y. A Frenchman by the name of Henri Courderot was the heliograph operator and was paid $10 per year to operate the service once a day weather permitting.
A single circuit submarine communications cable was laid from Cottesloe in 1900, after which the heliograph service was discontinued. This was replaced with a larger cable in 1935.
Administration
After Rottnest was proclaimed as an A-class Reserve in 1917, management was vested in the "Rottnest Board of Control" which continued until 1956.
Between 1956 and 1988 it was changed to the "Board of Management". During this time the managing instrumentality was informally and generally referred to as the "Rottnest Island Board" (RIB). Des Sullivan was the administrator from 1959 to 1984.
In 1988 the current "Rottnest Island Authority" commenced operations
