The Rottnest Society is an incorporated not-for-profit ‘friends’ group that devotes its' energies to ensuring a future for Rottnest which will allow our children and their children to enjoy many of the same experiences shared by several generations of West Australian holiday makers and other visitors. The Society does this both through ‘hands on’ activities such as tree planting and weeding, and by scrutinising - and commenting on - management plans, lobbying for the conservation and restoration of the natural environment, and for the preservation of the ‘Rottnest ethos’.

Since the collapse of the painfully protracted negotiations over the proposed Longreach Bay Hotel, there have been a number of announcements in The West Australian newspaper concerning other development plans. These emanate from the Chairman of the RIA, Laurie O'Meara, apparently with the approval of the Minister for Tourism, Dr Kim Hames.

They include the following:

• A proposal to spend $1million on upgrading and greening the island golf course and to lease it and the country club to a private operator.
• An order by the Minister to the RIA to “crank up” plans for a new marina at the south end of Thomson Bay, and to investigate the feasibility of a seawall to protect and accommodate more and larger vessels.
• A plan to privatise the running of Rottnest’s holiday accommodation as part of a “ twenty year vision  for the island.

Read more...

The saga of the proposed Longreach Bay Hotel development continues. Having lost a project partner last year, Pinctada Hotels and Resorts, the preferred proponent, was given a one month extension to come up with the appropriate funding arrangements. Having exhausted that period, they were granted a further three months. More extensions have been granted with a final deadline set for Friday 25th November.
The Rottnest Island Authority Board released a media statement on the 25th November confirming that the Pinctada Rottnest Island Resort and Spa Pty Ltd had advised it was terminating its bid and negotiations for the hotel development opportunity at Longreach Bay.

Read the latest updates and view images of the proposed development...

As usual there was a good turnout for the volunteer weekends of the year.The weather caused a few problems during our third volunteer weekend this year, and unfortunately were were only able to complete one day of work in the weeding program. For a complete report of our 2011 weekends, please click here to read more...