Reconciliation Action Plan

Our Vision for Reconciliation

Wadjemup is a place of profound cultural significance for Aboriginal people from across Western Australia and the Rottnest Island Authority recognises its responsibility to protect, respect and speak truthfully about the island’s heritage.

Our vision is to embed reconciliation into the core of our organisation, where every individual shares responsibility for creating a culturally safe, inclusive and respectful environment.

The Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2026–29 (RAP) demonstrates RIA’s commitment to delivering meaningful, measurable outcomes that honour the cultural significance of Wadjemup and support the aspirations of Aboriginal peoples.

This plan supports the delivery of the Rottnest Island Management Plan 2023-28, ensuring that reconciliation is not only a cultural imperative, but a strategic enabler of our goals.

The Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2026-29

Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) has been on its reconciliation journey, in partnership with Whadjuk Noongar people and Aboriginal communities from across WA, for almost two decades.

This is the fifth Reconciliation Action Plan developed by RIA and the first at the Stretch stage. Moving to the Stretch stage is significant as it recognises our long-term commitment to reconciliation.

This ambitious plan contains more than 100 deliverables including:

• strategies to attract more Aboriginal staff,
• training opportunities for all staff to increase their cultural knowledge,
• celebrating National Reconciliation Week through internal and public events on Wadjemup,
• encouraging island businesses to contribute to reconciliation activities,
• supporting Aboriginal people’s access to the island for cultural events, activities and recreation,
• and implementing an Aboriginal Elders-in-Residence program to ensure the presence of Elders on the island.

Read the Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2026-29.

Four key focus areas

The RAP has four key focus areas: Relationships, Respect, Opportunities and Governance.

Relationships

RIA recognises that meaningful reconciliation depends on connecting people, sharing experiences, and fostering genuine partnership with Aboriginal communities. Our relationships work focuses on strengthening governance, communication, and engagement practices to ensure that Aboriginal voices guide how we operate, how we care for Country, and how we welcome visitors to the island.

Respect

Respect shapes how we learn from Traditional Owners, how we honour the cultural and historical truths of Wadjemup, and how we embed Aboriginal perspectives into the island’s operations, environment, visitor experiences and governance.

Opportunities

As an organisation responsible for managing a place of deep cultural significance, RIA recognises that increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples participation across employment, procurement, professional development and cultural programming strengthens not only our workforce, but also the cultural, social and economic wellbeing of communities connected to the island.

Governance

Strong and transparent governance is essential to ensuring that RIA's reconciliation commitments are delivered with integrity, accountability and sustained impact.

How the RAP is implemented

The RAP Working Group is responsible for translating the intentions outlined in RIA’s reconciliation vision into sustained action.

Our RAP Working Group includes leadership from RIA’s Corporate Executive, membership from RIA’s Staff, including Aboriginal staff and the WARG Co-Chair.