- Wadjemup/Rottnest Island opens a purpose-built cultural space for Aboriginal ceremony and connection to Country
- Provides a cultural space for reflection and gathering
A new cultural space namedKwoba Wirin-up, meaning'Good Spirit Place'in Noongar, officially opened on Wadjemup/Rottnest Island today.
The cultural space provides a dedicated, culturally appropriate and respectful environment for Aboriginal Traditional Owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers and visitors to Wadjemup.
Located in Thomson Bay, Kwoba Wirin-up, offers a place for ceremony, reflection, yarning and connection to Country.
The purpose-built space adds to Wadjemup/Rottnest Island's tourism diversification and is now open to all visitors, with special consideration given to Aboriginal people's use and cultural practice.
As stated by Tourism Minister Reece Whitby:
"Wadjemup is a place of extraordinary natural beauty and deep cultural significance.
"The opening of Kwoba Wirin-up adds a new chapter to the island's story, one that honours Aboriginal heritage and invites all Western Australians and visitors to engage with truth-telling and reconciliation.
"This dedicated space enriches the visitor experience by offering a place for reflection, learning and connection to Country.
"Kwoba Wirin-up reflects the State Government's commitment to reconciliation and to ensuring Wadjemup's history is respectfully acknowledged and shared."
As stated by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch:
"Kwoba Wirin-up is more than a physical space, it is a place of healing, ceremony and connection to Country.
"This initiative is a meaningful step forward in our reconciliation and truth-telling journey and will complement the broader work of the Wadjemup Project to commemorate and honour the legacy of Aboriginal people who were imprisoned and buried on the island."
As stated by Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk:
"Wadjemup holds a special place in many Western Australians' hearts and a deep cultural connection for Whadjuk Noongar people.
"I am very proud to be part of a government that has worked with First Nations people to support the very significant Wadjemup Project, and its reconciliation and healing process.
"Kwoba Wirin-up is a dedicated space that will offer a place for reflection, learning and connection to Country."
