Garden Island lies off the WA coast, much as Rottenst Island and Penguin Island do - all are limestone based with a sandy top surface, and were once connected to the mainland. In the past this Island was accessible to the public of Perth. However, access has been gradually reduced over the years by the development of the Island as the Naval Base for Western Australia. Several years ago the public was still able to visit during the day, however access was eventually ceased completely. Now, it is a rare occassion that the Base is ''open to the public'' for a demonstration or special event. Unfortunately, in my opinion a great resource for the WA public (as Rottenst is) has been claimed by the government. The island has had a history of military use, with gun batteries being established during WWII but was also a place for holiday homes after WWI. After ongoing use, such as for special forces training, the island became available for holiday homes again. However, now it has no such purpose! The advantage of restricting public access has been the work the navy has done to preserve the natural environment and it is one place where several threatended species are able to live in relative safety. This is an informational review only - except for my 'opininon' above!