Rottnest Island

Where were you when you heard the news that Steve Irwin had died? We were freezing our buns off on Rottnest Island, making a cold and wet day even more memorable for the same reasons. After yesterday’s wonderful weather, we determined to head out to the Island named by a Dutch Explorer in the 1690s (in a country supposedly ‘discovered’ in 1770!) because he mistook the Quokkas for huge rats and named it the dutch equivalent of “Ratt’s Nest”, hence Rottnest. The thirty minute ferry ride from Freo was pleasant enough, but we arrived in the midst of a cold squall, whereupon all those who arrived with us crowded into the Visitor’s Centre. We decided that riding around on bikes was not going to improve the experience all that much, so took the bus tour. The island’s beaches were beautiful but not the least bit enticing in the arctic blasts which even had the trees bowing over to kiss the ground. It was back at the Quokka’s Arms that we heard the news of Irwin. It was so cold in fact that they were using peacocks as door snakes, and even the Quokkas were taking refuge inside! It was such an awful day for weather that the sun popped its head out for ten minutes and decided to go home for the day!

We cut our losses and headed back to Freo early for a look around this rebuild Port city, where Ev had placed her feet on Australian soil for the first time back in 1962. Freo has a real charm and elegance, reflecting its age and place in many an Australian’s history.

By the time we reached Kings Park we were in the shelter of land and the sun had decided to give the day a second chance, though closer to the Swan River the wind was still lazy – cutting right through you because it was too lazy to go around!

But thoughts of the Stingrays we had swum so close to at Ningaloo reverberated through our minds in light of the tragedy which befell the Crocodile Hunter...