Colonial buildings of Rottnest Island

Several important colonial buildings, including the Superintendent's Residence overlook the seawall in Thomson Bay

Rottnest Island was first settled by European colonists in 1830 following their arrival at Western Australia and the Swan River Colony. Soon after, construction of a variety of private and public buildings commenced, many of which were built with Aboriginal convict labour and which remain today. This is a list of extant colonial buildings of Rottnest Island, constructed between 1830 and 1896.

The first European settler on the island was Robert Thomson, who established a modest farm for hay production, as well as a salt collection enterprise.[1]: 7 

In August 1838, a Corporal Welch was sent to Rottnest with ten Aboriginal prisoners.[2]: 216  The following year, Thomson had his whaleboat stolen, supposedly by several of the inmates, and after complaints, Governor John Hutt decided to resume all land grants previously made on the island. Henry Vincent, a gaoler at the Fremantle prison was subsequently sent to the island as its first superintendent. Vincent went on to personally build or oversee the construction of many of the buildings listed.

Building materials were mostly locally quarried limestone as well as timber from the local pine (callitris preissii) and featured distinctive rough plastered walls.

  1. ^ Ferguson, R. J. (Ronald Jack) (1986), Rottnest Island : history and architecture, University of Western Australia Press, ISBN 978-0-85564-249-5
  2. ^ Seddon, George (1972), Sense of Place : a response to an environment, the Swan coastal plain Western Australia, University of Western Australia Press, ISBN 978-0-85564-058-3

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