Destination WA - Go Cultural Tours, Wadjemup

Episode: Episode 5 (11/08/19)

Go Cultural Tours, Wadjemup

Story Title – Go Cultural Tours, Wadjemup
Episode – 5, TX date: 11th August 19
Presenter – Chrissy

Chrissy meets with Walter McGuire of Go Cultural Tours to hear more about the history of Wadjemup.

Located about 20 kilometres off the coast of Perth, Rottnest Island is a WA tourism hot spot.
These days getting to Rottnest is a quick ferry ride. But thousands of years ago before the ocean level rose; the first people to visit did so by foot.
Go Culturla Tours and Walter McGuire recently picked up a National Gold Tourism Award. Take a tour with them to discover this island’s cultural heritage.
Walter starts the tour with a traditional blessing then takes Chrissy on a walk through history.
Between 1838 and the 1930’s, roughly 400 aboriginal prisoners were held on the island. Most of them died in custody and to this day Rottnest has the highest number of aboriginal deaths in custody in one location, throughout Australia.
The aboriginal prisoners built the limestone walls and the holding cell where they spent their first night on the island. The prisoners were then moved to the prison, known as The Quod.
The burial grounds on the island were previously known as Tent Land.
Between 7.5 and 10 million years ago, aboriginal people lived freely on Wadjemup. It is known as the place the spirit goes to stay on its journey to their heaven.