Rottnest Island

Selfie success!

Rottnest Island, or "Rotto," is a car-free natural paradise a short ferry trip from Fremantle (or Perth). The internet showed me stunning turquoise waters meeting brilliant white beaches, reported to be idyllic spots for swimming, snorkeling, and diving. Beyond its beauty, Rotto holds deep cultural significance as the traditional land of the Whadjuk Noongar people, known as Wadjemup. The island also bears historical weight as a former colonial prison for Aboriginal men, a history respectfully remembered today.

Rottnest is also notably to the charming quokka, a small marsupial famous for its friendly demeanor.  Exploring the island can be done by bike, or via a convenient hop-on-hop-off bus. We chose the former which we could rent from our ferry service provider, Sealink (one of many that services Rottnest). The bikes were conveniently handed to you on arrival at the island, complete with helmet and bike lock. 

The early bird catches the worm, or in our case, a sweet discount! Snagging the 7 am ferry to Rottnest with Sealink not only saved us some dollars but also gifted us a crowd-free start to the day. It felt like we had the island to ourselves, sharing the ferry with mostly staff heading to work. As a side note, for those contemplating doing the same thing and to whom caffeine is important, there were no cafes at the wharf that was open before the ferry departed. The coffee machine onboard the Sealink ferry was also temperamental and this morning decided not to work...

We were given sage advice by the ferry staff to stay south of the island on account of the northerly winds that would prevail the whole day. They accurately told us that the waters would be much clearer, and look more blue. We worked our way anti-clockwise around the island, firstly hugging the coast before cutting across inland back to Thompson Bay where the ferry terminal was. By the time we returned to Thompson Bay for lunch, it was full of people including hordes of unruly schoolkids! With steak meat pies and iced tea in hand, we filled our tummies at a more peaceful spot overlooking the water. 

We were told to get there by 0630. Just FYI the ticket office opened right at 0630. This was us at 0623 lol

We did get to see a beautiful sunrise!

Quokka gates!

Dome - lovely quaint cafe

We enjoyed a generous breakfast with a lovely view

With the largest latte I've ever had in my life. At least I got my money's worth!

Beach near Army Jetty

Kingston Barracks

First quokka encounter

Newbie-status selfie game

Parker Point

Salmon Bay

Baymax and Hello Kitty enjoying the ride!

Ah...steak and mushroom pie!

The very rough waters on the northern side!

By the time the 2:30 pm ferry back to Fremantle beckoned, our legs had clocked 14km, our quokka selfie game was strong (thanks to some strategic squatting and commando-crawling), and we'd conquered countless steps to reach stunning beaches and scenic lookouts. But our Fremantle agenda wasn't finished yet!

First, a well-deserved gelato at Chicho, followed by a leisurely stroll along Bather's Beach, leading us to a front-row seat for a spectacular sunset on the Western Coast. Pro-tip: make a reservation for the loungers. Dinner at the beachfront Bather's Beach House, complete with cocktails and an unobstructed view, was the perfect finale to our Fremantle escapade.

Gelato flavours of the month

Banoffee and salted caramel caramel cracker were our flavours of choice

Bather's Beach

Round House

They love Freo!

Bather's Beach House outdoor tables and loungers

Cheers! We were lucky to get absolutely front row loungers

Sunset