The Rottnest Island Authority is looking for a new Chief Information Officer: the gig pays $95,301 - $102,144.

The man (or woman) in the hot seat will be "...required to drive and implement ongoing transformational change, including transforming business systems, infrastructure, processes and technology into an integrated platform that meets organisational and business management, and reporting requirements."

What else? Kitesurfing! That French kite bullet has done it again, according to surfertoday.com: "Alex Caizergues stormed the inaugural Red Bull Lighthouse to Leighton kitesurfing, held at Fremantle, Western Australia. The 32-year-old pro kiteboarder crossed the 19km Indian Ocean course in only 24 minutes and 34 seconds, around half the time of a typical voyage on the Rottnest Express ferry at an average speed of over 20 knots."

Lillee likes

2010-12-16T12:39:00.003+08:00

"Rottnest is superb, too. It's a car-free island, a 30-minute ferry ride from Fremantle. Again, it's great for snorkelling and is very popular with anglers. Huge schools of samson (sambo as the locals call them) make the island one of the best metro fishing spots in Australia. Fishing gear can be hired or bought at Rottnest Adventure Centre, the General Store in Thomson Bay, and the Geordie Bay Store."

So says Dennis 'Drummy Tiles' Lillee - and Rotto Bloggo approves.

His boosting of the beautiful island is disturbingly more than half-way through a paean to Perth and WA - but we'll take it.

DK says this (do you reckon he really did?): "here's been an explosion of great coffee shops in the last 10 years. There's a strip of really good ones alongside Victoria Park. Epic (epicespresso.com.au), on Hay Street, in West Perth, is very good. Zekka is exceptional, too. It's located on King Street in Perth's West End, where many of the boutique shops are. Zekka offers a wide variety of teas, too."

we can make sandwiches

2010-12-07T16:55:00.002+08:00

"We can make sandwiches/You can be the bun/And I can be the burger girl..."

Many thanks to the Detroit Grand Pubahs for today's intro...

You have to be quick: this popped up in our Woogle Alert today...

Sandwich hand Required Rottnest Bakery
Rottnest Island, WA
Can commute We pay for Ferry or live on this wonderful island. Excellent rate of pay and up to 40 hrs a week Must be able to follow instructions and be self...
From Gumtree AU - 21 days ago email - more...

We clicked, but it seems to have vanished. Post filled?

The link said there were/are 42 bakery job on Rottnest AU - we know the peak festive season is looming, but come on...

labels food

2010-12-06T13:30:00.002+08:00

'They say, nothing lasts forever. Dreams change, trends come and go; but friendships, never go out of style.'

Rotto Bloggo endorses the above - especially when it is accompanied by pix of food about to be eaten on the beautiful island.

Blogger 13.W.H.Y.S? has posted sharp images of various Dome meals: the eggs hollandaise look scrumptious and there is plenty of butter for everyone.

There is no text to say when this nosh was consumed (spookily reminiscent of the recent pics of the "JD Set" without a review), but judging by Boon Hun's post it could have been Saturday.

We hope they finished up with a snotblock from the bakery.

Bon appetit!

delightful above all others

2010-12-05T17:34:00.001+08:00

'IF YOU TELL a Perth man that an explorer William Vlaming (sic) described Rottnest Island as a “terrestrial paradise” he’s likely to say: “I don’t know about that mate, but if you want to get away from it all, don’t mind roughing it a bit, Rotto’s the place".'

We are indebted to Fremantlebiz for posting Vincent Serventy's words from a 1971 Walkabout.

'He is almost not certainly thinking of beauty, but of times he’s had there. He probably caught his first fish there; undoubtedly caught a girl. He drank his first beer there, didn’t wear a shirt, smell an exhaust fume or want to go home.'

The defunct mag, which Fre-biz acquired for a song, has accompanying Richard Woldendorp pix.

'But a memory of beauty must filter in amongst these more earthy recollections. For the island is a lovely place. Long beaches reach to grey headlands. Beyond the first is another and another, blinding white, and edged with sparkling green and blue seas...'

in line not online

2010-12-04T12:19:00.002+08:00

More news of the beautiful island from today's POST.

This is still on the RIA's site: "If difficulties are encountered, you are requested to call the RIA Central Reservations on (08) 9432 9111 to make your booking."

Rottnest diehards who queued for December 2011 bookings this week had the last laugh
when the island’s online accommodation system crashed.

People who slept outside the Rottnest Island Authority‘s Fremantle
office secured their holidays.

But people who tried to book via computer were confronted with a dancing quokka and error messages.

They were told to use the phone.

Pam O’Connell bedded down on Sunday night and was 14th in the queue.

“Some people arrived on Thursday and slept here six nights before bookings opened on
Wednesday,” she said.

She said the 40 people in the queue said they had made the right choice.

“In line is better than online,” one laughed.

were they there?

2010-12-03T16:15:00.003+08:00

Clicking through photos of last weekend's "JD Set" on the beautiful island was disappointing.

There are musos, of course, but not enough Rottnest background.

We thought we saw a lighthouse - but it turned out to be the top of someone's water bottle.

The best one shows a fair expanse of blue Thomson Bay and a baffled security goon.

We like the proctology shot, too.

The site is the AU review - we were there.

The photos are there - but where is the review?

balcony

2010-12-02T08:20:00.002+08:00

A restful scene from the beautiful island that Rotto Bloggo is keen to acquire.

This is Ian de Souza's Rottnest Island Balcony Scene and it is just right.

The colours, the sky, the jutting buidling - marvellous.

The 1991 watercolour was in a western suburbs auction last week at $250-$500 - but didn't sell!

If we play our cards right it could be ours.

Rott lobster

2010-11-29T19:01:00.002+08:00

The only flaw in this Fairfax Rottnest report is botching Thomson.

At least, that is the only flaw we can see in the account of yesterday's "JD Set" on the beautiful island.

"The quokkas wouldn't have known what hit them as a raunchy crowed of tattooed youths with fringe-heavy haircuts flooded Rottnest Island yesterday to see two of Australia's hottest rock bands," Fran Rimrod says.

Swearing, heat, shirtless performers, insolence to bouncers and an "unhinged crowd" follow: tremendous stuff.

The report is tied up with a narrative ribbon: "And while the quokkas slipped through the iron fence to catch a glimpse at some of Australia's finest contemporary rock music, the venue was packed, with the organisers having to turn away a lot of island hoppers who weren't lucky enough to have a ticket."

Not long to go...

2010-11-28T09:52:00.001+08:00

lets make body health

2010-11-27T13:00:00.003+08:00

We are pleased to report the tidal wave of good publicity surges on: Rottnest has fans all over the world, including Cyprus.

Lets Make Body Health With Bicycling in Cyprus has the "skivvy" on the beautiful island and it's all good news.

"Thе Western Australia capital οf Perth offers ѕο much tο thе holiday maker. Thеrе аrе historical monuments, grеаt shopping аnd dining аnd nightlife аll іn a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere," it starts.

The luminous coast, the setting sun a blaze of orange, nudist beach, wine buffs or beer tipplers - gorgeous wonderful.

Then we get to the really good stuff:

"Another treat fοr nature lovers іѕ thе small island οf Rottnest, accessible via a short ferry trip frοm Perth City, Fremantle οr Hillarys. It’s home tο thе small marsupials known аѕ Quokka.

"Known locally аѕ “Rotto”, Rottnest Island hаѕ a chequered history having bееn used аѕ a prison colony, farm, governor’s residence аnd military training zone over thе years. Nο cars аrе allowed οn thе island bυt іt саn gеt busy wіth locals especially during school holidays.

"Othеr thаn relaxing аnd enjoying nature, Rottnest Island іѕ аlѕο a grеаt рlасе fοr activities such аѕ cycling, swimming, sunbathing, аnd especially, snorkelling аnd scuba diving. Thе waters аrе сlеаn аnd thе seabed іѕ home tο coral reefs аnd shipwrecks."

It all adds up to making excellent body health!

better than bell tower

2010-11-26T15:40:00.002+08:00

More hard news about the beautiful island from POST Newspapers.

These one-par sentences are agreeably haiku-esque.

Or are they Hemingway-esque?

---

Rottnest has come runner up in a major category in the WA Tourism Awards.

The island scored a silver medal in the major tourist attractions award.

Perth Zoo got the gold and the Perth bell tower got bronze.

Matilda Bay Restaurant in Crawley won bronze in the tourism restaurant and catering services category.

Our Rottnest Holiday

2010-11-25T10:52:00.002+08:00

More literary goodness about the beautiful island!

Our Rottnest Holiday is not as long as the book we looked at yesterday: it's a mere 13 pages.

But it's just as good, and of course it has also had the full POST Newspapers treatment...

A new kids' picture book about Rottnest is dedicated to a three year old who was killed on the island last year.

Tazli Bowe's Our Rottnest Holiday is an illustrated book that shows what fun the island is for youngsters.

“It's about two kids' first island holiday,” Tazli said.

“They stay in a house right on the beach and go on a boat, ride bikes, visit the fun park and friends in Geordie Bay and build a sandcastle.”

One of the scenes was going to show their father lying in a hammock.

But Tazli changed it after last year's tragic pillar collapse that claimed the life of young Thomas Brasier.

“That was awful and so sad,” said Tazli, who has two sons: Johnny, 5, and James, 3.

“Through a mutual friend I spoke to Thomas' mum and asked if she would like to have 'In memory of Thomas' at the front of the book.

“She was happy about it and I am looking forward to meeting her at the book launch.”

Tazli's story is based on the story she told Johnny after he returned from his first Rottnest holiday.

“I put the words down in a day – but it took me a year to find an illustrator and get it printed,” she said.

She found gifted English born illustrator Tom Swift, who hadn't been to Rottnest.

“I don't think he's even seen a quokka in real life but his drawings are wonderful,” Tazli said.

The book will be launched on Thursday, November 25, from 10am to noon at 82 Redfern Street, Subiaco.

Coffee and cake will be served.

Our Rottnest Holiday costs $10 and is on sale at Subiaco Dymocks, Fun House Toys in Shenton Park, and at the Rottnest chemist and Geordie Bay store.

It can also be ordered direct from Tazli via info@rottnestholidaybooks.com.au.

Bulk Goon

2010-11-24T16:16:00.002+08:00

"One of the best books we've read this year" - Rotto Bloggo.

(And we've read a few).

See this scoop that was in POST Newspapers last week...

A year 12 student plans to import hundreds of cartons of alcohol to Rottnest Island during leavers' week.

The teenager, whose name is Bree, expects to make a big profit from her business.

“There's gunna be bulk goon everywhere,” she said.

Her boyfriend admired her entrepreneurial skills.

“In business, breaking the law and getting away with it is considered excellence,” he said...

The above is how a report about Bree and Simon might read if it was in the POST.

But the two youngsters are main characters in City Beach author Martin Chamber's latest novel.

Bulk Goon is set on Rottnest during leavers and Martin says it has wide appeal.

“It's a great holiday read for anybody who has teenage kids, who is a teenage kid, or anybody who loves Rottnest,” he said.

Goon is slang for alcohol: Bree and Simon plan to get nearly 350 cartons of TED – Tooheys Extra Dry – and other beverages to thirsty year 12s who want to have fun both in the sun and after dark.

“I'm 53 and went to Wesley,” Martin said.

“Leavers was never a big thing in my day.

“You left school, nothing happened and then you got a part-time job.”

Martin's two daughters did leavers, though: it was a concern.

“I remember being absolutely terrified at the time,” he said.

“I was thinking about booking a holiday to Alaska and taking them far away from any trouble.

“But then I talked with other parents and realised there is paranoia about leavers and it gets blown up by the media.”

Some characters in Bulk Goon express the same view.

The fiction has a perceptive and sympathetic portrayal of police on Rottnest, especially the senior sergeant in charge of law enforcement on the island.

“Lots could go wrong during leavers,” the officer reflects, “but children were more likely to die from skin cancer or falling off a bike than anything else.”

Martin said it was important to have real names in the book to help set the story's realism.

“I have used the real names of schools but that is where the fact ends and the fiction begins,” he said.

“In no way am I implying anything in the character of the schools mentioned or that the schools themselves are in any way involved.”

Writing the 30,000 word novel took Martin about 12 months.

“I started it about two years ago,” he said.

“I find things are best with writing if you forget about it for a year, come back to it and polish it.”

Bulk Goon already has its fans and detractors.

“Just like a training manual with a story,” a year 11 student says, “every school leaver should get a copy.

But a parent says: “This book ought to be banned.”

Martin is not aiming to retire to Thomson Bay on sales.

“My kayaking guide gets about $30 a year in royalties,” he said.

“Bulk Goon is a very local story.”

Bulk Goon costs $14.95 from www.martinchambers.id.au or the Well Bookshop in Shenton park, the Lane in Claremont, the Rottnest general store, and the Chart and Map Shop in Fremantle.

isle of dogs

2010-11-23T21:05:00.003+08:00

Big it up for Kate 'Media Ball hostess' Ferguson: the West TV reporter has 2.19 on schoolies arriving at the beautiful island here.

Get past the 15 second ad and you'll see sniffer labradors, ferry shots, a bloke with blue hair, police searching wallets, a shot of Runciman and a whole lot more Rottnest goodness.

A long way from Korean missiles - and Rotto Bloggo is thankful.

questions

2010-11-21T12:39:00.002+08:00

We were provoked into activity again yesterday after a three month holiday: that **** at The Worst of Perth commented yet again on our inactivity.

We have set up Rotto Bloggo to be able to post from the iPhone, which may make regular updates easier.

It's not as if there is a shortage of news from the beautiful island: the admirable Fremantlebiz has blogged on the hotel, too.

From tomorrow you have 11 working days to send in your views: we have pasted in Fremantlebiz's below...

Please provide comment on what aspects of the proposed hotel design appeal to you.

The project is timely, it proposes to make use of a neglected area and the selected company appears to have aesthetic values.

Please provide comment on any suggested improvements you think should be made to the proposed hotel design.

1. I feel that exotic Morton Bay fig trees shout not be included in the planting schedule, as is mentioned in the Pinctada extract.

2. The interior fireplaces depicted in the illustrations seem to be dependent on real wood for fuel. This is not in keeping with best practice in our environmentally aware society. There are attractive faux-wood gas heaters if required.

3. Perhaps there should be less emphasis on the use of the word 'hotel' which still has negative connotations for Rottnest. Resort? Retreat? Haven?

4. Unfortunately the online plans cannot be magnified, so it is impossible to read some of text associated with the drawings.

5. The 'heritage' water tanks should be adapted for some pragmatic use. For example an imaginative architectural conversion into unique accommodation.

Please provide any additional comments that you would like to make regarding the proposed hotel design.

I have some questions.

1. I understand that a low fence will be used to stop quokka entry. How will the animals be prevented from using pedestrian and vehicular access points? Furthermore the Pinctada extract claims there is a "ballooning quokka population." Can this be substantiated by up-to-date scientific evidence. I gained the impression from casual observations during visits this year that had been a decline of animals in several locations.

2. During the construction period will the builders be obliged to remove rubble back to the mainland? This includes concrete and bitumen materials which will be lifted from the old water catchment surface. I am aware that in the recent past the island authority has allowed dumping of a substantial quantity of demolition materials out of sight near the southern side of the airstrip. In my view this is an undesirable practice.

3. Will the general public be free to access any part of the grounds of the resort after completion, or is it to be maintained totally as an exclusive enclave?

WA or too large?

2010-11-20T14:55:00.001+08:00

Apathy-busting or too embiggening?

swamped

2010-08-14T15:37:00.002+08:00

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

2010-08-13T10:05:00.003+08:00

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

2010-08-12T11:59:00.002+08:00

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

2010-08-11T12:31:00.002+08:00

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...

2010-08-08T10:59:00.002+08:00

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

2010-08-05T13:49:00.003+08:00

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

2010-08-02T12:22:00.003+08:00

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

2010-08-01T16:12:00.003+08:00

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."

code closed

2010-07-31T18:00:00.002+08:00

The Minister has changed Rottnest Island Primary School into a campus of Beaconsfield Primary School. To reflect this change the Rottnest Island Primary School code in Schools Directory was closed for technical and operational reasons.

Amalgamation Rottnest Island PS & Beaconsfield PS
BEACONSFIELD PS
5034
2009 ROTTNEST ISLAND PS
5406
2010
Closed in
SDR
Open in
SDR
BEACONSFIELD PS –
ROTTNEST ISLAND CAMPUS
5034

mooring mope

2010-07-30T15:33:00.002+08:00

A boatie is not happy with an experience they had last Sunday in Thomson Bay.

'landing fee - what a ripp off' is the attention-getting headline.

The intrepid sailors had problems with their designated mooring and decided not to stay at the beautiful island.

"We went to buy a 'subway' takeaway lunch for the trip back, and it was then we saw the RANGER already ON our yacht, he saw us trying to row back in the head wind, and he motored over and hassled us to move our yacht off the mooring IMMEDIATELY, and proceeded to ask us where wevwere, as he tried to call us 3 times (we informed him our mobile was on the yacht and he said I KNOW!)."

Goodness: read the whole story here.

Commenters do not seem to share the outrage.

This seems happier, but we do not understand it.

island beauty captured

2010-07-26T16:34:00.002+08:00

More Rottnest art!

Ace reporter Linda Callaghan had this scoop in the POST.

We will be beetling down to Cambridge council post-haste.

Blow the budget and buy, buy, buy!

All hail Linda and other reporters who file reports about the beautiful island...

Glynis Morrison loves Rottnest Island, above the water and below.

Her endless fascination with the effects of light and shadow has led to her latest exhibition of oil paintings.

She is the fourth artist to exhibit at Cambridge council's Boulevard Centre, under the library at Floreat Forum, as part of a community arts program.

The collection is 60cm square oils on board.

"These paintings were inspired by annual visits to Rottnest," Ms Morrison said.

"Staying at Longreach or Geordie Bay, one is constantly aware of the huge vista of ocean beyond the little settlement of holiday villas."

Ms Morrison, who lives in Wembley Downs, said she had always painted, and completed her formal training in the early 1990s, as a mature-aged student at Claremont School of Art and Edith Cowan University.

She has previously shown work in Fremantle, Perth, Geraldton and at Chas Sturt University, New South Wales.

In 2002 Ms Morrison was first prize winner at the Broomehill Aquafest set up to promote Great Southern aquaculture.

The exhibition at Floreat runs until the end of August and the work is for sale.

meeting

2010-07-25T11:45:00.003+08:00

We have to go to Sydney on union business in a week or two.

Taxi, crammed into a seat on a plane, taxi, a functional hotel room, meetings - and then a taxi, flight, taxi.

Sydney has its attractions but there is not much time for seeing the sights or spotting ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS walking out of a backpackers hostel and going to their cash-in-hand cafe/restaurant job.

How different it would be if our confab was on the beautiful island: we saw this poster in West Perth on Friday afternoon.

The main options seem to be the Country Club, which has the Des Sullivan Room and the ground-floor Club Room.

Quanta costa? If you go the whole hog and get the platinum deal, it's $423 a head:

Platinum Package (2 night/3 day)
• Bus transfers from the jetty to the conference venue
• Off site lunch options at one of the Island’s restaurants to the value of $30 per day
• Bus travel to and from lunch venue
• 2 Island tours of your choice
• 2 Bedroom Unit – sleeps 1-2 people

We will suggest the next union love-in be held on Rottnest but we are not holding our breath.

tellies off?

2010-07-24T07:48:00.002+08:00

We apologise for the break in transmission.

Thank goodness for the POST, which is stuffed with news of the beautiful island...

ROTTNEST AUTHORITIES ARE considering scrapping televisions.

The advent of digital TV, which happens in Perth in June 2013, is behind the move.

Island holidaymakers are being asked to complete Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) questionnaires on whether there should be TVs in units and bungalows.

"As the analogue system is phased out, the RIA is reviewing its provision of televisions," the flyer says.

"In order to maintain the current service all existing televisions will need to be replaced with digital sets.

"External antennae may also need to be installed to ensure reliable reception."

Visitors are asked to choose yes or no to the statement 'Televisions should be provided to all RIA accommodation'.

The RIA would not answer questions about the survey, how much it would cost to switch to digital TVs or how many televisions are in its units.

Regular Rottnest sojourner George Williams said he welcomed the end of TVs on the island.

"If I wanted to watch TV I'd stay at home," the Mosman Park resident said. "Rottnest is a place for fishing, walking, talking to people - not staring at a screen."

Mr Williams denied watching MasterChef every night during a recent week-long stint in north Thomson Bay.

la hermosa isla

2010-07-12T07:16:00.003+08:00

We are hoping Spain's World Cup triumph is a shot in the arm for Rottnest.

How so? The Spanish/English translation firm of choice is in Melbourne - and is called Rottnest Spanish Translations.

"We take pride in our professionalism, reliability and accuracy in every translation," says principal Glenda Lowry.

"We provide fast turnaround and meet the tightest deadline."

People who understand deadlines! Muy bien. That is what Rotto Bloggo likes to hear.

to the lighthouse

2010-07-11T08:51:00.004+08:00

We didn't see any members of the Ramsay family, but otherwise the trip up the Wadjemup lighthouse was amazing.

We saw the rope the keeper had to pull up every three hours to keep it turning, the curved cupboards, the lens and wondered where they kept the cocnut oil.

A bloke operated it until as late as 1990.

There are binoculars so you can have a good squizz from 80m up: we stared, agog, at a Collins submarine chugging past, cyclists and cloud shadows drifting across Narrow Neck.

green island

2010-07-10T09:56:00.002+08:00

No, not the delightful spot on the mainland side of the beautiful island - although we would not be surprised if some of this group made it out there.

Yet again this story is another in today's POST. How much Rottnest news can you fit into a 92-page paper?

ROTTNEST ISLAND WAS a sea of green this week as it became Kelly country.

Dozens from the extended family celebrated their 40th anniversary of getting together on the holiday paradise.

“There are 38 in-laws and out-laws here and we've been coming to Rottnest since 1970,” Brendon Kelly told the POST last weekend.

A family member even flew in from Washington DC for this year's nine-day sojourn, which also saw the celebration of two engagements.

The tradition began when Brendon's father Lou chose the island as his family's vacation destination.

“He was born in Bunbury, was a great fan of the coast and decided Rottnest was appropriate,” Brendon said.

The first idyllic holiday with wife Marie and five kids was spent in what was then called Cottage X in north Thomson Bay.

“He always preferred to stay in a north Thomson unit or villa – never a bungalow – so we always have,” Brendon said.

The Kellys usually holiday in May, although sometimes they cross Gage Roads in June or July.

Marie now has great-grandchildren: her youngest grandson aged six months was with her on the island this week.

“We used to bring our own televisions in the early days,” she said.

Marie has been an active worshipper at the Holy Rosary Catholic parish in Doubleview for 55 years.

“We painted the ceiling of the Rottnest church when it was first built, and polished the brass – before that we used to worship in the picture hall,” she said.

Brendon said organising the annual event was easy.

“The women prepare lots of food and the men handle the beer and fishing,” he said.

“Our favourite fishing spots are the basin, Pinky's and the Thomson Bay jetty.”

Marie's son Kieran he did not know why some people complained about Rottnest.

“How many kids have got off their training wheels here?” he asked.

The Kellys all wore emerald green T-shirts made for the anniversary.

“Please don't make us look like a cult,” a younger female Kelly pleaded.

The family came to WA from Ireland's west coast.

emergency landing

2010-07-09T13:42:00.005+08:00

'Chopper in Rotto landing drama'

As you know, we were on the beautiful island all of last week - and saw (and heard) Collins submarines churning through the cerulean waters and noted planes and choppers zipping about.

So imagine our surprise/delight when we saw the POST this morning and saw the attention-getting headline above.

It all happens on (or over, or nearby) Rottnest.

A ROYAL AUSTRALIAN Navy helicopter made an emergency landing on Rottnest Island last week after the crew thought the machine was on fire.

The Seahawk chopper, from 816 Squadron in NSW, was part of a big training exercise around the island that finishes this week.

The four men on board the helicopter got a fright last Thursday morning when the fire indication light started flashing.

“The helicopter transmitted an urgency message which was subsequently proven to be a false alarm,” a Defence spokesman said.

“The helicopter landed at Rottnest Island airport as a precaution.

“Despite no indications of fire being found, the circumstances surrounding the precautionary landing will be fully investigated.”

The spokesman said there was no threat to holidaymakers from the landing.

“Navy personnel are well practised to conduct these emergency procedures
as part of their training,” the spokesman said.

The exercise – which does not have a code name – involves three RAN
Collins Class submarines, RAN Frigate HMAS Anzac, three RAN Seahawks from the Nowra-based 816 Squadron and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion.

“The exercise is being conducted to expose all participants to a variety
of challenging and complex anti-submarine warfare scenarios,” the spokesman said.

Photo courtesy Dept of Defence and sexy image of Seahawk is the copyright of the Commonwealth of Australia.

help! kelp?

2010-07-08T15:12:00.003+08:00

"Wind gusts won't reach the forecast peak of 90km until later tonight but Rottnest Island is being battered with 50km winds, gusting up to 59kmh."

So it goes on WA Today: we hope the island will still be there in the morning.

It would be much more restful - although not dryer - where this important boffin activity is happening.

An autonomous underwater vehicle is being used to examine a kelp forest on a reef near the beautiful island.

"A focus of the study will be on how kelp forests influence biodiversity and productivity by generating food for valuable resources such as fisheries," CSIRO research scientist Dr Mat Vanderklift said at Sailworld.com.

"Our observations will enable us to monitor and adapt to processes such as changes to major currents or climate change."

julia

2010-07-07T21:17:00.003+08:00

We were not surprised to see traces of Julia on the beautiful island last week.

As we ambled past the school we saw a sign...even Rottnest is being stimulated.

The official figures to date, from the website:

Total Projects: 3
Total Amount: $300,000.

Rotto kids are getting a covered outdoor learning area, a "refurbishment" (building plumbing, flyscreens, paving, windows, painting, flooring, court resurfacing) - and new walls!

Three Word Chant! We are turning the corner! Full Dinner Pail

back to reality

2010-07-06T17:22:00.004+08:00

We have been back from the beautiful island for more than 48 hours but can only now blog about it - such has been the wrench back into reality.

Seven glorious nights in north Thomson and eight glorious days of fishing, reading, walking, Scrabble-playing, eating, drinking, cycling and touring.

Most of our images are not to hand: these show Mrs Rotto Bloggo greeting a curious creature and a spelling error made by an IGA shop as they parcelled up goodies for Rottnest delivery.

We would have blogged from the island but there were IT issues.

We bought $60 mobile broadband access but could not use it: once on Rotto Tesltra said the SIM card in our dongle was out-of-date, as it had not been used in six months.

"Look at your contract," the helpline wage slave advised.

We thought of trying our mobile card in the dongle but by then there were only two days to go, and the break from the screen had been restful.

We appreciated the T-Life store in Claremont refunding our money.

one more sleep

2010-06-26T15:08:00.002+08:00

If all goes according to our cunning plan, we will be soaking up the sun somewhere on the beautiful island tomorrow.

We can't confirm if we will gazing on a vista like this: Kitson Point Sets by Michelle Wardley could be yours for $146.

Maybe we will see Ramona at the bakery or heading back to the ferry after her night on Rottnest.

Perhaps we will see this...red is so in since the leadership spill.

Wherever we will be, it will be a long way from the Emirates.

'Locals rort Rotto ballot'

2010-06-25T15:59:00.002+08:00

This tremendous report in the POST: it has quotes, figures, emotion, juicy allegations and one-sentence paragraphs.

It is so good it is on the front page (er, actually page 28) and could well be the final word on the matter.

We like the data so much we will take it to the beautiful island and study it in depth over a G&T at the pub.

Contact Rotto Bloggo if you want the lowdown on your postcode luck.

A LABOR MP says western suburbs holidaymakers are rorting the Rottnest ballot system.

Regional development spokesperson Mark McGowan says there should be a quota system during island ballot time so more people from other areas get to holiday on Rottnest.

“Four or five members from a family apply during the Christmas and Easter ballots,” Mr McGowan said.

“It can result in unfairness.”

The Rockingham MP said figures given to him during recent estimates hearing in Parliament show an “overwhelming” rate of western suburbs people securing ballot accommodation.

“Many people from the outer suburbs and country apply as well,” Mr McGowan said.

“For example, 20 times as many people from Cottesloe went to Rottnest compared to my electorate – which is much bigger than Cottesloe.”

Mr McGowan suggested 25 per cent of Christmas and Easter accommodation be reserved for country people, and another chunk be set aside for those from out suburban areas.

“Those people help subsidise Rottnest as well,” he said.

But data from the last two Easter and Christmas periods show western suburbs holidaymakers have only a slighter luckier success rate than people from other areas.

In Easter this year there were 1702 applications: 767 were successful, a 45% success rate.

There were 448 applications from the nine western suburbs postcodes and 222 were successful: a 49.5% success rate.

Cottesloe and Peppermint Grove had more luck than most: a 53.8 success rate from 52 applications.

But South Perth people were luckier that Easter: a 77.2% success rate from their 44 applications.

Some of the unluckiest were those from the nine southern suburbs in the 6163 postcode: a 20.5% success rate from 34 applications.

Very few people from Rockingham applied for Easter or Christmas ballot accommodation in the last two years.

The area has a population of more than 15,000, but there were only seven applicants – with two successful – for island time in Easter this year.

In the 2008/09 summer 17 Rockingham people applied (and five were successful): in all there were 5573 applications for that period.

The Rottnest Island Authority said the ballot system was computerised and cannot be manually adjusted in any way.

“The RIA ballot process was independently reviewed by Stantons International earlier this year and concluded that the system provided a fair and secure randomised process for the allocation of balloted accommodation,” Authority CEO Paolo Amaranti said.

“Every applicant has an equal chance of securing accommodation through the ballot system.

“A higher proportion of allocations to people from a particular area is likely to reflect a higher proportion of applicants from that area.”

Mr Amaranti spruiked winter Rottnest deals, including one for $339 for two people for three nights.

He said there were still vacancies for next month's school holidays.

“Packages are inclusive of accommodation, bike hire and Bayseeker bus pass for the duration of the booking and are $185 per night for four people,” he said.

sacked

2010-06-20T10:08:00.002+08:00

Allison and Jocelyn were given their marching orders from the beautiful island this week.

The plucky backpackers quote Seneca and Henry Miller on their blog and spent about a month on Rotto working at the Lodge before they were sacked.

"The low occupancy in the hotel was so low that there weren’t enough hours for all the waitresses. The managers needed to get rid of two waitresses, and because Allison and I were traveling together, it made it convenient for them to lay us of," they report on The Kangaroo Chronicles.

"Not only were we laid off, but we had to be off the island in 24 hours. Working as a backpacker can be cutthroat!"

They loved Rottnest so Rotto Bloggo thinks they're great.

They provided some insight into backpacker rooms, aka Donga City ("single rooms with paper thin walls all connected in a square shape, with an outdoor common area in the center of the dongas. We actually consider these housing units quite luxurious compared to some of the places we’ve stayed in Australia"), and also managed to pet a pooping quokka.

Rotto Bloggo wishes A & J happy travels and hope they got paid their entitlements.

better battery

2010-06-19T18:41:00.003+08:00

More scintillating news of the beautiful island from the POST...

Rottnest has won recognition for looking after a tall building.

Island people picked up a Heritage Council award for stabilising the battery observation post, even though the building is not on the state heritage list.

The post, at Signal Ridge, was built in the 1930s and was manned around the clock during World War Two.

Heritage manager Harriet Wyatt said the work took several months over winter last year.

“We had to battle some pretty harsh weather,” she said.

“There were site meetings in strong winds but we managed to stabilise and waterproof the building.”

Last week's rain tested the post but no water got in.

Ms Wyatt said Rottnest workers were committed to looking after buildings on the island.

“We don't pick and choose – just because something is not on the heritage register doesn't mean we won't care for it,” she said.

The work on the post cost more than $200,000.

Pic: Patsy Vizents, left, and Harriet Wyatt, of the Rottnest Island Authority, with Geof Mann (Myers Construction) and Kane Kelly (Safeway Contracting) by the restored Rottnest battery observation post. Photo Peter Baxendale.

baggage

2010-06-18T16:09:00.002+08:00

This in tomorrow's POST: what an outstanding paper.

Rotto Bloggo went into crisis talks when we heard the news and resolved we may have to carry the smoker.

When we told a near-neighbour about the luggage they said: "If you can't take a couple of cartons of Ferngrove over with you then the terrorists have won."

THE DAYS OF taking everything but the kitchen sink to Rottnest Island are over.

Authorities are cracking down on luggage that is too heavy.

They are warning holidaymakers overweight items will not be put on the ferry.

The Rottnest Island Authority says items cannot be more than 22kg.

Only two items per permanent bed will be transported.

Luggage cannot be larger than 500mm x 800mm.

“Failure to comply with this may result...it being necessary to unpack and repack before or after arrival,” a flyer from the Authority sent to holidaymakers says.

gustatory

2010-06-12T15:09:00.002+08:00

To continue yesterday's complaining: where are the great cookbooks of Rottnest?

We know Ben O'Donoghue cooked on the beautiful island - where is his book and accompanying TV series (or is that the other way around?) of Gage Road fruits de la mer?

We will discuss this in 15 sleeps time: we will also probably rant about Maggie Beer again. Our book will certainly have smoked fish recipes.

For ingredients, if you're not on the beautiful island as we speak, you might want to pop around to the Boatshed in Cottesloe - see the pic of their ad in today's POST.

pome

2010-06-11T14:48:00.002+08:00

There isn't enough poetry about the beautiful island.

Whither the John Kinsella series of works with the salt lakes as inspiration? Why hasn't Fay Zwicky gone into full elegy mode over the hotel.

We'd like to read a tight sonnet about schoolie love (lost and found) on nocturnal Pinky's.

Clearly we will have to dress, Keats-like, in flash clothes and sit down to write some verse about Rottnest in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime...the indefatigable Fremantlebiz has let us know about a Rotto pome.

There is a current affairs nexus: the poem is in indigo, the excellent journal that has had its state government funding so cruelly cut.

Alan James' effort is called Biking Rotto.

"hired bikes and pedalled hard for Porpoise
Bay and lay on sand dry, warm, and listened
to the black-headed terns crying, crying,
croaking as they cried, as they trotted, as
they fossicked at the tide line, and we
listened and listened until their cries had
screamed us empty, and then we lay quietly
in the tender water quiet and turquoise that
cleaned, how it cleaned, and we watched the
water tongue at the sand and rocks and the
limestone headlands and the reef platforms
and the islands little more than remnant rock,
it mouthed and tongued, washed upon them,
and it fussed about them, and fretted at them..."

new stuff

2010-06-10T10:02:00.002+08:00

Rottnest boaties can now tie up at a new jetty in front of the Thomson Bay hotel.

The $420,000 structure replaced the old jetty, which dated from the 1950s.

Tourism Minister Liz Constable said the new jetty was safer and extended further into the water.

It has six pens, can accommodate two vessels at the head, has 240 volt power, a ladder access for tenders and a ramp to assist with access for people with disabilities.

Ms Constable also named a new ranger vessel while she was on the island.

The craft was named Roland Smith, in honour of a Rottnest navigation pioneer.

“Roland Smith’s navigational markers can still be clearly seen today and he was a man dedicated to safe passage for mariners around Rottnest,” Ms Constable said.

“He also established the first of the moorings in Marjorie Bay and Narrow Neck.”

Roland Smith was the longest serving member of the Rottnest Island Board of Control and continued to contribute to the island through volunteer reafforestation work until his death in 1972.

A memorial to Mr Smith was erected by his friends in 1974 on the site of one of the first shore markers which help to guide boats safely into Narrow Neck.

old stuff

2010-06-06T18:26:00.002+08:00

A 2500 year old pseudo shell midden on Longreach Bay? You better believe it.

We were browsing Scientific Commons and were delighted to see this 1978 paper.

"The calcareous soils of the island are very well drained," the authors say in their introduction: we love it when we see a reference to Rottnest's calcareous soils.

It is fascinating reading, although "we cannot preclude the possibility that the surface zone of the sheltered deposit represents the remains of a shellfish midden from the prison era."

But it could also be from "a spearhead manufacturing site overlying a naturally accumulated shell deposit."

Check it out here.

current

2010-06-04T10:56:00.003+08:00

This in the POST...fine paper...two bucks to learn about the beautiful island? We would pay five, even.

Ocean currents bring tropical fish to Rottnest and oceanographer Alan Pearce will explain how at next week's meeting of the Naturalists' Club.

His talk at 7.30pm on June 11 is about ocean currents, tropical fish larvae and rock lobsters.

Alan trained as a mechanical engineer in South Africa before moving into oceanography, studying the ocean currents off Durban.

He joined the CSIRO in Sydney in 1977 and finally moved to Perth.

In his semi-retirement he has started a PhD study at Curtin University on ocean currents and larval fish.

His talk will be a mix of history, geography, oceanography and marine biology.

Knowledge of currents is closely linked to new technologies, including highly sophisticated and expensive current meters and drifters.

The society's meeting is at the Woolnough Lecture Theatre in the UWA Earth Sciences building, and is open to the public.

Entry is by $2 donation.

rotto yobbo no go

2010-05-30T10:22:00.002+08:00

Or should that be Yobbo No Go Rotto? No Go Rottoyobbo?

The headline in the paper is 'Rotto bans for yobbos': "TROUBLEMAKERS, including misbehaving schoolies, would be banned from Rottnest Island for up to two years under new laws to be introduced in State Parliament next month."

Prohibited Behaviour Orders will mean yobbos indulging in rampant and regular anti-social behaviour can be banned: their names will be published.

The online version has a better headline: it refers to "troublemakes".

We hope targeted troublemakes include persnickety reporters, destructive unionists and stomping vet nurses.

island bikie

2010-05-28T11:17:00.003+08:00

How cute is this? Yet another Rottnest achievement.

LR mastered the art of riding a bike without training wheels: the whole blog post, here, is a must-read.

"The big motivator was to learn before the school camp at Rottnest — EVERYONE else was going to be riding without training wheels and LR was determined to have it figured out."

Figure it out she did - and there are some high-quality Rottnest pics of two-wheeled bike action (and a quokka).

Well done LR. You threw away the training wheels a long time before Rotto Bloggo did.

Not even this week's 96kph winds could knock the kids off their bikes.

quokkas smash penguins

2010-05-27T08:43:00.003+08:00

It has been a titanic battle, but Rottnest has emerged the victor.

Someone from Singapore fired the first salvo: "Will be in Perth first week of June and other than the city, would like to include a day trip. Which of the two for better encounter, thought penguins are all out in the sea during the day? Should I do a glass bottom boat tour at Penguin or Rottnest? These day trips are all quite expensive though for a family of five. Any advice?"

A Perthite responded to the challenge: "Rotto is an " inhabited" island with cafe, shop/s, hotel. You can bike around and have a day out. Penguin Island is uninhabited except for wildlife. They do not compare. It depends on what " encounter" you are looking for. I have done neither glass bottom tour so cannot comment."

They do not compare. We like the sound of that.

Then a local shot himself in the foot: "I can't compare the two either, but please be aware that the ferries to Rotto are a bit limited this time of year so you'll need to plan well. I discovered this firsthand when I was trying to make bookings for an overseas visitor. We never did get it sorted as the limited ferries presented too many logistical problems for us."

Logistical problems? Last time we looked there are plenty of ferries to the beautiful island, even when there is just a lot more water than usual.

The Perthite blotted his copybook with a limp-wristed claim you should not do any winter Rottnest swimming: "Howzat's link is very good and Melnq8 makes an excellent personal observation. Both posts do lead to one observation - trips to either island demand reasonable weather. Limited ferries could be due to the time of the year i.e. winter weather - wind and/or rain. Next week the weather is looking decidely unfriendly for water activities and it is definitely too cold to swim IMO."

Rotto Bloggo has been immersed in the water in July and is all the better for it.

The concluding blast: "I've been to both many times and in my opinion Rottnest is a far better option for a day trip (though as you stated it is an expensive outing). To save some monies leave from Fremantle and try to pick a nice day that is not too windy. Bike riding is fun but may not suit your family as it is a rather tiring ride. There are very good bus services on the Island. The Bayseeker bus is good value for a family."

stable politics

2010-05-26T16:26:00.003+08:00

Rottnest is one of the best places in the world in which to live.

Who makes this bold (yet truthful) claim?

An element of conservative Brit broadsheet the Daily Telegraph.

The reasons are listed by the paper: "retiree-friendly, peaceful, family-friendly, beach, sunny, low crime, politically stable, fishing, great outdoors".

No argument there. And nominator 'bingo' elaborates: "a peaceful paradise. No cars , deserted coves with clear blue waters. Quiet Quokkas and busy Bee- eaters. Feel the cares of the world slowly slip away !"

We occasionally took the Tele when we were in the UK. They have marvellous obituaries. And we liked reading a paper founded by a bloke called Arthur B. Sleigh.

Freddie who?

2010-05-24T22:33:00.003+08:00

We have no idea what MUBI is. It has a Facebook page - and one of our friends is a fan - but we are none the wiser.

We are on surer ground with Freddie Rottnest. Who can forget his incredible sound work on The Incredible Torture Show (aka Bloodsucking Freaks)? If it wasn't for him the IMDb rating would be 1.4 instead of 4.1.

Freddie Rottnest is a great name for someone in the movies. It has the same ring as Otto Preminger, Sohrab Shahid-Saless and Martin Agrippa.

The beautiful island should have a film festival with Freddie as patron, muse and judge.

champion

2010-05-23T16:39:00.002+08:00

We love this Flickr photo: it all the elements of taking it easy on the beautiful island.

Google's translator is not entirely convincing, but we think it means the woman is winning at rummy. Elsewhere there are the Rottnest staples: wine, stubby holders, cards, maps, a bowl of lollies - and a Geordie Bay balcony.

Who is Bella? She has "big boops" and many fans on Rottnest (including one who looks disturbingly like a dissolute Russell Woolf). They wished her a happy birthday.

last

2010-05-22T15:51:00.002+08:00

Rottnest is the last thing you'd want to see on your trip to Perth.

A prestigious hotel club travel blog (er, called HotelClub Travel Blog) lists the cultural centre, the belltower and Kings Park as must-see before the beautiful island.

But when you cross Gage Roads you can have some white-knuckle excitement picking up seaweed in Thomson Bay (see final pic).

Sheesh. In other news, check out this blog, which describes Rottnest as a "dreadful place" - a terrific mix of words and images.

And don't forget to put Rottofest in the diary.

how much value?

2010-05-21T18:03:00.003+08:00

It's getting closer: only 37 days until we're on the beautiful island.

When we're in Cottesloe - attending a fire, snooping 'round flats, sitting in on a council meeting - the view is unbearable. Some days Rottnest seems to be at the end of John Street.

What better way to pass the tile while fantasising about the beautiful island than entering a competition with $1181 of Rottnest stuff to win?

Except...there isn't that amount of island goodness to hoover up if you're the lucky entrant.

The Fremantle and Rottnest prize is worth $1181...but that's split into $500 in Freo and East Freo (where dat?), and $626 19km from Freo.

Don't misunderstand us: a ferry to the island plus a nice night in at the hotel is not to be sneezed at.

And that only adds up to $1126 anyway.

You have plenty of time to enter: it will be drawn in August.

say misty for me

2010-05-16T12:27:00.003+08:00

What do you reckon? Rottnest mist?

This pic is in the Winter Escapes brochure in The Sunday Times. 'Experience Rottnest Island magic from just $339 for 2 people, 3 nights inclusive of ferry travel.'

Yes please. But we're not sure it's a pic of the beautiful island: we haven't seen a lot of early-morning mist while wetting a line first thing.

Maybe we mist it?

Some say they've seen it.

bed burning

2010-05-15T09:52:00.002+08:00

This news (in brief) in that fine newspaper, The Post, today...

Getting new gas systems will cost Rottnest authorities more than 5300 beds later this year.

The Rottnest Island Authority will shut the 28 six-bed cabins at the Caroline Thomson accommodation area (701-728) from July 26 for a month to complete the work, which includes new hot water systems.

(Rotto Bloggo apologises for not having a cabin pic to hand).

raptor rapture

2010-05-14T09:17:00.003+08:00

Fancy helping monitor ospreys on Rottnest Island?

For the first time volunteers have been invited to watch the magnificent raptors.

The Rottnest Island Authority wants people to monitor ospreys for a full day four times a year.

The volunteers will spend 30 minutes a shift observing each osprey nest on the island.

The dates are Wednesday July 14, Wednesday September 15 and Wednesday November 10.

“Staff will support volunteers in the field, however volunteers who are regularly available and perform to a high standard may be set up to work without supervision from staff,” an Authority spokeswoman said.

“Volunteers for these monitoring programs need to have flexibility as dates may change depending on environmental conditions.

“As these programs require training to ensure that data is accurate, it is also preferred that these volunteers can commit to at least two monitoring events.

“Volunteers require a driver’s license and will need to apply for a permit to drive on Rottnest.”

Volunteers are also sought for frog monitoring on Tuesday evenings until October.

To get involved contact Authority volunteer coordinator Sally Sneddon on 9372 9736 or sally.sneddon@rottnestisland.com.

Picture courtesy Fremantlebiz: for an outstanding mini-essay about birdlife (including ospreys) on the beautiful island, go here.

boy's own

2010-05-12T18:32:00.004+08:00

In a roundabout way - perhaps we will reveal more on the weekend - we discovered another fabulous book about the beautiful island we will add to our groaning shelves.

Jack's Island is a humorous yet heart-wrenching account of the adventures of a boy growing up on Rottnest during the Second World War.

It's by Norm Jorgenson, who has written heaps for young readers.

A review from his site: "Not many books have me laughing throughout, but the adventures and mishaps of the two main characters in Jack’s Island are hilarious.

"I am not exaggerating when I say Norman Jorgensen’s latest offering to the literary world is one of the best books I have read this year.

"Jack’s island is a poignant look at the hardships of war, strong family morals including the occasional hiding dished out to youngsters and the importance of helping neighbors.

"Jorgensen’s characters are lovable and when I shared their adventures there was no doubt life was tough during the war but I felt admiration for their nobility.

"Even tough this is a youth novel for middle readers , it is a great read for adults as well."

liverish

2010-05-11T16:29:00.003+08:00

Rotness? Rotnest? WIP?

We have been scratching our head at the latest item on the Internet about something associated with the beautiful island.

"As Someone requested me the Rottnest Express Logo, here it is and a W.I.P of a livery on a Mini !," says this on something called Forzamotorsport Forums.

"i might add some stuff on it, and i plan to choose another car to make another livery of the Rotness Express. Any comments are welcomed, and any ideas/suggestions of which other car i should choose !!"

The Rottnest Express people might like it.

Does it mean there will be another vehicle on the beautiful island?

"wow that looks great. I don't know what it is but looks fantastic," someone on FF said.

The livery creator said: "Haha , i dont really not either. i had this request about "Rottnest Express" and searching on the web, seems like its about "trips" "tour" ,"travels" in Australia ."

More head-scratching.

free thongs?

2010-05-10T20:57:00.003+08:00

We were snapped out of our funk today by this travel writing in the national daily broadsheet, which had someone saying the beautiful island was like Bali's Bukit peninsula and the Greek islands.

Hmmm: "...he points out the big stash of toiletries, the pillow menu, the two
styles of dressing gown, the complimentary sarong and beach basket, the fridge stocked with little bottles of Italian fizzy pop in neon colours, the espresso machine, iPod loaded with cool tunes (customised according to my pre-check in requests) and then, with a whoosh, he pushes open a ceiling-high door to reveal the plunge pool."

What, pray tell, is a pillow menu?

You say Bukit, we say...much better is this item from Fremantlebiz: his writing is far superior to any lumbering travel writer. Today he's on about the big lighthouse. We love lines like: "My favourite historical Rottnest Lighthouse photo is one taken of..." - it implies any right-thinking person would have at least a dozen photos of the historic pile.

Some are more terse about their island adventures. This blogger was able to say more about what s/he didn't buy at Myer than the emotion of Rottnest:
MONDAY
Heading to Rottnest. Its an island 25 minutes about 1.5 hours away from Perth by Ferry + admission entrance fee. Am taking the train around the place.
TUESDAY
Checking out from Perth City YHA- and heading to Sydney by plane.

compulsory reading

2010-05-03T16:54:00.002+08:00

Blink and you will miss the Rottnest reference in this POST story from Saturday.

If Rotto Bloggo was in charge we would grill new citizens to make sure they absorbed all the fabulous details about the beautiful island.

THIRTEEN PEOPLE BECAME Australian citizens at the Cottelsoe Civic Centre this week.

One wore thongs during the Tuesday night ceremony, a family waved Australian flags and all were serenaded by the Men in Harmony Quartet.

“It's fantastic you have chosen to call Australia home,” mayor Kevin Morgan said.

“We are particularly honoured you have chosen to become citizens in the Town of Cottesloe.”

Mr Morgan said becoming an Australian citizen and being part of a democratic society brought responsibilities as well as privileges.

Thong-wearing Benedict Baron, 43, was born in Barnstaple in Devon and first came to WA when he was nine.

“I just love this country,” he said.

“The beauty of the place, the space – and it's a relaxed kind of society.”

Mr Baron was first brought to Australia by his father 34 years ago and stayed for three months.

“I always thought I'd live here one day – it took me a while,” he said.

Another new citizen was mother-of-two Thembinkosi Brooking, from Zimbabwe.

“It's a good place to raise kids,” she said.

“It's beautiful and the people are nice.”

Mr Baron said the main he missed was family and British newspapers like The Guardian.

Mrs Brooking said she most missed her family and isitshwala, a polenta-like food.

“You have it with stew – you can buy it here but it tasted different because in Zimbabwe it's cooked over a fire.”

The other new citizens were Michael Allsopp, Christopher Hill, Pamela Keenan, the Remke family (Stephan, Christiane and Ben) and the Eyers family (Anthony Edward, Finola Katherine, Aisling, Anthony Conrad and Finola Cara).

The new citizens received copies of Ruth Marchant James' history of Cottesloe, an uncirculated commemorative $1 coin from the Mint, a book on Perth, Fremantle and Rottnest and an Australian flag.

Afterwards they joined Mr Morgan and councillors Greg Boland and Davina Goldthorpe in snacks and drinks.

smart traveller

2010-05-02T15:27:00.003+08:00

Only 63 days until we are next on the beautiful island. It is considerably longer until we are in India and Nepal, when we have a month on the sub-continent, and hopefully a couple of days in Honkers and 16 hours in China tacked on the end.

Rotto Bloggo being the organised outfit we are, we have checked out and signed up to the government's Smart Traveller site.

Most countries are safe as houses: the biggest worry in Austria, for example, is probably missing your stop on the underground train because you're staring at someone over 70 and wondering what he did during the war.

But other places are riskier: the Niger travel advice doesn't mince words, for example.

We have modified it if the Feds need to issue one for Rottnest...

# We strongly advise you not to travel outside the main settlement because of the very high threat of running out of water, the unpredictable fishing situation, the risk of seeing a boat link-up and clashes between quokkas and ospreys.

# If you are on Rottnest, you should consider leaving, as Rotto Bloggo wants all the fish for himself. Australians who decide to remain on Rottnest should ensure that they have personal security measures in place against hungry seagulls. You should monitor local information sources like outstanding Rotto blog Rotto Bloggo for details about the safety and security environment.

# There is an ongoing high threat of drunkenness against anyone in the north region of Thomson Bay, and a serious risk of being thrashed at Scrabble. If you do decide to travel outside Thomson Bay, you should travel in daylight, in convoy and with a local guide. Foreigners have been seduced from their vehicles in the past by island mermaids.

# The political and security situation on Rottnest is unpredictable following a sex scandal on the mainland in April 2010.

# You should avoid the fruit from the Moreton Bay figs in the settlement area as they may be very slippery when you're walking home with a skinful.

# You can't get the paper until 0830. The Electric Intertubes provides news until then. There's nothing sorrier than seeing someone at the shops at 0800 looking for the paper.

# Be a smart traveller. Before heading to Rottnest:

* remember the fish smoker
* you can't pack too many tea towels, poo tickets or books.

chile on isle

2010-04-27T12:04:00.002+08:00

Rotto Bloggo readers would have noticed that snide comment yesterday about missing the big Rottnest news while examining the E.Taxi ride.

It seems a Destiny's Chile member spent some time on the beautiful island.

We are always most amused when a skivvy-wearing, beret-topped, hand-wringing, NIMBY-proclaiming, tree-hugging, real lager-quaffing, Juliet balcony-standing, little dog-owning, ooshta-yearning lefty member of the lefty intelligentsia subtly implies he (or she) could do a better job than a fearless reporter in the trenches by the mean city streets.

We had to fire up the electric internets to find out more about the DC member, who is Kelly Rowland (but we say in our defence we knew Beyonce was in DC).

From what we can tell she is not as popular as that Justin Bieber bloke, but she is quite popular ("...total record sales, when combined with the group, have surpassed 60 million" according to Teh Wik.

Anyway - Kelly was not on Rotto, as this snap of a computer screen yesterday shows.

happier times?

2010-04-26T07:30:00.003+08:00

Just three-and-a-half hours away from the Troy Buswell press conference.

As Rotto Bloggo had to vacuum and attend to various other chores, we reflected: 'It could be worse.'

Here's a pic of Adele Carles in what might be happier times: a cheery group by the Bathurst lighthouse. Is it dawn or dusk? There's a Rottnest link to everything, we find.

Coincidentally outstanding local blogger Fremantlebiz - on about local birds at the moment - recently wrote about a wedding he witnessed at the same lighthouse.

"I'm suspecting the couple will reenact their blissful kiss at the same spot in anniversaries for many years to come," Paul predicted.

winter break

2010-04-25T06:39:00.003+08:00

Only twenty bucks for a weekend on Rotto.

OK, it will cost a bit more: 10 hours work, and you have to get your own food and drink.

But it sounds good to us.

Yes, the volunteer weekends organised by the Rottnest Society are coming up again.

They have three weekends booked: accommodation for the first and third weekends will again be in the Caroline Thomson cabins; the second weekend will be in the Youth Hostel.

The Rottnest Island Authority will provide ferry vouchers plus Saturday night’s accommodation in exchange for 10 hours work over Saturday and Sunday.

You can go over on any Rottnest Express ferry on the Friday, and work on Saturday from 9am to 4pm and on Sunday from 9am until 12.30pm.

The projects to be done are determined and overseen by the Rottnest Island Authority and the Rottnest Society coordinates the volunteers.

Planting or environmental work: 11-13 June
Planting or environmental work: 13-15 August
Weeding: 17-19 September
Cost per person $20.00 to be paid to the Rottnest Society on arrival at Rottnest

To book email convenor@rottnestsociety.org.au or call Sue Folks on 9438 1413 or 0411 880 199.

vroom

2010-04-24T13:54:00.001+08:00

More Extraordinary Taxi news: this report in today's POST...

An unleaded-fuel taxi was the latest vehicle driving on Rottnest Island this week.

Tourism WA's Extraordinary Taxi campaign had a four-day stint in Perth starting from Saturday, April 17.

Western suburbs stops on driver Doug Slater's and passengers Heinz and Patricia Markuse's itinerary were Kings Park and Rottnest.

The XT Ford Falcon cab was loaded onto the island's supply barge at Fremantle early Monday morning and hit Rottnest at half-past eight.

A Tourism WA spokeswoman said the passengers snorkelled, rode bikes and went on Eco Adventure and lighthouse tours.

The taxi returned to the mainland at around 4pm.

The spokeswoman was unsure if Mr Slater and his passengers had been to Rottnest before.

The Extraordinary Taxi website describes Rottnest as “one of the most extraordinary little islands on earth”, with attractions including beaches, bays and the quokka.

“One thing you won’t be seeing (on Rottnest) is any cars – quite an attraction in itself,” the website says.

But a Rottnest Island Authority spokeswoman said the taxi joined at least 60 vehicles already on the island.

The Authority has seven cars, nine buses, a railcar, five trucks, two Landcruiser fire units, three electric golf buggies, a petrol golf buggy and a quad bike.

The police have two cars, the nursing post has an ambulance and contractors Programmed Maintenance Services drive 22 vehicles.

Three businesses have a vehicle each, and cleaners have an undetermined number of vehicles.

shirty

2010-04-23T08:36:00.004+08:00

Only 65 days to go until Rotto Bloggo is next scheduled to be on the beautiful island.

We will pack our Rottnest Society T-shirt - and also this marvellous new garment when we snap it up at Red Bubble.

Rotto 6161 is the latest fabulous design from fashion force House of Skink.

We can't understand why the City of Perth doesn't share Skink's dreams.

The four digits form Rotto's postcode, but they also happen to be the combined number of beaches and bays on the beautiful island, and the number of Scrabble games Rotto Bloggo was won while on a Thomson Bay balcony.

We decided against buying a Rottnest Channel Swim shirt this year - how many Ts does a man need, to paraphrase Tolstoy? - but we regretted it later.

secret taxi business

2010-04-22T08:10:00.003+08:00

Except it wasn't secret.

Many thanks to legendary south-of-the-river blogger Fremantlebiz, who sent this exclusive pic of the Extraordinary Taxi on the beautiful island.

"I hate film crews at tourist destinations," someone peering over Rotto Bloggo's shoulder just said. "They tend to regard the public as an inconvenience and the local officials tend to go ga-ga."

Fremantlebiz has recently returned from a few glorious days on Rottnest -read his excellent reports here (he's on about endangered robins today). For more info on the Extraordinary Taxi, which was on the island on Monday, see here.

bubbling

2010-04-19T21:48:00.002+08:00

More original art published on Rotto Bloggo.

Ever since we bought some excellent T-shirts off Red Bubble (we snapped up a couple of designs from thelazyaussie at The Worst of Perth) we have been keeping an eye on the site.

As with Flickr, perusing the images on offer is a way of immersing ourselves in the beautiful island.

This one shown above caught our eye: it is by Elli Christou and you can get it on a card for $2.77 or a print from $19.80.

"My first go at a landscape painting," she says of her treatment of Transit Reef.

We like it: a welcome change from the bog-standard cerulean blue of the 458 beaches and 923 bays.

drenched by the sun

2010-04-18T22:21:00.002+08:00

We are indebted to Southall Travel in the UK for this news: the beautiful island has been judged one of the 30 - or 31 - best secret islands in the world.

Who has made this perceptive decision? None other than Travel + Leisure, a monthly out of New York with nearly five million readers, according to Teh Wiks.

No argument from Rotto Bloggo. The Southall people say T+L lable Rotto as a "sun-drenched reserve", so we clicked over to have a look.

"When Dutch mariners arrived on this antipodean island, they encountered the rare quokka, a marsupial that they mistook for a rodent (hence the name Rat Nest, or Rottnest)," T+L says.

"Since that unfortunate beginning, the sun-drenched reserve and its friendly, kangaroo-like inhabitants have welcomed Western Australians who take day trips via a 90-minute ferry from Perth (or 25 minutes from Fremantle) to surf and lounge on the sand." Or fish off the natural jetty!

"No private cars are allowed, and the residents will happily tell you that plans for a luxury resort are progressing slowly." Hmmm.

"For now, the best place to stay is Hotel Rottnest (doubles from $208), set in the former governor’s mansion overlooking Thomson Bay.

"T+L Tip: Buy your ferry ticket in advance, especially during the Aussie summer months. Once there, the spit is easily navigable on foot."

The spit? Does that mean the ferry jetty? These New Yorkers and their strange argot.

The T+L list is interesting, if tedious (there's no list, and so Rotto Bloggo had to click through until we got to number 23 to find the Rottnest page), and there are some other islands we had never heard of.

Number 15 is Espiritu Santo off Mexico, the Japanese Ogasawara Islands are number 27 (a flamethrower burst from Iwo Jima, and you can feed sea turtles), and number 10 (Seabird Key in Florida, a 10-acre spot that goes for US$5,595 a week for four).

brown water

2010-04-17T15:46:00.003+08:00

A Rotto Bloggo associate regularly rants about the boaties in Thomson Bay and elsewhere: he is convinced they empty their toilets in the water.

"How many of them are going to do the right thing and motor out to where they can dump their sewage?" he frequently questions.

For those needing a reminder of dos and don't's with ones and twos, see here.

We were reminded of our associate's angst by this report from yesterday:

"round the island to different bays - all beautiful, sunbathed on white sandy beaches and snorkelled on the coral reef! saw lots of fish including a massive sting ray which ste swam right over and shit himself!!! (he was busy thinking of what happened to steve irwin!!! - crikey cant lose another ste!!!)".

Yikes. There's a day-old floater somewhere: alas the Mitchells don't reveal in which of the 332 bays or 602 beaches this evacuation happeend.

But they were able to post a microreview of Setonix brachyurus: "also saw the quokkas - king sized rats that are actually cute, they are like mini kangaroos!!"

quokka shocker

2010-04-15T11:51:00.002+08:00

It's an outrage: the quokka is not worthy of critical assessment.

We were speechless with rage this week when we learned of popular US blog Animal Review's lack of attention towards the quokka.

AR has looked at the jellyfish, the alligator, the bullet ant - but zip on Setonix brachyurus.

Rotto Bloggo resisted writing to AR: we know to let the red mist descend before firing out indignant emails.

But we will be sending a cross missive to Jake Lentz and Steve Nash - and encourage our entourage to do the same.

Perhaps it is just as well there has been no AR microscope on the quokka.

Mr Lentz and Mr Nash make several juvenile attempts at humour about the jellyfish using the same outlet for its mouth and anus.

Would our fair creature escape similar ridicule for some perceived fault or strangeness?

Outstanding quokka pic from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quokka

rotto servo?

2010-04-11T17:10:00.003+08:00

Does Rottnest have a service station? Does it have a dole office? Is there a university?

Hmmm. This site invites you to show what's on the beautiful island: "You can show your expertise of Australia by contributing and refining the information Bonzle has about Rottnest Island".

But why be satisfied with merely clicking? "Do you have a photo of Rottnest Island gathering cyber dust on your hard drive? Why not upload it and share your information with other Bonzle users."

Hmmm. What, pray tell, is Bonzle? We hadn't heard of it before. It's by Digital Atlas Pty Ltd and "it uses data from a variety of sources including those listed on the data sources page and like all such data is potentially inaccurate, probably incomplete and not up-to-date".

Indeed: "The nearest sealed road to Rottnest Lighthouse is Queen Victoria Street (23.5km away)."

Like Wikipedia, but not quite as popular?

Thinking about it, Rottnest should have a uni. We fancy ourselves as the Vice-Chancellor of Thomson Bay.

anthologise this

2010-04-09T12:11:00.002+08:00

An associate glimpsed this on the Fellowship of Australian Writers site.

Sounds good to us.

Rotto Bloggo's literary links to the beautiful island are deep and meaningful: we have posted the first three chapters of the only known Bills & Moon romance set on Rottnest, for example.

Write Around Rotto

Weekend July 31 - August 1st 2010

A proposed Activities Program is being developed for the retreat, so potential guests can see the types of activities on offer. Details will be available soon.

We are also investigating some fundraising ideas to contribute towards catering costs and other expenses. Book your place with a deposit of $100 by 31st March (balance due 1st June).

There will be no tutors, instead it will be a weekend for individual writing during the day and sharing at night. The group may decide to produce an anthology from work begun during the weekend.

Make your bookings with Pat Johnson on 9384 4771 or email: admin@fawwa.org.au

Thomson Tiwi

2010-04-06T17:42:00.003+08:00

Famed Rotto author Ted Snell had this item in The Australian about FotoFreo: it had some welcome Rottnest content.

"Peter Eve and Monica Napper's exhibition Yiloga! Tiwi Footy, exploring the role of football in Tiwi culture (on show at the Salt Store on Rottnest Island)...."

A desultory Google doesn't reveal any Yiloga! stuff, but we're sure it's fabulous.

Our photo for this post is also artistic: the beautiful island is framed by the sculpture, although it's hard to actually see Rotto. Take our word for it that it's there.

The artwork is Mark Grey-Smith's 'Centrefold' and is aluminium and black oxide: it was in Sculpture by the Sea in 2006 and bought by the council.

flagging interest

2010-04-05T07:19:00.007+08:00

A man in Japan has been asking about the Rotto flag plans.

Rotto Bloggo was excited to get a Christmas Island flag on our birthday: the magnificent object features a golden bosun bird, the Southern Cross, and an outline of the island.

We shared this excitement and the man in Japan asked: “Does Rotto have a flag?”

It does now: here is Rotto Bloggo’s elegantly simple brilliant design featuring no bird, no stars, and an outline of the island.

The traditional Rottnest orange surrounded by the deep blue of the 127 beaches and 443 bays of the beautiful island.

Does it work? Would you be happy running this up your pole?

Could be worse: our superb creation, the Indian Ocean speck (and the delightful Mediterranean destination that is Cyprus) work better than banners like Andhra Pradesh, the stylised Gaza on Al-Aqsa University and NZ’s Chatham Islands.

Copyright acknowledgements:
Christmas Island flag by Zeljko Heimer, Cyprus flag by Martin Grieve, Andhra Pradesh flag by Antonio Martins, Al-Aqsa University flag by Eugene Ipavec, Chatham Islands flag by Jaume Olle.

on the go

2010-04-04T09:00:00.002+08:00

onthegogirl enjoyed her stay on the beautiful island: check it out here.

There are a few worries: Thomson Bay becomes The Settlement, there's a "condo complex" somewhere, and quokkas ("like miniature Wallabies") are nocturnal.

Also her underwater camera was kaput, but she'll be back.

Worth a look is Danny's pic of a washed-up fish with "teeth worse than Ken Dodd".

And he's got a quokka video here.

Note both onthegogirl and Danny feed the quokkas. Naughty!

rotto forever

2010-03-29T22:04:00.003+08:00

Our top tens, our food review of the hotel, our ranting, all the books we've found about the beautiful island - all of it (483 posts before this one) will be preserved for the nation.

For the world, even. The State Library of WA has recently emailed Rotto Bloggo with advice crack archivists would like to keep this blog on its books forever:

"We would be interested in archiving your blog to the Pandora National Archives and accordingly, I have forwarded your details to the Pandora team who will be in touch regarding formal permissions to archive your site," someone from the State Library emailed.

It's pleasing to see we are being more modest about this prestigious announcement than some other local blogs.

Note to year 8010: is the putt-putt felt at Brett Heady's Family Fun Park still torn? Is the wind sighing through the trees as gracefully as it does now? Do they still have the daggy curtains in the units? Or has the place been swamped by glowball warmening?

plonker

2010-03-28T21:25:00.003+08:00

'This might have been popular back in Rotto [Rottnest Island] in 1990, but it's hideously sickly and more than just a little '90s.'

Hmmm. So says David Prestipino of Stone's Ginger Wine in this analysis of TOP 10 WINE TRENDS TO AVOID IN 2010 (followed by 10 MORE TRENDS TO AVOID IN 2010).

It (which we think is called Stone's Original Green Ginger Wine) is ranked below mixing sparkling and OJ, goon, and "pouring a bottle straight away".

Hmmm. There's this recipe for a whisky mac on the SOGGW site: 'Created by adding a splash of ginger wine to a glass of whisky. The mellow flavour and warming aftertaste of Stone's perfectly complement the whisky, producing a delicious drink that is guaranteed to banish the winter blues.'

Yum! Sounds like something to try in the last week of June when we're next on the beautiful island.