Construction works at Rottnest Island have been cancelled and are likely to be scrapped after the discovery of more suspected human remains including what could be a dozen historic burial sites.
Upgrades to a bus stop outside of the Catholic Holy Trinity Church were immediately suspended on April 8, when contractors first unearthed human bones.
The skeletal remains were later confirmed to be historic Indigenous bones, that are among a number of unknown mass grave sites across the island dating back to the early 1800s.
The area was known as the Rottnest Island Aboriginal Establishment and used as a prison incarcerating thousands of Aboriginal boys and men in a forced labour camp.
On Friday, the Rottnest Island Authority said further ground-penetrating radar surveying had been conducted on the site, identifying what are likely to be further human remains.
“The GPR survey has identified a further 12 potential burial-like anomalies at the location, but additional archaeological investigation is required before the burial sites are confirmed,” a spokesperson said.
It is estimated 3700 Aboriginal men and boys were imprisoned on the island. It is not known how many died but the number is believed to be in the hundreds.
Tourism Minister Reece Whitby wasn’t sure whether construction works would ever resume and any next steps would be taken carefully alongside Indigenous elders.
“We’re all aware of the history of Rottnest in terms of incarceration and deaths on the island of many Indigenous people,” he said.
“I think it’s very highly likely we’ll have to change our intentions in terms of the work that was proceeding there. We always take a very cautionary approach to ground disturbances.”
Mr Whitby acknowledged the distress caused to the Indigenous community.
“We immediately stopped operations there, the work has been cancelled and the area fenced off out of out of respect,” he said.
“We are carefully working through this.”
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