The Caves of Penguin Island.

Located around 660m off the coast of Shoalwater in Western Australia, is an island that is home to a colony of around 250 Little Penguins/Fairy Penguins. This is only part of the incredible story of how it came to be what it is today!

Paul Seaforth McKenzie was a mining engineer from New Zealand who left for work one day and didn’t return home as he usually would.

Instead, McKenzie spent four years, from 1914 to 1918, squatting on Penguin Island, presumably dreaming up his grand plans to turn it into a holiday resort.

In 1918 he was granted a lease from the Government and spent the next eight years turning his dream into reality.

He created the Caves of Penguin Island with hand tools and explosives, forming accomodation, a general store, a library, and a grand ballroom. Each with fancy names such as Manor Hall, Fairhaven and Tudor Hall. He even built his very own ‘mansion’ from timber and iron, but this would be closer to a shack in reality than an actual mansion.

Rock slabs formed beds and he carved shelving and fireplaces into the walls. Guests to the island were invited to listen to poetry readings in the library by lamp light. One day, in the Grand Ballroom, he held a ceremony where he crowned himself the King of Penguin Island. From then on he referred to himself as the Governor or King. 

In 1926 when his lease was not renewed any further, he returned home to New Zealand to his wife and children claiming that he had suddenly remembered his family after being missing for 45 years! 

Although visitors are not permitted to stay on Penguin Island overnight, the vision to turn it into a tourist destination lives on, with the island remaining mostly untouched and still incredibly breathtaking. The caves that were created by the King of Penguin Island remain, and while guests to the island are not allowed to enter them, they are still an amazing sight to behold!

Before you plan on heading on your next adventure, be sure to check out the amazing stuff over at Adventure Awaits, they have everything you can think of and more, to make your trip a million times easier and more fun! - https://www.adventureawaits.com.au/?ref=FollowingTheLeeders

Blueberry and Co have some ah-mazing memory books if, like me, you like to document your adventures! Just head to https://www.blueberryco.com.au/?aff=33 and fall in love!

(Disclaimer- by using either of the links above and making any purchases I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you!) 

Until next time, 

Roxy xoxo