Sunsets and Showers: A Weekend on Rottnest

One of the many advantages of studying in Perth is the number of outdoor activities we are able to enjoy year-round.  Even in winter, the weather usually affords fine enough days that we are able to take full advantage of the landscape in relative comfort.  Usually.

As with any travel, you expect that some things won’t go exactly to plan. And any traveler will quickly learn that sometimes unpredictable weather conditions can change even the most carefully considered itinerary.  Our trip to Rottnest Island would be no exception.

The first thing we did after arriving at our accommodation at “The Barracks” was drop our stuff and run up the nearest sand dune.  The best way to describe the coastal view from the top is, as one teary-eyed student said, “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Not wanting to waste any time before the impending rain came, we made our way down to the beach for a refreshing swim and marveled at a sunset so stunning, it seemed like it couldn’t be real.  Our first night away from home at Murdoch ended with a classic Aussie barbeque out on the patio, and just enough cloud break to do some southern hemisphere star-gazing.

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By mid-morning on Saturday, our good fortune appeared to have run out.  The clear skies had departed, leaving us with heavy downpours, gusting winds, and a change in plans.  Undeterred, and without complaint, the kids zipped up their raincoats and followed our fearless teacher-guide, Nina.  And with a one-for-all mentality, we immersed ourselves in Rottnest Island.

We biked, climbed jungle gyms, and hiked hills that overlooked the entire island.  We inspected inland salt-water lakes, compared local flora, and visited macropod paddocks. We tried (unsuccessfully) to make friends with an errant peacock, chased off some very greedy seagulls, and photo-stalked more quokkas than we could count.  

In an impromptu trip the museum, we received an oral history of the island from the docent, who told us of Rottnest’s harsh history as an incarceration and labor camp for Aboriginals before being used as an outpost during war, and of the importance of Wadjemup (the traditional name of the island) to the Whadjuk Noongar people (the original inhabitants of the land) as a resting place of the spirits.

Though it wasn’t all what we had expected, in under 24 hours, we experienced the rich history, ecological importance, and recreational diversity that exists in a 7.3 square mile island just off the coast of Fremantle.  We did it all more-or-less soaking wet... and smiling.

When we set out for Rottnest Island last weekend, we knew there was rain in the forecast.  We knew we would have to make adjustments. And we already knew we would have to cut our island visit short, due to rough seas canceling all the Sunday ferries.  What we didn’t foresee was how some of the worst weather conditions would bring out the very best in our students.