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Revitalization, filmmaking breathe new life into historical Onrust Island
Onrust is one of four islands in Thousand Islands regency that have been acknowledged as sites of cultural heritage .
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Windmill monument on Onrust Island in the Thousand Islands regency. (kompas.com/Rifqi Aufal Sutisna)
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evitalization and film shooting are some of the efforts to put Onrust Island in Thousand Islands regency in the spotlight to attract tourists.
City planners are hoping to draw more visitors to the uninhabited island by revitalizing long-abandoned buildings, and a group of filmmakers has been shooting a move there to promote the island.
In a discussion at the Maritime Museum on Tuesday, the museum’s implementation unit head, Agus Ariyanto, said the city had been working to preserve remnants of the colonial era.
The discussion, which was attended by high-school students, was held to commemorate National Museum Day, which falls on Oct. 12 every year.
“We’re now revamping a doctors’ boarding house there. The building is no longer used. The [entire] island is [deserted]. But we should still work hard to preserve what’s left from history and also to ensure safety for visitors,” he said.
According to a report published by Jakarta-based community Ngojak titled Onrust: Pulau Kecil dengan Sejarah Besar (Onrust: Tiny Island with Huge History), the island’s history dates back to the 17th century. Onrust means “restless” in Dutch.
The island was used as the Dutch East India Company’s (VOC) shipyard in 1613. A fortress and some housings, including a Dutch graveyard, were built throughout their occupation.
