This week on Great Australian Walks Julia Zemiro hits the wild west, discovering how Rottnest Island / Wadjemup transformed from a prison to a playground, and how Fremantle went from a footnote in history to an international headline.
She arrives by ferry at Wadjemup, the Noongar name for Rottnest Island. In 1696 Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh sailed here and renamed it Rottnest, meaning “rat’s nest”, after he mistook the local quokkas for rats.
These days the quokka is an internet sensation, after celebrities – including Roger Federer, Chris Hemsworth, Margot Robbie and Rafa Nadal – posted selfies.
Julia follows a trail that winds through the island’s epic salt lakes and coastal shrubbery. Julia makes use of the boardwalks that allow for scenic views while protecting the wildlife. Then meets Noongar elder Walter Mcguire, who welcomes her with fire and water and takes her to the Quod, which is closed to the public. Today, Wadjemup is a popular holiday spot but less than 100 years ago it was still functioning as an island prison. “In Australia this is the highest number of Aboriginal deaths in custody [here],” explains Walter, who had family imprisoned in The Quod.
7:30pm Thursday on SBS.
links to content on ABC
TV Tonight
