Ever Heard of Rottnest Island?

When you travel, do you have a tendency of doing certain things that are more common as a tourist than doing something that is more off the beaten track? When I reflect on my past travels, I can definitely say this was me. In the past, I wouldn’t have thought to hop over to an island off whatever coast I might be visiting, but I think it offers the opportunity to see a part of your travel that is more authentic and unspoiled. Besides, I knew this Australian trip was going to be the most adventurism to date. So in talking with locals, and hearing about Rottnest Island for the first time, that was all I needed to decide to go. 

Rottnest Island, or Wadjemup to the local Noongar people, is 18 km off the coast of Fremantle, and easily accessible by ferry. The ferry was nothing like what I’ve seen at home in Canada.

It looks similar to an yacht, and loaded with bicycles because it is the primary form of transportation on the Island. There are NO cars on Rottnest Island, which is fantastic to me as it is a small island (only 19 sq. km). However, there is a hop on and off Bayseeker Bus that can take people around the island. Bike rentals are available from either the Fremantle side, or once you land on Rottnest Island, and it’s not expensive. I got my bike on the Island side but there wasn’t a great selection to choose from, so maybe that was a mistake. I ended up with the bike below. It wasn’t the most comfortable and it had no gears but you know it is like a car; as long as it gets me from point A to B, I’m happy!

Prior to landing, we could see the shoreline of Rottnest Island. It has marvellous white sandy beaches, and is very low levelled from the water, which makes the biking or walking around less cumbersome. Once we landed, we had a warm welcome from the local native marsupials called Quokkas. They are very cute, and friendly animals that are scattered all over Rottnest Island. They are also the reason for bearing Rottnest its name dating back to the 17th century!

Speaking of history, for my readers who are history buffs, it should be noted that there is a lot of history on Rottnest Island that is a quite fascinating. Part of its history is a military one, and the Island authorities turned the Kingstown Barracks into a hostel, which is where I stayed while on Rottnest Island. It’s on the western shore, right off Phillip Point and Bickley Bay. The barracks is a lovely, spacious accommodation and of course, very affordable.

For myself, after settling into our accommodation for the weekend, I set out on my bike and rode to explore many of the stunning 63 beaches, and the trails around Rottnest Island. Here are a few photos I took along the way.

From riding around the Island, I discovered that Rottnest Island has 5 Marine Sanctuary Zones. Parker Point Sanctuary is one of them. All around the Island, you will see brilliant coloured waters that is warm and with stunning white sand beaches, and boats of plenty!

On Rottnest Island, you basically ride (walk or bus) from point to point. One of the things I loved about the Island was that it wasn’t too hilly. This made biking around fairly easy as the inclines were mild, if at all present. If you wanted to bike, but not necessarily up the inclined parts (such as where lighthouses were), you can always dismount and walk up to where they are around the Island. In the photo below, biking to the white lighthouse seen in the distance was a typical task I did from point to point.

Aside from biking, I would park myself at a beach to do some snorkelling (the gear can be rented on the Island). The Indian Ocean is quite warm, and with all of the marine life, I was in awe of the beauty surrounding Rottnest Island. Just take care of the ocean’s coral reefs if you snorkel or scuba dive as it is delicate, and if damaged, it takes a long time to come back. So please respect the ocean environment, this includes not littering!

For a full look at Rottnest Island, including accommodations, what to do, places to eat and drink, etc., please click HERE. For those who use a wheelchair, websites about the Island all recommend you book in advance and advise of the wheelchair requirement during your stay just to ensure your need(s) can be met, as not everything is accessible including some beaches. You can find more information on Rottnest Island’s Disability Access website.

Overall however, for those not in a wheelchair but who have a mobility issue due to age, injury or a medical condition, such as myself, I found the Island to be accessible. Keep in mind there are a few steps you may have to take, or slight inclines going down to some beaches or up to a lighthouse. The Rottnest Island Visitor Centre is a valuable resource to inquire with if you have any other accessibility related questions.

That’s it for now. I am heading back to the mainland and heading south down along Highway 1 and 10. Follow me along my journey on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! I’d love to hear from you, so you can reach me privately or publicly via several options, so until next time, cheers.