Wood & Grieve Engineers (WGE) recently took part in a special indigenous cultural ceremony held on Rottnest Island, Western Australia, to mark the next phase of heritage development works.
The government-funded Rottnest Island Roof Remediation Program has been underway since 2013, which has seen significant modification and reconstruction to roof and wall structures of over 337 public buildings across the island.
WGE has provided resident structural engineering, site supervision and contract superintendent services over the last six years, working closely with various stakeholders.
The project also included the investigation, documentation and – ultimately – the structural restoration of 29 of WA’s most historically significant heritage-listed buildings in liaison with Heritage WA. One of these buildings includes the former Aboriginal prison, the Quod.
The Quod holds special significance in local Aboriginal history. It was built by and housed around 4,000 Aboriginal men and boys from all across WA from 1838 to about 1904. Prison conditions were extremely poor, with many dying on the island – an estimated 370 remains lie in the adjacent burial ground.
Due to its cultural significance, the Rottnest Island Authority closed the Quod to tourist accommodation in March this year, as part of their commitment to the Island’s Reconciliation Action Plan.
Now, the Rottnest Island Remediation Program has turned its attentions to the Quod’s roof restoration. Before works began, local Noongar elder Walter performed a smoking ceremony for the workers – including WGE – as a formal welcome to the island.
By ‘bathing’ in the smoke, project workers were coating themselves in a smell that would let the spirits in the Quod know that they had been welcomed to the land. They would also ward off any bad spirits that may have been lingering around.
WGE’s Structural Section Manager and Project Leader Rowan Stokes says the project has been a great experience to everyone involved.
“We’ve been aware of the cultural significance of Rottnest Island since the remediation program began in 2013 and this has been reinforced in other recent projects including the Sea Wall Conservation. However, this particular smoking ceremony was symbolic and raised the awareness of everyone on site,” Rowan said.
“The island holds some painful memories for local Aboriginals. It’s hard to fathom what it would have been like for those men and boys who were taken from their families and the lands they had a connection with, only to end up in a cold cell under depraved conditions on an offshore island.
“We’ve been really fortunate to have local indigenous representatives on site throughout the project – people like Ezra Jacobs-Smith (Rottnest Island Aboriginal Heritage Officer), who have provided a little more insight into the history of the island. It’s been enriching to broaden our understanding of the history and what it means to the various indigenous observers in more of a modern context.
“The involvement of the Noongar people provides an opportunity for them to feel a sense of inclusion and to talk to others about how they feel. Getting people together in this environment has to be a step forward, on a micro level, towards reconciliation.”
Earlier this year, WGE’s Reflect RAP was officially endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. It aims to help our staff better understand the rich history and culture of the Indigenous community, and ways that we can continue to seek reconciliation in Australia.
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