Just 19km off the coast of Fremantle, Wadjemup / Rottnest Island can be seen on the horizon from the mainland of Perth. It is a marine paradise with stunning beaches, turquoise waters and multiple options of hiking/cycling trails and snorkelling spots. Other than that, Rottnest Island is probably more well-known for its super cute, friendly residents: The quokkas!
Rottnest Island Ferry
The main transportation to Rottnest Island is via a ferry ride from the jetties in Fremantle (B shed & Northport) (25 minutes), Hillarys (45 minutes), and Perth (90 minutes). You can book the ferry with one of the three operators: SeaLink (Fremantle & Perth), Rottnest Fast Ferries (Hillarys), and Rottnest Express (Fremantle & Perth).
Most visitors book the same-day return ferry. It is recommended to book the earlier ferry to the island, and the last ferry back to make full use of the day spent on the island. Various types of accommodations on Rottnest Island are available to be booked in advance.
Other transportation options to Rottnest Island are via private boats and chartered scenic flights (Rottnest Air Taxi / Swan River Sea Planes / Corsaire Aviation / Air Charter West).
Beaches & Hiking Tracks On Rottnest Island
There is no lack of scenic beaches and hiking trails to explore on Rottnest Island. At the main area called ‘The Settlement’ next to the ferry landing jetty, I decided to explore the island anti-clockwise.
Pinky Beach: One of the widest and longest stretches of beach on the island.
The Basin: Named after its naturally hollowed out reef in crystal clear water.
A hike up a small lookout point after The Basin.
The main roads are used for walking, cycling (bicycles can be hired), and the island shuttle buses use them (hop on, hop off service; need to be purchased; there are many bus stops around the island).
Off the main roads are many interconnected foot tracks and hiking trails to explore. You could use a trail navigation app, or just simply Google Maps to ease your navigation.
Oliver Hill naval guns emplacement.
Quokka!!
Famed for being the ‘Quokka Island’, there is no difficulty to spot a bunch of quokkas on Rottnest Island. When I first arrived on the island at ‘The Settlement’ where the shops and facilities are, right away I saw many quokkas wandering around the people!
Please enjoy the quokka galore below:
This is how quokkas sleep.
Special appearance: Cappi the capybara.
Not quokka
Baby quokka in mama’s pouch!
Please keep in mind that while these quokkas are used to human presence, they are wild and protected animals. It is illegal to touch or feed them. Any interactions should be on the quokka’s terms. This bold cheeky quokka decided on its own to climb onto my lap when I was sitting on a bench. Still, I am not allowed to pet it even if it approached and climbed on me.
Another cheeky quokka who surprise-jumped onto me and climbed over my shoulder when I was sitting on the ground waiting for my evening return ferry.
*Captain Planet passing by* Remember, please take care of our environment, and please don’t destroy the Nature. Leave no trash behind and take back only photos and memories (and also some trash if you can). Walk on the designated path and stay in the middle as much as you can, so that the exposed soil doesn’t spread/corrode further. BE ONE WITH NATURE *flies away*
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