Early start

A few hours to go.

Good luck to all the swimmers tomorrow. Just think of the beautiful island as you plough through Gage Roads and you'll be there in no time.

We would be with you, but nuptial commitments mean we will be far, far away from the coast.

Here's a marvelous story about some marvelous swimmers. It's also on the front page of tomorrow's Post. The pic is by brilliant photographer Paul McGovern.

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Red Frogs? Check. Custom-made Bare Essentials togs? Check. Dad in the support boat? Check. A good night's sleep? Check.

Three Earl girls and their friend Katherine are all set to help their mate Patrick.

The fearless foursome will plunge into the water at Cottesloe Beach and swim to Rottnest on Saturday to raise funds for diabetes research.

Jessie Earl, 22, and her sisters Maggie (18) and Cathryn (15) and Katherine Loughnan (15) will get up at about 5am before their wave leaves the beach at seven-thirty.

They'll be thinking about Patrick during the four-and-a-half hours it takes them to get to Thomson Bay.

“I've had type 1 diabetes since I was ten months old,” Patrick told the POST.

“I'm insulin-dependent, so anything the girls can raise towards research will be good enough.”

It's the sixth time Jessie has swum to raise money for diabetes.

She's being doing the swim since she was 12.

Saturday will be Katherine's first Rottnest swim. It will be Cathryn's second, and the third or fourth for Maggie.

“We'll take turns at five to ten-minute shifts in the water,” Jessie said.

“During the swim we eat Mars Bars, and Starbust and Red Frog lollies.”

The Earls aren't slouches in the water: last year they were second out of all groups of four.

Katherine is excited about swimming to the beautiful island for the first time.

“I'm enthusiastic, fit and ready to rumble,” she said.

Jessie said she wasn't nervous and the team was well-prepared.

“The biggest obstacle is the cold and trying to keep warm,” she said.

“We're taking lots of towels.”

Sharks weren't a worry.

“There are so many boats and people in the water they're not a concern,” Jessie said.

The girls will be watched over by Mr Earl in a boat and Patrick's dad paddling beside them.

Patrick won't be in the water with his friends.

“I'll be catching the 10am ferry from North Fremantle and meeting them over there,” he said.

get into rehab

Weeding and sand dune rehabilitation can be deadly dull...except when it's on Rottnest.

The tireless Rottnest Society wants volunteers to spend some time helping improve the beautiful island later this year.

Dune rehabilitation and revegetation is June 12 to 14; tree planting is July 31 to August 2; and weeding is September 18 to 20.

The Society has booked Caroline Thomson cabins for volunteers.

“The Rottnest Island Authority will provide ferry vouchers plus Saturday night’s accommodation in exchange for 10 hours work over Saturday and Sunday,” said the Society's Sue Folks.

“Volunteers will pay $20 for Friday night’s accommodation and provide their own meals.”

For further details contact Sue on 9438 1413, 0411 880 199 or convenor@rottnestsociety.org.au.

Gage Roads for sale

We were down at Cottesloe Beach today (doing yet another Rottnest Channel Swim story) and could barely see the beautiful island for the number of ships out in the Roads.

The Swim swimmers we spoke to agreed the number seemed greater than usual. They said there's normally only a couple on the big day.

One chap we interviewed is catching the 10am ferry to meet his swimming peeps when they stagger onto the sand of Thomson Bay.

The boat pictured is up for grabs on eBay: a mere $57,000 for a seven metre fibreglass powerboat which is great for 'Walkaround, Fishing, Rottnest'.

'Gage Roads is 23 foot & features the full walk-around cabin which gives you the best of both worlds, with shelter and comfort regardless of how interesting your adventure gets.

T'he deep and beamy design and bow seating makes using the front of the boat easy and the walk-around gives all-over access. The helm area is fully enclosed with full wrap-around screen, clears and beautiful stainless steel bar work.'

No bids as yet. No postage costs - strictly pick-up only, from Kingsley.

Vale Fitzy

Imagine having a Rotto villa named after you.

That was one of the achievements of John Fitzhardinge - there were many others.

The Post ran an obit on John, but half of it was - for some mysterious reason - left out.

Here at Rotto Bloggo space isn't an issue, and we're proud to bring you the full article.

John Fitzhardinge 1911-2008

John Fitzhardinge had the rare honour of having a villa on Rottnest named for him.

The Thomson Bay pad was named for John after his pivotal role in developing the Geordie Bay and Longreach settlements while on the Rottnest Island Board.

John's island idylls were just one episode in an action-packed, fun-loving life of achievement and community service.

He served in World War Two, was a distinguished architect, played a crucial role in WA's America's Cup win and was a generous soul.

John Berkeley Fitzhardinge was born in 1911 in Manly, NSW. His family moved to Perth 18 years later, at the height of the Great Depression, when his father became Chief Inspector WA with the Bank of NSW.

John brought his 16-foot skiff with him: the first of his boatbuilding ventures. He was a keen rugby and tennis player, and became captain of the Perth Rugby Union team.

John joined the architectural firm Eales Cohen and qualified as an architect in 1934. He became a partner two years later when it became Eales Cohen and Fitzhardinge. After the war he founded Forbes and Fitzhardinge with his brother-in-law Bill Forbes. The firm was one of the largest architectural firms in WA for 30 years.

In 1939 John enlisted in the 2/3rd Field Regiment, which arrived in England during the Battle of Britain and the evacuation of Dunkirk. John was shipped to North Africa and then to Greece where he was commissioned as Captain and leader of E Troop, 6th Battery.

“Last year Dad and I were watching the 7.30 Report: Kerry O’Brien interviewed a guy about his memoirs, and asked what was the best thing he had done,” John's daughter Jody recalled.
“I posed the same question to Dad: his immediate reply was: 'Surrendering to the Italian submarine”.'

At 1.30am on June 1, 1941, a submarine came up beside the barge that John and his escaping party had fitted out to take them from Galini in Crete to North Africa.

“Dad, worried about his charges being blown out of the water, dived overboard and swiftly swam 60 metres and pretty much surfed up the side of the sub,” Jody said.

“In his schoolboy French, he managed to make a deal with the astonished Italians. The deal was, if he and the other officers gave themselves up, the Italians would let the rest of the men go.

“The Italians accepted his terms, he saved his men from being taken prisoners, or being blown up, and they made it safely to North Africa.”

John was a prisoner of war for four years in Italy and Germany – but was inspirational even during imprisonment.

He painted, played in the orchestra, wrote and acted in plays and cooked a Christmas meal for 1,000 men.

He was later awarded an MBE for effecting his men's escape from Crete.

When John returned from war he set about making a significant mark on Perth.

He was also an urban planner, the National President of the Royal Institute of Planners (now the Planning Institute of Australia), and for many years a member of the Town Planning Board (WA).

He was especially proud of designing the bike paths around the river, the Hay St Pedestrian Mall (at the time, the second in the world), and for UWA's Sunken Gardens.

“When Winthrop Hall was being built, the site next to it was dug for mortar and the architects weren’t sure what to do with the hole,” Jody said.

“Someone suggested getting Fitzy along to have a look ‘as he was artistic’ and he came up with the idea of an amphitheatre.

“Dad was also the earliest exponent in WA of underground power lines – in fact of all utilities being concealed - and effected the change at Rottnest from overhead to underground power.”

Then there was sailing. From 1960 to 1962 John was Commodore of Royal Perth Yacht Club. He built his yacht Theanna on his front lawn, and in 1970 won the inaugural Perth to Albany race in his craft and held the race record for nearly 25 years.

John was a founding member of the Perth Game Fishing Club with Garrick Agnew, Carl Georgheff and others, and they were the first to fish the Rottnest Trench.

By 1978 John was an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to yachting and urban planning.

Then, in 1982, he resigned from various boards to dedicate his energies to the America’s Cup Team, of which he had been a member since 1974.

John Bertrand said John left an indelible mark on the campaign that saw Australia II wrest the Cup from the New York Yacht Club.

“I will never forget his playing of the bagpipes at our crew house during the A2 campaign in Newport,” Bertrand said.

“Holding an upturned chair as the ‘bagpipes’ and holding his nose with his other hand...his performances were the perfect remedy to add the humour that was vital during the summer of ’83, particularly when we were three-one down against the Americans. Fitzy will be remembered by many people for many things.”

Cup-winning starboard grinder Will Baillieu described John as a “larrikin in a blazer”.

“He was an absolute legend and will be terribly missed by all of us,” he said.

“He was a lovable rogue disguised with perfect style. He had a sharp eye, and a wonderful wit. Our team morale was largely due to his humour.”

Retirement wasn't in the Fitzhardinge vocabulary: during the 1990s he was as busy as ever working as a consultant.

As he saw in the new millennium he still had a very strong grip on life: racing on the Swan River every week, drawing up the occasional house plan, heading off on travels (fishing in Shark Bay and the Abrolhos Islands and trips to Greece and other parts of Europe.

During his last four years John lived with Jody and her husband Peter at their home in North Fremantle.

“For a man who had been so fiercely independent and physically adept at everything he did, so in control of the many aspects of his life, he was enormously gracious and dignified in accepting the help he increasingly needed as his body lost the ability to respond to his ever keen mind,” Jody said.

“We all felt blessed to have been part of his extraordinary life.”

Sunday excursion

Here's some ripper copy about the beautiful island, snatched from the pages of The West Australian:

'Marine Excursions. - The excursion steamers Gannet and Eleanor were largely patronised yesterday on the usual Sunday excursion to Rottnest, each vessel having a full complement of passengers. Favoured with delightful weather the trip was a most enjoyable one. The passengers were landed at Fremantle on the return journey bofore dark.'

Largely patronised? Delightful. Most enjoyable.

It's from the West of April 18, 1898. We got to this by idly clicking on a Google News search result: at the side of the page there's an option for getting results from the 1890s.

It's the result of a National Library thing to digitise old papers. They seem to have stuff from the Perth Gazette and West Australian Journal starting from the 1830s.

swimsuit

It's only February - Happy Valentine's Day - but we may have already seen the Rottnest news story of the year.

'A woman is suing her husband for running over her leg with his boat in Thomson Bay during the Rottnest Channel Swim three years ago.'

Look. If you bash someone with a boat you have to expect the worst. This otherwise outstanding Philippa Perry story doesn't give vessel details.

'Wendy De Bie, 50, of Halls Head, was a first-time competitor in the 19.2km swim in 2006, swimming in the team event with her family.

'But towards the end of the race, which was one of the worst crossings on record because of weather conditions, Mrs De Bie’s leg got caught in the propeller of her support boat and was severely gashed.'

The family that swims (and sues) together stays together.

“I just got picked up by a wave and just basically thrown up against the back of the boat,” she said this week. “I had a smashed femur and lost a lot of blood.”

'Mrs De Bie has lodged a writ in the District Court claiming her husband, Arend Abraham De Bie, negligently skippered their boat, Pletemella, in Thomson Bay, causing her injuries.'

Hard to sue the wave. Maybe Mrs De Bie will also sue the Rottnest Island Authority for not providing a safe swimming experience in Thomson Bay? What does Pletemella mean?

rotto barbies

Goodness: breaking news on Perth Now about Rottnest. Someone has been bitten by a 'potentially lethal' snake.

'It is believed the victim was bitten about 3.45pm today and will be flown to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. More coming.'

We hope so. The accompanying pic is of a lizard - it's the best we can do.

The beautiful island has also been mentioned in high art. Alexander McCall Smith (whom Rotto Bloggo once interviewed at Cottesloe, within sight of Rotto) has this in Corduroy Mansions.

“We had great parties at uni,” said Jo. “We used to go over for weekends to Rottnest Island and have barbies. Someone would get out a guitar and we’d sing. Out there in the darkness, under all those stars.”

“A beautiful image,” said Caroline. “I can just see it.”

This is an online novel by McCall Smith, who writes like you and we breathe. We recently saw him quoted, or quoted as saying, 'there's no such thing as writer's block. People who can't write have nothing to say'.

villa d'angst

'The stunning coastline and azure waters of Rottnest demanded a simple and classic design.'

I don't think we've blogged about the house for fabled film Under the Lighthouse Dancing before. See here for pics of the domicile - the work of Eastwood Design.

What do you think? Casual, 'Matisse motifs', a lot of blue, shutters and bi-folds. There's a hint of Bali/Lombok there, yes?

How we wish UTLD was a better film. Not too many are made on the beautiful island.

It gets 5.6/10 on IMDB. Some of the user comments on the site are interesting:

'There was a reason for the Australian media to have it in for this production: lead actress Jacqueline MacKenzie was nominated in the 1997 Australian Film Awards for two other films in two equal Best actress categories: one was a Melbourne cinema-movie drama ANGEL HEART and another was a TV movie. As LIGHTHOUSE was filming at the time, the producers and director (incredibly) refused to let her leave the set and briefly travel back to the Eastern States to the Awards night. She was extremely upset. Then, to the collective embarrassment of everyone she won the two awards for both roles, an unheard-of achievement in Australian type "Emmy/Oscar". But she wasn't there to be on stage, she was stuck on the LIGHTHOUSE set, missing out on the one mighty acting awards achievement accolade of her career. As a result, there was an almost mutiny against Director Rattigan and the film was doomed to be the sour blot on his and her career. The actors refused to allow ANY publicity on LIGHTHOUSE, walked through the rest of their roles and laughed out loud at the mention of the film getting released.'

The house was re-built in Attadale.

rotto helitac

Emergency services are ready should there be a conflagration on the beautiful island.

Rotto Bloggo was at the airport yesterday writing about helitacs: fire-fighting helicopters. We took many photos and have been poring over the resultant chopper porn.

But we always have Rottnest on our mind. So we asked: as well as Kings Park and the hills, do the heitacs put out the blazes on Rotto?

They haven't lately. But they do a bit of practice there. Inflatable pools are set up with water, and the helitacs hover over the plastic while sucking it up.

We didn'get a pic of that, but here's a photo of a sheet pinned up in helitac HQ: it's on the list.

'exponential beauty'

"You know how in tourism advertisements for warm places like Australia, they always show white sandy beaches, clear blue water, and girls in bikinis? And sure, you think, those things exist - but surely that's an optimistic or idealistic view of the destination. Those places must be remote, or few and far between, or cost a pretty penny to get to. Well as it turns out, they are here in Australia, and not just here and there, but everywhere! It's hard to believe it when you see it -- that water can be that clear, sand that soft, girls that skinny."

We like the cut of sarahdownundah's jib. She has a lovely post on the beautiful island, and some excellent pics of skinks and bays.

"...the island has a certain charm about it and its beauty is simply exponential." Righteous.

We must include a small mention of the RCS (15 days to go). We saw this poll, asking for the 'Top Ten Moments in Open Water Swimming History'. Imagine our dismay when the Rotto event has attracted hardly any votes.

Leading the poll is something called the 1956 Traversata dello Stretto. Then there's John Kinsella (we assume no the JK who writes poetry about the Wheatbelt) in second place. Matthew Webb's English Channel effort is third.

Gerd von Dincklage-Schulenburg's epic 1956 journey has a mere five votes, out of more than 700 cast. Come on people!

Many thanks to sarahdownundah for permission to use her pic.

Simon and David go Rotto

“The black line on the bottom of the pool does not prepare you for Gage Roads.”

So says Simon Beaumont in this excellent item on the forthcoming Rottnest Channel Swim.

The super-fit broadcast boy hasn’t been spending enough time in salty water to get him in swim-shape.

“This has been the summer of the shark sighting, this has been the summer of no open water swimming, this will be the Channel Swim when I sink like a Colin Barnett election promise.”

I reckon David Byrne isn’t swimming to Rotto today. According to the ABC, the 56-year-old Talking Head could be on the beautiful island. Mrs Rotto Bloggo was at the zoo last night, but she didn’t mention if he said he’d be there. Keep an eye out for him and send us a pic if you spot him at the Basin or the hotel.

Today’s pic is ‘That’s Rotto’, a fine artwork by Debra Corbett. Check it (and other works) out here.

swim story city

Rotto Bloggo spake, and it was thus: a flood of Rottnest Channel Swim stories today.

Everyone on Facebook is complaining about the weather. Not so bad on the beautiful island, of course: humidity was at 92 per cent a little while ago, but the max temp was only about 27 degrees (at 11.30am).

The water would have been a good place to be. But alas the triple crossing attempt by Chloe McCardel was abandoned 'cos of tough times.

'The 23-year-old open water swimmer was just 5km from Rottnest Island, near the end of the second crossing of the channel, when 25 to 35 knot winds and strong currents made the feat impossible.'

WA Today have a nice story of a woman who did the crossing last year in nearly 12 hours: Ginger Nuts helped her through.

In fact WA Today have lots of Swim stories: they are a naming sponsor, fo' shizzle.

over the trench

The Rottnest swim is this month, and the number of news stories about the event should move from a trickle to a shower.

Here's one from WA Today: a 23-year-old from Melbourne wants to swim there. And back. And to Rottnest again. All in the one go.

'Only two people have completed a double crossing, so McCardel wants to create race history and go the extra distance.

"The longest I've ever swum is 40 kilometres and that's in a pool so I'm looking for a challenge and a lot of excitment and to be part of the history, so that will do that all in one go," McCardel said.'

Ye gods. She has a nice pink cap, so good luck to her. Here's some insight from another swimmer about the swim, which goes over the Rottnest Trench:

"One of the things I found during my first swims across there is that you're going across very deep water. I used to have my eyes open in the water and you'd see very dark shapes in the deep water and it really freaks you out," he said. "You don't know if it's a big fish, because you do see stingrays over there and dolphins and sometimes hammerhead sharks, or if it's a cloud creating a reflection or a big mass of seaweed so one of my suggestions is don't look … you're better off not knowing."

jetty jettisoned

Isn't the Post marvellous? The paper (which covers Perth's Golden Triangle) is strong on its Rotto coverage. Today is no different: news of the impending doom of the hotel jetty.

'The hotel jetty at Rottnest will soon be no more,' the Post's exclusive begins.

'The Rottnest Island Authority says it's too old and unsafe. The authority called for tenders to demolish the jetty, which is in front of the Quokka Arms Hotel in Thomson Bay, and build a new one.'

The RIA's Bruce Simpson boats can't tie up against it and the engineer decided to get a new one.

It seems likely the jetty was built in the 1950s. The new version will be steel-framed and timber-decked, with berths for six boats, pedestrian lighting, hand rails and a power supply.

Rotto Bloggo's father-in-law is very handy: perhaps he should put in a bid.

When the jetty was last open bookings were $23 a night.

'Tourism WA would not release a photo of the jetty to accompany this report,' the Post said.

Good thing we have this artistic version of the structure.

In other Rottnest news, check out Fremantlebiz's writing on the forgotten cricket pitch on the beautiful island - sensational stuff.

rotto crime wave

More than five per cent of Rottnest homes were broken in to during the last financial year.

The beautiful island is worse for breaks-ins than Scarborough, Gosnells, Fremantle and Cannington.

Whatchu talkin’ ‘bout Willis? It is so, according to this strange blog, which doesn’t list the source for the data.

Rotto Bloggo is sceptical. The place isn’t immune to crime, to be sure (remember that illegal beach drinking?) but are that many villas and bungalows violated?

Also puzzling is this blog: “Over the Christmas break I managed to get across to Rottnest for a day and take a couple of photos.”

But there aren’t any photos.

Much more satisfying and informative was this Beatrice Thomas story in The West this week on the woes of the planned luxury hotel.

‘The planned 4½-star, 120-room complex overlooking Longreach Bay has been touted as the island’s most sumptuous accommodation but has been bogged down with contractual issues. It culminated in claims last month by the Rottnest Society and a prominent developer that the project would be scrapped because of the economic downturn.’

We could have a decision on whether the hotel is a goer today.

clean it up

Why not pop across to the beautiful island tomorrow and take out the trash?

We see the Clean Up Australia Day campaign has a (very small) presence on Rottnest: you're invited to gather at Longreach, near the villas, at 9am for an hour's rubbish removal.

Jennie Anderton is the contact: 0434 825 906. According to the site she's the only volunteer so far. Give her a hand!

You''ll recall there was some unwelcome fireworks action on Rotto two years ago: flares from boat(s) off Longreach "ignited the eastern end of Fays Bay at around 9.45 p.m.".

“It was very fortunate that the wind was blowing in a South/South Easterly direction as sparks blown inland could have ignited the whole Island”, an RIA bugle said the day after.

snifters past

Rotto Bloggo was thrilled to sneak the word "snifter" into a news story this week.

In a front-page effort on the Post, there was this sentence: 'But that doesn't mean mums and dads enjoying a quiet snifter of semillion sauvignon blanc won't be spoken to by the boys and girls in blue.'

The story was about the usual warnings about imbibing at the Australia Day fireworks on the mainland. Rotto Bloggo went to the first fireworks - 1988, if we remember right - and the most persistent memory is of a bloke being sick while leaning out of a car window in the post-event massive traffic jam.

Drinking in public is against the law. Will police target everybody? How is this relevant to the beautiful island?

We saw some illegal public drinking on Geordie Bay on New Year's Eve 2006. We were on our plush beachfront balcony at 8pm, waiting for the glorious sunset (love that daylight saving). Two female senior citizens wandered onto the sand, each with a glass of something cool and white. They were a million miles from hooliganism and anti-social behaviour.

But - such a flagrant transgression could not go unchecked. A fat rent-a-cop wobbled onto the beach, yelling and gesticulating. He wasn't pleased. The women, cowed, left the beach. We yelled abuse at the fattyboomba from our balcony, but to no avail.

hungry for rotto

Rotto is the place to get in shape for a figure competition.

We know this because Jehanne Newby is starving herself and doing lots of walking so she can get down to 53kg. But even people in training for hard-body heaven need to relax...

'Had a sweet time in Rottnest with my gf Kath - it was a stinker day back in perth - 40deg or something - so out on the island it was cooler and just perfect for us. We swam, snorkelled, ate, lay in the sun and enjoyed our jet ride home! I am planning on an overnighter trip to Rottnest sometime soon - stay in one of the villas on the beach front and ride around the island (its about 25km round trip I think) to some cool little secluded snorkel spots - might wait for the kiddies to all go back to school though.'

Her blog post has a link to some Rotto pics on her Facebook site.

What a good idea (staying in a villa). It's only about four months until Rotto Bloggo is scheduled to be on the beautiful island...

jumbo to rotto

"Are they flying jumbos to Rotto these days?"

No they are not. But this question was posed today on the incomparable The Worst of Perth. We loved it because it's a media anecdote that works in a Rotto mention.

Adrian related the tale of how someone tried to persuade him to work for the (long-vanished) Western Mail more than 20 years ago...

I walked into the newly built offices (up the road from Newspaper house, where the West Oz eventually took up residence I understand) and found Andre standing in the middle of this huge empty void.

I remember challenging him whether the damn thing would ever get off the ground, and he inveigled that I look around.

“Just look at this place, if we don’t t go daily and keep running a Sunday it would be like taking a jumbo jet to Rottnest,” he exclaimed.

Then, as now, there was a lot of inveigling going on.

In other Rottnest news, we saw this account of the beautiful island on a site called IslandSity (motto: 'Digging out all the islands of the world'). Sample copy:

Where the moist salty beach sand seems tattooed on your toes, and your hair takes on a lived in look. But don’t worry about your ‘do’, because Rottnest Island is just not a hairdryer kind of place.

Harmless enough. But it rang a faint bell...we surfed over to seabreeze.com.au and - my goodness! - saw this on their sailing marina profile:

Where the moist salty beach sand seems tattooed on your toes, and your hair takes on a lived in look. But don't worry about your 'do', because Rottnest Island is just not a hairdryer kind of place.

Read either: they're both equally positive about Rotto.

bends over

That media release we slagged off recently about The Doctor got some traction in places: see this recycled effort in the Byron Shire Echo for more converging paddlers, elite shaping and pure downwind.

It's enough to drive you 'round the bends.

Meanwhile...the winner of The Doctor was Clint Robinson, 36, a five-time Olympian who led from the start. See this report for deets and quotes.

People have been asking about those Rottnest Island jeans. I've never seen them here. That's the point of shopping on Teh Intertubes!

rottnest jeans

“Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.”

Thank you Mr Wilde. If Oscar was around today we’re certain he would don Rottnest Island Jeans from RM Williams.

We liked this photo in the W magazine yesterday, in The West Australian. Actually there was a lot to like in W…but this photo was the best visual offering.

It’s by award-winning photographer Astrid Volzke, and shows Emily (unknown number of awards) sporting summer gear somewhere on Rotto. Could be Thomson Bay.

Those beaded sleeves cost something like $1400, and the swimmers are “price on application”.

sexy sinecure

It works out at more than $3000 per blog post.

Surely you've seen stories about Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays wanting to hire someone to live there for six months? Here's one in the New York Times ('Temp Job in Paradise').

Some reports say the job's website is crashing 'cos of the interest:
certainly we haven't been able to see the conditions of the gig. But if you're getting $150,000 and you only have to blog once a week, it's a sexy sinecure.

We're disappointed to report to you Rottnest is not considering a similar stunt. This is unfortunate and short-sighted. Let's compare Hamilton Island with our own jewel...

FACT: Hamilton resembles a deformed Mickey Mouse-style head, while ours looks like a graceful drumstick.

FACT: Hamilton is plagued by putt-putting and farting golf buggies, whereas WA's "summer holiday playground" has non-polluting bikes.

FACT: Hamilton is owned by a crowd called the Oatley family: Rotto is by the people, for the people (or is supposed to be, at least).

FACT: "Hamilton Island has a collection of wet drowned mountains", according to Wikipedia, while the very same source says our island is a "well-maintained wildlife preserve".

FACT: The name of the place in Queensland makes one think of a over-tanned superannuated movie star and/or an over-muscled Saturn-winning movie star terrified of the Terminator, while Rottnest makes one think of...heaven.

OK: clearly we don't need a $150K blogger on Rottnest, as the beautiful island doesn't need it.

like a drumstick

A bloke called Andrew Bain is the latest to extol the virtues of the beautiful island.

Andrew's effort - here in The Age - is better than the usual. It's the first description we've seen of quokkas being Lilliputian. Rotto is "drumstick-shaped". Little Salmon Bay is a "jewel".

And he likes a board game: "The island gift shop even sells a "Rottnest Island Cycle" board game, celebrating the island's reputation as a virtual velodrome in the sea."

It's illustrated with a Lonely Planet pic of Longreach Bay.

Strangely-shaped drumstick. Let's hope he got to Brett Heady's Family Fun Centre as well.

We were talking today with a copper who was on Rotto for many years. He said the biggest problem are mobile phones. Before mobiles, people had to schlep to a phone box to report things. But now if there's a loud party next door they can call from the safety of their villa. He didn't appreciate the instant communication.

wretches

If not for the tonnage of the gormless crew...this good ship was spotted going
down to the Locker on New Year's Eve.

It will soon be added to this Wikipedia list of shipwrecks around Rottnest.

'This same Davy Jones, according to sailors, is the fiend that presides over all the evil spirits of the deep, and is often seen in various shapes, perching among the rigging on the eve of hurricanes:, ship-wrecks, and other disasters to which sea-faring life is exposed, warning the devoted wretch of death and woe.' (Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle)

Sail across to the mainland to also see this frightening image being given The Worst of Perth treatment.

Many thanks to Stephen N. for the photo.

rottnest romance #29

Here we go: the exciting denouement of Chapter Three in Rottnest Romance, the only Bills and Moon novel set on WA's "summer holiday playground".

Will Nick pull Larissa (safely back to Thomson Bay)? Will he whip out his monkey wrench back at her place, so he can fix her cotter pin? What about his girfriend and/or secretary Ashleigh Kane: will she be waiting at Larissa's place, ready to brain her with a stale bakery baguette?

It all rushes to a climax today on Rotto Bloggo. After this there are only seven chapters to go!

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Another incline loomed before them. She could feel his strength as it was transmitted through the taut rope. Again his legs pumped up and down, and again she nervously concentrated on steering and ensuring she didn’t stare at his strong legs for too long.

At last they glided down a gently-sloping hill, with salt lakes on either side of the road ahead of them. They were nearly there. She was impressed at his stamina – they hadn’t stopped since she had careered off the road earlier.

She called out in an encouraging tone. “Not much further to go now!”

“That’s good to hear,” he replied in a voice that sounded a bit winded. As strong as he seemed, he obviously wasn’t quite Superman, she thought.

As they came into the settlement she felt rather regal as she was towed along. The curious looks from various pedestrians didn’t bother as much this time.

Suddenly he raised his arms and called out. “Ashleigh!” He put on his brakes, and Larissa hurriedly did the same.

Ashleigh Kane walked over to them. She had a tote bag on her shoulder, and zinc cream on her nose.

“How was the beach?” Nick asked.

“What is going on?” she asked.

“Larissa had a spot of trouble with her bike, so I towed her back,” he explained.

“Oh. Why did you have to do that?”

“Ashleigh!” he said, rather sternly.

Larissa felt awkward. It must look a bit suspicious, she supposed – certainly if she was Nick’s girlfriend she would feel inclined to ask a few questions.

“Sorry,” Ashleigh muttered, “it didn’t mean to come out like that. Are you coming back to the Lodge soon, Nick?”

“Yes,” he replied, “I’ll just take Larissa to her cottage…”

She was hastily getting off her bike. “No need for that,” she piped up, rather breathlessly, “I can walk the rest of the way.”

She didn’t want to cause any trouble between them.

He smiled at her. “OK,” he said. “I’m pretty bushed anyway.” He bent down and untied the rope between their bikes.

“I’m not surprised, after all your huffing and puffing over me.” She winced – it sounded terrible, and might cause Ashleigh to be even more suspicious of her. She noticed the other woman looking at her dubiously – it was time to beat a retreat to her own door.

“Thanks very much, Nick – see you both later,” she said, and started wheeling her bike rapidly away from them. She could feel Ashleigh’s eyes on her back as she walked, and gave a small shiver despite the hot sun.

converging paddlers

Need to be amused, made to feel superior, and learn something at the same time? Then you’ve made a wise choice in visiting Rotto Bloggo this weekend.

We’ve intercepted a media release that merits close examination. It’s about an event called The Doctor, a paddling race from Rottnest to Scarborough. We hadn’t heard of it before – but we admit we’re sometimes pretty gormless – but the associated website says this is the fifth year of The Doctor’s incarnation.

The first breathless par: ‘Olympic kayak hopeful Reece Baker will be on home waters next week when the planet’s best take their shot at World Cup glory in the richest ocean paddling race in Australia on January 17.’

The planet’s best? Should we quibble about World Cup: is a qualifier needed, as there are several?

‘With more than $30,000 on offer ‘The Doctor’, as the 23 kilometre marathon downwind paddle from Rottnest Island to the Scarborough Beach Auditorium is known, will see paddlers from all over the world converge on the Western Australian capital to take on Baker, former local Ben Allen and the country’s best open water paddlers including Tim Jacobs, Murray Stewart, Jeremy Cotter and Caine Eckstein.’

Paddlers converging! Will there be a wet whacking sound, when they get to close to each other, and their paddles start banging together? But OK.

‘Australia’s elite will shape against a host of international stars including legendary South African and reigning World Series champion Oscar Chalupsky, fellow leading South Africans Dawid Mocke and Hank McGregor, the 2008 champion from the famous Molokai to Oahu race, Tahitian Lewis Laughlin and paddlers from New Zealand, Hawaii, Asia and Europe.’

The elite will shape? Stars, legendary and famous paddlers…and then some from other countries, too.

‘Holmes will stage her own international battle with South African Olympian Michelle Eray and New Zealand star Katie Pocock both confirmed starters.’

Just a tic. Who, pray tell, is Holmes? Can’t be John Holmes. An international battle…like World War II, except not with tanks? And there’s no law that says you can’t use commas in successive pars.

‘The event, the brainchild of Perth born nine-time Molokai to Oahu winner Dean Gardiner and fellow WA paddling icon Ash Nesbitt, is one of only four 4star events in the surf ski world series and also features categories for outrigger canoes and the growing discipline of stand up surfboard paddling.’

Perth-born, please. The successive fours are clumsy. But ‘growing discipline’?

‘The outrigger canoe field will be headed by world number one Hawaiian Karel Tresnak, while the arduous stand up surfboard paddling race will feature world renowned Western Australian big wave surfers Damon Eastough and Courtenay Gray. Eastough has a cult following in the surfing industry and is a former winner of the Australian Oakley Big Wave contest.’

Cult following. Damon will be described as ‘mercurial’ next. All these things sound pretty arduous to me. Do you think Courtenay is a future winner of the AOBW?

‘Gardiner has been at the top of ocean paddling both as a competitor and a race promoter and organiser for almost two decades and the veteran believes ‘The Doctor’, now in its fifth year, is the world’s best pure downwind race.’

OK. What are the odds there’s a quote from the man himself coming up expanding on the purity and fat-freeness of The Doctor?

“This event has developed into the most competitive and coveted downwind race on the international ocean paddling calendar,” Gardiner said.

Why, pray tell, is it the most competitive?

“The fact it is a crossing, from Rottnest to the mainland, with just the paddlers and the open ocean makes it such a pure test of the paddler and the elements.

I’m not very nautical or sporty. But apart from the ocean and the paddlers, what else would there be?

“We have the best paddlers in the world coming to Western Australia’s summer playground and I know from talking to the overseas guys they are looking forward to taking on Australia’s best.”

WA’s summer playground! And it has 63 bays and is 4.5km at its widest point!

‘The event will be followed up by a 15km two person team relay from Fremantle to City Beach the next day, Sunday January 18.’

Just followed is fine, thank you. Or should we have followed down? Or followed through?

‘Both races are not just for the elite either with the event open to paddlers of all levels. Entries and event information can be found at http://www.oceanpaddler.com/.’

Either or. Or either. Are they desperate for entries?

I know it’s the PR person’s job to convey information to the media, and try and whip up an air of excitement about these things. But do they have to sound like a tired sports broadcaster going through the motions and fumbling with cliché?

And can we please spell Thomson Bay and kilometre correctly? (see the website for the error).

rottnest romance #28

A climax is approaching: the end of Chapter Three in Rottnest Romance, the only Bills and Moon novel set on the beautiful island. This is the penultimate 500-word instalment: if I blog about something else tomorrow we could read the exciting suspenseful thrilling engaging bit on Sunday.

There's been a request for a description of Larissa's legs, instead of Nick's. No can do. Do women want to read about shapely female gams in a romance novel? I think not. Will Nick be naked by the time they get back to Thomson Bay? Will Larissa have to blow air into his tyres? Stay tuned...

“How are you going – alright?” he called out as they reached the crest of the hill.


She gave a start, and quickly moved her eyes from his lower body. He hadn’t been looking back, though. “I’m fine,” she called in return. “Do stop if you want a rest, Nick.”

“We just started,” he said, eyes on the road ahead.

I know that, she thought crossly – it was just a suggestion.

He pressed on, past the track to Radar Reef. Again, irresistibly, her attention returned to the sight of his energetic body hard at work. The businessmen she had met before hadn’t been in as good shape as he was, she reflected. They had mostly been overweight and balding – they certainly hadn’t looked like him.

Another incline stretched before them, and he responded to the challenge with renewed vigour. Again he thrust his legs down with each push as he rose out of his seat. Again, her attention became transfixed at his fluid motions. His legs had a nice colour to them as well, she noticed…how did he get to spend so much time in the sun, with his way of life…?

Suddenly she realised she was about to veer off the surface of the road. She gave a yelp as her tyres rattled on the rough sand by the side of the road. They both came to halt as Nick applied his brakes.

Putting one foot on the ground, he twisted his body and looked back. “What’s going on? What did you do that for?”

“Sorry!” She felt like a complete idiot. Why hadn’t she been paying attention to her steering? He must think she was hopeless. “I, er, was looking at the bushes. There was something moving in there.”

“Where?” He peered in the direction in which she vaguely pointed.

“It’s gone now – probably just a bird or a quokka or something,” she said. What a feeble excuse, she thought nervously – what could he be thinking? “Sorry about that – shell we continue?”

He glanced at her, obviously unconvinced by her excuse. Then he turned around and, with both feet on the pedals, set off again.

She promised herself she would concentrate on keeping the bike on the road instead of staring at his body. It wasn’t as if it was asking the impossible.

For the next half-hour she managed to steer her bike in an adequate fashion, while stealing occasional glances at the passing flora. Gradually the lighthouse slipped by, this time on her left side. At one stage, when they were coasting down a hil, Nick rummaged in the bag on his handlebars and brought out his water bottle. With one hand casually guiding the bike he took a long draught of water.

As he did she noticed dark patches of perspiration were appearing on his shirt. By the time they reached Thomson Bay he would be dripping wet. She wasn’t going to suggest he take off his shirt, though, or anything like that – certainly not. It would probably provoke a sly comment or two from him, and she didn’t want that.

sharks in the water

Man oh man…how much newsprint and airtime is going to be expended between now and the end of the Rotto Channel Swim on sharks, shark sightings and shark fear?

A lot. The poor old sharks. One hand a story about urging tough laws for people who slaughter them up north, and on the other loathing over them daring to dip a fin in Gage Roads (can’t locate link for that one).

‘there's many ways to die, the game is to survive,
come someone from behind, he'll eat you up alive.’

Of course we’ve been here before: it’s nothing new. See Robert Drewe, The Shark Net, for his recollection of his shark obsession…

“…it had to be that sharks were buried deep in my collective unconscious…clearly some of us were born with it – like the chicken’s instinct for the shadow of the hawk. It was amazing what I saw in the back-froth of a snapping wave, in the darker patchwork of weed and reef. Was that surge just a diving shag? Was the shadow really a passing cloud? Or the first and last hint of the white pointer’s charge? This, I thought, was obviously the underlying anxiety of my life.”

rottnest romance #27

Happy New Year! Two years ago we enjoyed a NY on Rotto: it was sublime. As a 2009 treat, enjoy the next 500 words of the only Bills and Moon novel set on the beautiful island, Rottnest Romance. Larissa's bike is buggered, but beastly businessman Nick is browbeating her to do...what? Free Minties for all who make it through to the end of this (third)chapter of what is turning out to be a fiction that rivals Cloudstreet, Upsurge and To The Islands.


“I’ll tow you back. I’ll just fetch my bike.”

She was dumbstruck. Tow her – all the way back? It was out of the question.

“Really, Nick, that’s not necessary. I’d rather wait…”

But he wasn’t listening. He was looking around, and then strode over to the edge of the road and picked something up. It was a longish piece of rope.

Aghast, she took in his busy activity, as he tied one end of the rope to her handlebars. When he began to fix the other end to hi seat she realised he was serious. She began to protest again.

“Look, Nick, you can’t tow me all the way back.”

“Why not?” he asked as he tested the rope.

“Well…it’s too far. And I’m too heavy.”

He flicked a quick glance up and down her body. “I wouldn’t agree with that,” he remarked with a twinkle in his eye.

“It’s ridiculous…it’s too much to ask.”

“No-one’s asking anyone: I’m just doing it.” He straightened up, ready to get on his bike. “I only have to pull you up the hills. Don’t you think I’m capable of doing it?”

She glared at him. “That’s not the point – it’s not as if it’s some sort of endurance test…”

“Oh, do stop gabbling , Larissa. Now remember: if I brake, that means you brake as well. I don’t want you cannoning into me. On you get.”

Stung by his curt instructions, she got on her bike. He began pedaling, the rope between them tensed and with a start she was in motion.

Their rather unusual mode of departure aroused some merriment, she noted rather sourly. Ducking her head, she decided not to return the stares and pointing of several amused onlookers making their way up from the beach.

After a few moments they were thankfully out of sight. As they coasted down the first hill she called out at his broad back. “What were you going to use if you hadn’t found the rope?”

“Our belts,” he shouted back without turning around.

How resourceful, she reflected.

It was a rather peculiar sensation, being in motion on a bike without having to use any effort to propel it. Rather agreeable, actually, she realised. She supposed she should just sit back and enjoy the passing view.

They came to the first incline. As they started to go uphill he began to pedal energetically. He stood up as his legs moved up and down, driving more energy into his wheels. She suddenly lost interest in the gully of wildflowers on her left, and instead looked at his muscular legs as they pumped the pedals. Watching them, she couldn’t actually decide if they were muscular. No: they were both lean and muscular. She could certainly see some muscles – they flashed into prominence as his legs bent and straightened, bent and straightened…

Her gaze moved upward, to his faded, weather-beaten blue shorts. They weren’t moving as much – they just seemed to be sort of moving from side to side, ever so slightly. His rear seemed to be as lean and well-shaped as his legs…

rotto racket

We were keen to help the beautiful island reach the top of a poll on a new travel website yesterday, but we went all bah-humbug.

“Cape Le Grand and Lucky Bay remains the best place to visit in the West, according to visitors to the RAC’s new travel website, 101WA.com.au,” this West story began.

“Rottnest Island has jumped up the voting to fourth place over the festive period.”

Like any decent, quokka-loving, right-thinking, sensible Sandgroper we trotted over to the website to do our bit for WA’s bit of paradise.

It was a bit tedious, as you had to register, and it seems only RAC members can participate.

You can upload photos and win a prize, though (a trip to Broome). Not quite as good as a trip to Rotto and unlimited time at the Brett Heady Family Fun Centre, but never mind. We started rummaging through the folders to see what we could submit.

But then we saw this charmless 105-word sentence in the RAC’s terms and conditions:

‘Where you are invited to submit any contribution to this site (including without limitation any text, graphics, video or audio) you are required by such submission to grant the RAC a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicenseable right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, play, and exercise all copyright and publicity rights with respect to any such work worldwide and/or to incorporate it in other works in any media now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content, consistent with privacy restrictions set forth in the RAC's Privacy Policy. ‘

What bullshit. What content creator would agree to that?

‘If you do not wish to grant such rights to the RAC, it is suggested that you do not submit your contribution to this site.’

Too right. We voted for the beautiful island, but commented to the RAC that their copyright policy sucked.

rotto's first boatie

The Nijptang, the Geelvinck and the Wezeltje: doesn’t have the same ring as the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, does it?

Nevertheless, the three strangely-named Dutch boats were part of Rotto history on this day 312 years ago.

On December 30 1696 Willem de Vlamingh became the first Rotto boatie.

Actually it seems he stayed on board (grilling marron on the barbie, no doubt).

After leaving Holland at the beginning of May, someone on the Nijptang saw land on December 24.

“The descending darkness prevented the men on Geelvinck and Wezeltje to do the same and even the following day the land remained invisible due to overcast conditions and a strong current which pushed them northwards,” says this excellent page at the VOC Historical Society.

“It would still take another five days, on 29 December, that an island was sighted. Late in the afternoon the island, located at Latitude 32°S was reached. Because of the lateness of the day the investigation of the island had to wait until the following day.”

Then, on December 30, de Vlamingh bit the bullet and used a Nijptang boat, to sail around the island. A boat from the Geelvinck landed on Rotto: on board were the First Mate, the bookkeeper and a dozen soldiers.

“Towards evening both groups returned. The bookkeeper reported that there were no people on the island but that there were large numbers of bosch-rotten. They had shot a number of them to show de Vlamingh. They were found to be dwarf kangaroos, a mammal still unknown in Europe at that time. In the journal of the Nijptang they were described as a kind of rat, the size of a cat, and large quantities of its excreta could be found all over the whole island.”

Then they had a squiz at the Swan River, but it was dull compared to the beautiful island.

Cue passenger landing fees, a ballot system, the Brett Heady Family Fun Centre and smoking herring.

(Pic of de Vlamingh is from Wikipedia)

event development horizon

You still have three weeks to apply for a couple of jobs on the beautiful island: events development officer, and front office supervisor. Both pay up to $55, 146.

You’ve got competition for the EDO: local blogger mynxii is very organised, and looks as though her app will be in early: “Did more work on my job application for the Rottnest Island Authority events development officer. I'm really hopeful about this as I think I'd be awesome at it - I need some experience in one or two areas, but I have the greater context of skill and flexibility required for events stuff and I have a solid understanding of how it works as 'stuff'. I am hopeful and crossing my fingers.” You go girl.

Many thanks to Paul from Fremantlebiz for suggesting a different approach in the ongoing saga of Rottnest Romance, the only Bills and Moon romance set on Rotto (and nearing the end of Chapter Three on this blog). I like Paul’s Mintie angle…it’s marvelous what a difference they could make to the plot.

And did you see yesterday’s West revealed the link between Rotto and Learmonth? “The Royal Australian Air Force named Learmonth Airport in honour of World War II Wing-Cdr Charles Learmonth, after his death at the age of 26. He died while on a training flight in January 1944 between Pearce and Rottnest Island in the notoriously dangerous Beaufort bomber.”

There you go. My wife often says there’s a Guildford connection to everything – I maintain it’s Rottnest.

rottnest romance #26

It's been a long wait between clumsy metaphors and terrible tropes - nearly two months - but here is the latest instalment of the only Bills and Moon romance novel set on the beautiful island...

Last time we left our heroine Larissa and our evil nasty brooding developer Nick, they weer having a private picnic on the sand at the West End. They're still there! They've been frozen in time, like a mosquito in amber before being discovered by Michael Crichton. The dab of mayonnaise on Nick's chin is still runny - not crusty - despite having been there for weeks...

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“And are you quite happy with your life at the moment?”

“Sure. This development in Parakeet Bay is a challenge, and will be the biggest thing I’ve done – although you would probably describe it differently,” he said, glancing at her.

“I probably would. Where are you going after Rottnest?” The mayonnaise was still there, and she wanted to reach across and wipe it off.

“There’s a project down in the south-west I’m half-interested in – I might put in a bid for it.” He smiled slightly. “Maybe by then you will have given up the ferry business and will be a full-time ecological demonstrator – we might meet again then.”

She didn’t respond. He suddenly levered himself up off the sand. “We should think about getting back.” He held out a hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her up in an easy motion.

“Or perhaps we might meet again – before then,” he continued in a calm voice.

She suddenly realised how close they were standing to each other. Their faces were only inches apart. The sun was shining in such a way that its beams picked out flecks of green in his dark eyes. She hadn’t noticed them before.

He was so close it suddenly seemed only natural for her to reach out and wipe the mayonnaise from his chin. She lifted her hand, but at the last instant changed her mind and pointed to the corresponding spot on her own face.

After a moment that seemed to last for an age he brushed his hand across his chin, and the mayonnaise was gone.

Then the moment was broken as he started collecting the remains of his meal. She did the same. As they walked back to the path that led up the rock he started talking about what he had seen earlier as he has ridden out here.

As she listened to his enthusiastic descriptions she felt vaguely disappointed. He had, she realised, wormed his way out of giving her much information about himself. That was hardly fair, considering he now knew so much about her.

They reached the top of the cliff. After their solitude on the beach, she was struck by the number of people poking around. The bike racks near the picnic buildings were full.

He walked with her to her bike – her stricken bike, she now remembered.

“How are you going to get back to Thomson Bay?” he asked, looking at her disabled pedals.

“I don’t fancy walking, that’s for sure,” she replied. “I suppose I’ll have to wait for the bus.”

He frowned. “When does that arrive?”

Not for a couple of hours, she knew, but she replied lightly, “It shouldn’t be too long – don’t worry about me.”

He strode to the bus stop to consult the timetable. “It doesn’t get here for two hours!”

His nosing around made her feel a bit peeved. “So I’ll wait. It’s not the end of the world. I can wander around, and…”

“ I have a better idea,” he said, walking back to her…

rotto drowning

Sad news: this bloke drowned on Christmas Day...seen on WA Today...

'A man has drowned while swimming off Perth's Rottnest Island, police say.

'The 46-year-old Yangebup man was setting cray pots with a group of friends at about 6.30pm (WDT) on Thursday before splitting from the group to swim back to shore at Bickley Bay.

'"He was seen to swim back to shore and when his friends swam back in shore themselves they found the man floating in the water unconscious," a police spokesman said.

'"He was dragged to shore but despite efforts to resuscitate him, the man died."

'Police are investigating the drowning and will prepare a report for the coroner.

AAP.'

twin Thomson tomes

Less than a week to go and you’re stuck for Xmas gifts? We’ve been watching a couple of eBay items.

The 1978 hardback of Freo and Rotto buildings ‘classified and recorded by the National Trust’ is a very reasonable $5.99. We saw it recently in that second-hand place on Bulwer St for around $20. But the postage is a killer.

Also stockingworthy is the Somerville: this 1976 copy of Rottnest island in History and Legend is in excellent condition and a very reasonable five bucks. But it’s in South Australia and the postage is $7.50.

Heavy sigh. Those clowns today at The Worst of Perth were talking about end-of-year lists in the meedja. We did one last year, of course. Maybe we’ll work on a top ten lists of greatest potential Rottnest Island Xmas presents.

eagles' lair

Man oh man. We're still amazed at being electrified back into posting by yesterday's mention of Rotto on the Huffington Post. What next? The White House condemns Nicole Kidman for throwing shoes at whales from Ben Cousin's Geordie Bay unit?

Not so far-fetched, given the Shaven One's name was mentioned on the beautiful island this week during a WCE four-day team-building exercise.

'The camp will feature an 'Amazing Race' where players will go head-to-head in cycling and running challenges around Rottnest Island. There will also be a scavenger hunt that has players team up in small groups,' according to Glen Foreman on News Ltd.

John 'Woosha' Worsfold told Glen the camp was more about team-building than physical conditioning as the playing group prepared to break for Christmas holidays.

PerthNow had this gally of the players soaking up the beautiful island at Kingston after spending a small fortune at the bakery. Or did they bring their own sausages and buns?

That naughty Nick Naitanui didn't seem to have been wearing his bike helmet! Tsk tsk. But if that's the extent of the Eagles' problems in the next 12 months Woosha won't be too worried.

sparrow false start

The world-wide prominence of the beautiful island, allied with the usefulness of teh Internets, never ceases to astonish.

Rottnest has had a mention on the Huffington Post: Craig Silverman, the bloke who does Regret The Error, has awarded a new journalism award to someone who corrected a Rotto error and the winner is not a million miles from Thomson Bay.

David (excellent name) Hummerston, the readers' editor at The West, has won the prestigious and inaugural Ian Mayes Award for Writing Wrongs.

'Mayes has agreed with my suggestion for the first recipient of the award. He is David Hummerston, the Saturday editor/editorial counsellor and readers' editor of the West Australian. Yes, the man wears many hats. In addition to everlasting fame, Hummerston will receive a signed copy of Ian Mayes' book, Journalism Right and Wrong: Ethical and other issues raised by readers in the Guardian's Open Door Column,' Silverman reports.

He gives samples of Hummerston's work, including this gem: 'Birdbrains: We swiftly swallowed the information supplied to us which described a photo of a bird in flight as a Rottnest Island Sparrow (The science of fine photography, page 19, August 16). As any eagle-eyed ornithologist would attest it was, of course, the much less rare Welcome Sparrow.'

Rotto Bloggo regrets we didn't spot this error and complain to the readers' editor.

Accompnaying photo is of...we have no idea. But it's a bird we saw on Rotto.

Bartley and Peck

One equine identity had the right idea on how to overcome disappointment with the gee-gees.

Tracey Bartley from Mudgee in NSW was on the beautiful island last week to get over her nag’s defeat at Ascot.

Sniper Bullet didn’t win the Group One Railway Stakes but her owner took it in her stride.

“Right now I have Simon Marshall (former leading heavyweight rider and now racing television commentator) trying to push me off the gang plank onto the boat and Joe Janiak (of Takeover Target fame) is on board and I’m looking at a day relaxing on Rottnest,” she told the Mudgee Guardian.

She wasn’t the first person to be entranced by Rotto waters: we loved this anecdote from longtime TV critic Robin Oliver in the Sydney Morning Herald:

“I remember the hotel staffer who thought I might be interested in Gregory Peck, who was holed up in the Perth Travelodge to be with the film crew for The Dove. Perth, that most star-struck of cities, had been unaware of the famous man's presence. He had come to WA because the unusual wave patterns off Rottnest Island were exactly what his round-the-world yachting adventure required. ‘Sure, come around,’ he said.”

booze on the beach

The admirable Post Newspapers had an excellent leavers yarn on the weekend. They had a long interview with one of the first leavers to the beautiful island, who went over 62 years ago.

'As this year's school Leavers prepare to descend on Rottnest Island for their end-of-school revels, Floreat grandmother, Dawn Berry is looking on with fond memories of her Leavers holiday on the island...next week, Mrs Barry's grandchildren, Natalie Barry (16) and Christiaan Gurritsen (17), head over to Rottnest for their own Leavers celebrations, after their grandmother blazed the trail for them.'

Fabulous stuff. The Post had several excellent photos with the story - we love this one, of Dawn and Judith Douglas topping up their tans.

'When Mrs Barry's group went to Rottnest, they were setting a trend for generations of school leavers to come. But they did it in different style and circumstances to today's kids.Ferries to and from Rottnest operated only twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

'The old ferry, the Zephyr, docked at the army jetty near Kingston Barracks and visitors had to either walk along the beach to Thomson Bay settlement, or take the charabanc (an old-fashioned, open-sided bus) with their luggage on their laps.

'There was no hotel, and any alcohol that made it on to the island arrived at the army jetty and had to be hauled along the beach by anyone devoted enough to their booze to do so....'

leaverless legs

The paranoia and angst about Rotto leavers are peaking. Cartoons and news articles are thick on the ground. We liked this recent cover of a newspaper supplement: Leavers 2008...curbing the damage as they kick up their heels.

But the image? It's manipulated. We're hard-pressed to believe that's a view of any Rotto shore. That's not natural light on those legs. I ask you! There was a superior pick inside of schoolies streaming off the jetty. One kid had a T-shirt with the word ENJOI.

Some of those new limits of leavers: Those who permit the consumption or possession of liquor by underage leavers on their premises will face a $10,000 maximum penalty or an infringement fine of $1000 per offence.

And: All ferry companies have agreed to a police-proposed ban on the transport of alcohol during leavers to help stamp out binge drinking. The ban is from Monday to Friday.

hydro history

Rotto Bloggo has been shocked back into coherence by a guest post from Old Salt.

OS has previously remarked on singalongs at the Quokka Arms and a book about fish.

This time he's talking ferry fast...

I’ve found in the WA State Library online database a couple of pics of the Rottnest Hydroplane. The Hydroplane was the first attempt at high-speed ferry travel between the mainland and Rottnest. This was circa 1974 when, traditionally, the ferry trip from Fremantle to Rottnest took one hour, and that was the accepted duration of the voyage. Heavy conditions simply made the trip longer.

Interestingly (and this I was not aware of until I found the info in a online wrecks database) the 62.3-foot, 51-ton Rottnest Hydroplane was built in the U.S.A. in 1944 and purchased by the Royal Australian Navy, then subsequently used as a search and rescue vessel by the RAAF. The fact this vessel was a World War II era rescue boat had escaped me.


Other information provided in Jack Loney’s Wrecks of Western Australian Coast is that the Hydroplane ended its career on fire and adrift near the Barrack Street Jetty, on 8 June 1975. It was burnt to the waterline and later sank near the jetty; later the hull was raised and sold for its fittings.

So ended this first chapter of high-speed ferry transport to Rottnest. The next tilt was the Hydroflite. This was an altogether different boat, designed by Perth naval architect Len Randell as a high-speed ferry. The Hydroflite is still in service, though these days it’s a charter boat. In Rottnest terms, travelling on the Hydroflite was the equivalent to walking straight to the business class check-in counter at the airport, then going to the Qantas Club to await departure.


The consumer now of course expects to get to Rottnest in 30 minutes, and pretty much all the ferries doing the run now are designed and built to comfortably maintain the necessary speed.

As for the pictures of the Hydroplane, well, how things have changed. The lines of a ‘crash boat’ can be seen in the exterior shot, though I expect a lot of superstructure was added to convert it to a ferry. The interior shot of skipper at the controls shows a couple of interesting things: firstly, the gauges suggest the engines aren’t running, despite his hand being on the wheel, and the ashtray alongside the compass suggests smoking in the workplace was quite acceptable back then!

Cheers Old Salt. And apologies for the long silence...perhaps we'll even post a new chunk of Rottnest Romance soon...