Freewheeling through flurries of lilac-blue daisies to vanilla-cream beaches and aquamarine bays. Climbing powder-soft dune crests and raw, rugged headlands. Chasing internet-winning island vistas and coming face-to-face with the world’s happiest animal, the ever-smiling quokka.
Inspired by Laura the Explorer’s Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) adventures, cycling and snorkelling across this island dreamscape became a feature of Western Australia’s Walking On A Dream campaign, leaving stars Nelson and Angelica breathless long after the short ferry ride back to Perth (Boorloo).
Feature by Jo Baker
Perth-born Laura Holmes runs full-day cycling tours on the almost entirely car-free A-Class reserve, scaling every wild and hidden nook of Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) to some of the best snorkelling spots, magical wildlife encounters and iconic photo opportunities.
“On the full-day tour, we cycle 10 to 15 kilometres around the island, stopping at many beautiful bays for a snorkel. And, of course, we snap that quokka selfie,” says Laura.
“I'm really passionate about bringing that locals’ experience. I see a lot of people cycling and getting lost, so I've designed this tour so they can’t get lost and can enjoy a beautiful day. And when they snap that iconic photo they all dream of, that's my favourite moment of the tour.”
Laura The Explorer Cycling Tours on set with Western Australia
For Walking On A Dream, inspiration flowed from Laura the Explorer’s Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) tour, an island-wide journey that shaped the experience filmed with Angelica Blazeska and Nelson Baker, cycling between breathtaking beaches where every stop revealed a new mood and a different shade of vivid blue.
The first stretch is a gentle pedal through the settlement in the aromatic shade of peppermint trees, before it opens out to coastal scrub and reveals the glittering south side of the island.
“Seeing these beautiful turquoise colours of the ocean is absolutely where it's at,” smiles Laura.
Laura Holmes aka Laura the Explorer
Over rugged headlands and rising dunes, adventure carried the crew to Parker Point, Salmon Bay and into the intimate embrace of Little Salmon Bay where guests generally slip beneath crystal-clear, calm waters to snorkel marine gardens alive with colour and movement.
Crossing the island’s interior, shared laughter was the only sound to ripple across salt lakes and quiet wetlands during filming. On the northern beaches, the pace softened again, eyes scanning the horizon along the Humpback Highway for any possible giants gliding past offshore.
Throughout the Noongar seasons of Djilba and Kambarang (September to November), as many as 30,000 gentle giants stop by the island on the Southern Hemisphere’s largest whale migration.
Quokka on Rottnest Island
“But my favourite animal over here on Rottnest is absolutely the adorable quokka,” says Laura, who makes several impromptu stops on tours to coo at the island’s friendliest fuzzy locals.
“At this time of year, quokka babies are venturing from mumma’s pouch, full of unbridled curiosity with little faces beaming.”
As well as the best spots to snap a quokka photo, Laura knows where to stop and drink in the most spectacular ocean vistas above Rottnest’s (Wadjemup) 63 sublime beaches and 20 bays. And she’s convinced those views might just be the secret behind that famous quokka smile.
Salmon Bay, Rottnest Island
“The ocean from above. Those beautiful colours. It brings that wow factor for a lot of visitors when they arrive over here. They bring a lot of joy and happiness,” smiles Laura.
Published in February 2026.