If you’re in Perth and looking to escape the city, look no further than Rottnest Island, home to the world’s happiest animal (quokkas) and beautiful beaches.
Famous for its white sand beaches, crystal blue waters and friendly quokkas, visiting Rottnest Island is one of the most popular things to do in Western Australia. I’ve been to Rottnest Island twice and absolutely loved it both times.
Whether you’re planning a day trip or an overnight stay, this guide covers everything you need to know before you go.
Location
Rottnest Island, known as Wadjemup in the language of the Traditional Owners, (the Whadjuk Noongar people), is located approximately 19km from Perth, Western Australia. Rottnest is easily accessible for a day trip or overnight stay. It feels worlds away from the city life of Perth despite only being a short ferry ride away.
Getting there
You can get to Rottnest Island by getting the ferry from the mainland. All ferries are foot passenger and bike only, no cars. There are multiple ferry operators departing from different points around the city including the city centre itself, North Fremantle to the south of the city (Rous Head), Fremantle (Victoria Quay) and Hillarys Boat Harbour north of the city.
The journey time can vary from 25-45 minutes, depending on the departure point. On one of my visits I got the ferry from the city which was convenient, however it took longer due to the slower speed required through the Swan River.
On my second visit I had a shuttle bus pick up from my accommodation to take me to Hillarys Boat Harbour north of Scarborough. This meant a faster ferry crossing, but with a bus journey first, so it depends on your preference.
The approximate journey times are as below:
- Perth city centre: 90 minutes
- Fremantle North: 25 minutes
- Fremantle: 25 minutes
- Hillarys: 45 minutes
Ferries run daily and frequently, and often include package deals with bike or bus tours.
I would recommend booking the ferry in advance since you have to select derparture and return times and dates and the service can become busy at times like weekends and public holidays. Ferry tickets can be booked online through the ferry operator websites:
- SeaLink Ferries depart from Perth city centre and Fremantle: https://www.sealink.com.au/rottnest-island/
- Rottnest Fast Ferries depart from Hillarys https://www.rottnestfastferries.com.au/
- The Rottnest express departs from Perth or Fremantle https://rottnestexpress.com.au/
Most of the ferries have onboard café and bar facilities so you can sit back and enjoy the journey!
What to do on Rottnest Island
There is so much to see and do on the island!
You can explore on foot, by bike or by bus. There are 22km of cycle paths on Rottnest and you can hire bikes to explore. Note, some of the terrain is a little hilly in parts!
If cycling isnt for you, there is a hop on/hop off bus that tours the island that you can use to explore. There are 19 different stops around the island including swimming spots, snorkelling spots, beautiful beaches, the township and the ferry terminal. Tickets can be bought online here https://www.australianpinnacletours.com.au/western-australian-tours/rottnest-island-explorer
There is a protected Marine Park around Rottnest making for some incredible snorkelling, so find a beach, park up and explore the crystal clear waters. You can find a map of all the different beaches on the island map here: https://www.rottnestisland.com/island-map
There is a small township complete with grocery store, cafes, souvenir shop, and a bakery. You will likely find some naughty quokkas hanging around here scavenging food scraps! On the topic of quokkas, you can’t visit Rottnest and not see a quokka! Known as the world’s happiest animal, Rottnest has the biggest population of quokkas in Australia so you will almost certainly see one of the little smiley marsupials.
See if you can get one of the iconic quokka selfies, remembering that quokkas are wild animals and shouldn’t be touched or fed.
Whilst Rottnest is paradise, is does have a darker history that shouldn’t be ignored. It was used as an Aboriginal prison by European settlers from 1838-1902. The Wadjemup museum on the island shares the history and is definitely worth a visit.
Best time of year to visit
Summer (December – February) is typically the most popular time to explore the beautiful beaches. However, you can still enjoy warmer weather and sunny days between September and April. The winter months are also a good time to visit to spot wildlife and avoid the crowds.
Summary
If you’re in Perth and want to see the happiest animal on earth and beautiful beaches, take a visit to Rottnest Island!
Happy exploring!
The Fit Adventurer
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