Indigenous addition to Rottnest experience
Aboriginal art workshops, cultural walks, smoking ceremonies, and language classes are part of new activities for tourists to partake in on WA’s Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) this summer.
Six new tourism experiences and key infrastructure projects are to open in time for the holiday season.
The new tourism businesses were selected through a recreational expression of interest process which was released in March and encouraged new and experienced tourism operators to bring innovative and exciting new experiences to the island.
Noongar Boodja, a bronze bust sculpture by artists Nicole and Alex Mickle in the Wadjemup Museum outdoor Sculpture Garden.
The new experiences are:
- Aboriginal art workshops, cultural walks, smoking ceremonies, and language classes for groups by Dooga Waalitj Healing
- Immersive Aboriginal cultural activities for children with Koorda’s Crew
- Interactive Aboriginal cultural workshops and yarning sessions for visiting schools delivered by Mirliny
- Pickleball courts and hire equipment on the redesigned Bathurst tennis courts through Rotto Rackets Sports
- Hire of beach essentials including shade and water equipment from Rotto Rentals
- Guided island tours by rickshaw with Rotto Rickshaws.
“These businesses will strengthen Rottnest Island’s appeal to tourists while creating new opportunities for local jobs,” Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk said.
“As we head into summer, these investments ensure families and visitors can enjoy new experiences in a fun, active, and educational way on one of our most popular tourist attractions.”
Late night ferries will run until April next year.
Late-night ferry services will operate through April 2026, giving visitors more flexibility to travel to and from the island after dark.
The new offerings and improvements support the Rottnest Island Management Plan 2023-28 by enhancing the visitor experience and ensuring Rottnest Island remains a world-class destination, attracting new visitors and helping diversify the visitor economy.
