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Willem de VlaminghPrint Page Print this page

14-January-2015
14-January-2015

Photographs supplied by Michael Doncaster

The monument commemorates Dutch navigator Willem de Vlamingh, who landed at Rottnest Island in 1696.

Vlamingh was sent out with three ships in May 1696 from Holland to look for survivors of a ship which was thought to have been wrecked on the west coast of Australia. They sighted the coast on 29 December and anchored off Rottnest Island. On 31 December de Vlamingh went ashore but no people or wreckage was found. They did discover a small marsupial which was to become known as a quokka.

They thought this animal was a kind of rat so the name of the island was changed to `Rat`s Nest`. They dug wells and collected water and scented timber and a few days later men were sent to the mainland, where they found traces of Aboriginals. A river with numerous black swans was called Swaanerivier and de Vlamingh rowed some sixteen kilometres up it. On 13 January 1697 the vessels weighed anchor and sailed north.

Location

Address:Digby Drive, Rottnest Island , 6161
State:WA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -32.023611
Long: 115.450278
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Exploration
Actual Event Start Date:31-December-1696
Actual Event End Date:13-January-1697
Link:http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/adbonli…

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Monday 30th December, 1935
Front Inscription

To Willem De Vlamingh 

Dutch Navigator

Who visited this Island on the 30th December, 1686, and named it Rottenest Island 

Erected 30 / 12 / 1935

Left Side Inscription

Hier Landde  
30 XII 1696

Willem de Vlamingh

Algemeen Nederlandsch Verbond
Batavia  30 XII 1935
 

Source: MA,HWA,ADB
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au
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