If you take only one day trip/tour while visiting Perth or Fremantle in Western Australia make sure its this one as it has a little bit of everything. Rottnest is a small island in the Indian Ocean just 18Km west of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River. Measuring only nineteen square kilometres it is small enough to explore in a day, add the fact that it has 63 beaches you will be spoilt for choice and may well have many of them to yourself.
The best way to get to Rottnest is by ferry. We chose Rottnest Express’s sailing from the Barrack Street jetty at Elizabeth Quay in Perth. The cost is dependent on which particular package you go for, we included bike hire and this is by far the most popular option. The first part of the journey is a very pleasant and relaxing cruise along the Swan River to Fremantle. A very informative commentary plays as you sail past the local landmarks and refreshments are available if you need them. A brief stop in Fremantle to pick up the remaining passengers and then its off to Rottnest. In all the journey time from Perth is ninety minutes.
Collect your bike as you disembark at the terminal on Rottnest and with the map of the island provided choose your route. There are three rides shown on the map. The blue tour is the shortest at 1.5Km and stays close to the terminal, the green route is 10km is takes you past the beaches closest to the ferry terminal. This is very popular and as a consequence the beaches get very busy. The longest ride follows the orange route and is 22km. making a circuit of the island. Once you have completed the first section which is common with the green route it becomes much quieter and you may find yourselves riding on empty roads for some sections. The roads are very well surfaced and the riding is relatively easy with no real hills but gently rolling in places. The only vehicles on the island are service vehicles and the occasional bus so you won’t have to deal with very much traffic. If cycling is not your thing there is a hop on hop off bus that operates, stopping at 18 key locations it is an alternative, air condidtioned way to see the best of the island.
It is best to ride both the green and orange routes in a clockwise direction around the island so ensuring that you have the prevailing wind at your back most of the way.Dont worry about how busy it is around the ferry terminal and for the first few kilometres The crowds will rapidly thin out after you pass the first few beach stops. You need to carry food and a t least two litres of water with you, especially in the hot summer months. When we did the trip in late February there was a small refreshment van at the west end of the island overlooking Fish Hook Bay but I don’t know opening times and it may well be closed at certain times of the year.
There are a number of good snorkelling spots on the southern side of the island most notably at Porpoise Bay, Parker Point and Little Salmon Bay. It is a very popular activity and these beach areas can get particularly busy. Rottnest Island is particularly well known for its population of Quokkas, a marsupial about the same size as a domestic cat. We saw then at the side of the road near to Salmon Bay but they were also to be seen around the cafés and shops at Thomson Bay. They have a very limitied range and can only be found at a few locations in Western Australia.
The West End of the island is particularly dramatic. A boardwalk has been constructed to help protect the delicate habitats here and it allows you to see some of the wildlife. It is a perfect location for whale and bird watching. Migrating Humpback and Southern Right whales can be seen here in April and again between September and December. Ospreys have nested at Fish Hook Bay for over seventy years though sightings are not always possible. The coastal scenery here is equally dramatic with the powerful ocean crashing through arches and fissures in the cliffs.
Close by are Cathedral Rocks where a viewing platform gives some fantastic views of New Zealand Fur Seals as they bask and swim. They have a habit of resting with their tails sticking out perpendicular to the surface of there water, quite curious.
As you travel back towards the ferry terminal at Thomson Bay there are some particularly nice beaches on the northern side of the island at Little Armstrong Bay and Parakeet Bay. From here the ride back to the ferry terminal is relatively straightforward but make sure you have enough time to catch you allocated sailing back to the city. Refreshments are available at Thompson Bay and there’s nothing ;like an ice cold drink at the end of your mammoth cycle ride.
We booked return sailing at 5pm so we were back in Perth at 6.30, just in time for pre dinner drinks. A great way to end a wonderful day out.