Rottnest Escape
Duration: 1 Day
Rottnest Island, or 'Rotto' as it is affectionately known by Western Australians, is a small island situated just off the coast of Perth famous for its snorkelling, diving, surfing and swimming.
As a popular destination for locals and visitors, Rottnest Island has some of the world's finest beaches and crystal clear bays.
It is great to spend a few days at Rottnest, but you can still have a great time visiting for a day. It won't take you long to settle into Rottnest Island's relaxed pace.
This easy-paced itinerary takes in just half of the island, but can easily be extended to include other spots.
Day 1: Rottnest Island
A short high-speed ferry trip from Perth, Fremantle or Hillarys will see you land at the island.
Your first stop should be the Rottnest Island Visitor Centre. Here you can stock up on maps, information on every aspect of the Island's environment, history, services and attractions.
"Rotto" is a vehicle free zone. There are no private vehicles permitted on the island, and the most popular means of getting from A to B, and back again, is by bicycle. At just a little over 11 kilometres long and four and a half kilometres wide, the island is easy to circumnavigate on two wheels.
If you haven't bought your bike over with you, hire a bike at the nearby Rottnest Island Bike Hire and head off through the centre of the Island to Oliver Hill, stopping at Little Salmon Bay along the way.
At Oliver Hill take a one hour walking tour of the guns and tunnel system. These were put in place to protect Perth from seaborne intruders in the earlier part of the century, but have yet to be fired in anger.
Other walks include tours to the salt lakes and lighthouse, as well as the popular 'quokka walk'.
Rottnest wouldn't be Rottnest without the quokkas, the small marsupials which inhabit the island and were the inspiration for the island's name.
If you're not up for the tour, just stop to take in the magnificent views and enjoy your picnic lunch.
Another bit of cycling and it'll be time for a swim. Cycle north along Pink Lake Road, turn right to Geordie Bay and then start heading back along the North road toward the Main Settlement.
Little Parakeet Bay is the perfect spot for a secluded swim or snorkel, and you can ride to the Geordie Bay Store afterwards for the ultimate reward - an ice cream and a cold drink!
Once back at the Main Settlement, make your way to the bike hire shop to offload your transport.
Stop off at the newly refurbished Rottnest Hotel (aka Quokka Arms) for a drink before heading to the jetty for the late afternoon ferry back to Perth, Fremantle or Hillarys.
For more information visit the Rottnest Island Authority website.
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