Wondering what to see on Rottnest Island in winter, when you’re definitely not packing a swimsuit? In the summertime, people flock to this island to slip into the water at one of its more than sixty idyllic beaches. But this car-free island off the coast of Perth feels very different in the winter. The wilder, emptier side of Rottnest Island (Wadjemup in the Noongar language) makes it an incredible place to visit in the off season.
Quokka Encounters
The other main draw of Rottnest is the quokka, a Western Australian marsupial about the size of a cat. The ferry sign says it all.
Fewer than 20,000 quokkas remain in the wild, and around 10,000 of those (give or take 2,000) live on Rottnest Island. So if you want to see one of these super-cute creatures, this is the best place to do it.
From a wildlife-viewing perspective, quokkas are remarkably easy to find and relatively fearless of the humans who gather in hordes around them. But I like that this one looked particularly protective of its leaf.
You’re most likely to encounter quokkas early in the morning and later in the afternoon (we spent an entire midday bike ride wondering, “where are the quokkas,” only to realize we’d been searching for them at the wrong time). Nocturnal foragers, they snack on leaves and shrubs when the sun is either low in the sky or gone altogether.
If you really want to see quokkas in the winter, wander around the main town of Thomson Bay any time after 3:30 or so. You won’t have to go too far. And if you’re lucky, you’ll see a mom with her joey!
Fun fact: A Dutch sea captain named the island ‘t Eylandt ‘t Rottenest — or “Rats’ Nest Island” — because he thought the quokkas looked like giant rats. And not to take away from the cuteness bit, but when they’re all wet, you can see where he was coming from.
Exploring Rottnest by Bike
I was all about the quokkas when we booked our ferry tickets, but just a few minutes out on our bikes made me realize that this experience was going to be the main attraction. Rottnest is a getting away, wind in your hair (and everywhere) kind of place, and you’ll only truly feel that when you’re zipping down a hill with no cars in sight.
A bike makes it possible to see the whole island. And if you want to stop — why is this tree blue? — then you just need to put on the brakes.
You can stop whenever something catches your eye — including another adorable quokka.
You do have the option of boarding the Quokka Coaches Island Explorer, a hop-on, hop-off shuttle. But the Island Explorer doesn’t travel on every road, and it makes fewer than 20 stops. A bicycle will afford you many more options — and the bonus of this hilarious sign of what might happen if you try to ride over the old railway tracks.
It’s important to note that we opted for the much more efficient, much more expensive electric bike option. Rottnest is hilly and windy, so if you rent conventional bicycles, you may find the biking adventure rather hard going. But we loved everything about our e-Bikes.
We took the road that rings the island in a 22-kilometer south-then-north loop, but there’s no right path to follow. Part of the beauty of being on a bike is that you can head out in any direction you please.
Following the Wild Coastline
Most of Rottnest Island is made of limestone that’s been battered by the sea. The road follows a 35-kilometer craggy coastline interrupted by patches of dunes, fossilized coral reef, and rocky outcroppings (this fascinating website offers a deep dive into Rottnest Island geography if you’d like to go further).
One rugged overlook after another appears as you pedal onwards …
… punctuated by everything from rusty shipwrecks …
… to sculpted limestone headlands …
… to expansive big-sky moments.
… to enticing strips of sand.
Kooranup: The End of the World
The most dramatic spot on the island has to be Kooranup, Rottnest’s West End. Here, powerful Indian Ocean swells smash into the rocks in exciting bursts of spray.
It’s no wonder this is where the Noongar people believe that this is a stop on the way to the home of the dead. Just stand by the rocks, feel the wind roar, and watch the waves — you’ll understand how this could be a fierce and liminal place. Interestingly, the ancient Greeks also believed that the end of the world lay where a remote spit of land hit the sea; for more, read this post.
Of course, the end of the world isn’t all about savagery. Kooranup also offers quiet bays with osprey nests and crested terns sitting out on the rocks …
… and sandy shores that invite you to stop and marvel at the water’s movement.
You’ll find fur seals at Kooranup, too, sitting out on the craziest of rocks: they seem to have chosen the pokiest, hardest-to-access outcroppings for their resting place. But I get it (sort of), because the West End turned out to be one of my favorite places of the day.
A Brief Bit of Rottnest History
It wouldn’t be a trip around the island without a stop at the fourth-tallest lighthouse in Australia.
This is Wadjemup Lighthouse, and the structure you see has been around since 1896 (its predecessor, which stood in the same place, was built in 1849). You can take a tour and head up to see the home of Australia’s first rotating beam as you learn about the island’s maritime history.
If you get lost on your bikes (as we did), you might find yourself pedaling through the Kingstown Barracks, a 1930s military housing complex.
There’s darker colonial history on Rottnest, too: beginning in 1838, and for nearly 100 years thereafter, the island housed a prison and then a forced-labor camp for Aboriginal men and boys. Though it may be hard to believe, the courtyard rooms of the upscale Rottnest Lodge are located in the renovated rooms of the boys’ reformatory, where Aboriginal and other boys were sent to learn practical skills like carpentry, joinery, and gardening. For more on efforts to promote healing around this historical incarceration, you can read about the Wadjemup Project.
In 1917, the Western Australian government declared Rottnest a preserve for public recreation, shifting the island toward tourism. Local promoters even developed a promotional film called A Trip to Rottnest.
This Brings Us to the Beaches
Since then, people have converged on the island for its sandy beaches. It’s well worth visiting them in winter, even if you don’t get in the water.
Of course, it’s worth dipping your toes in just to see what it might feel like … but that will remind you why you’re still wearing your windbreaker.
Views From the Ferry
I’m a sucker for a ferry ride. Since we could sit outside in both directions, I thought this one was a blast. Even in the chilly morning wind under low gray skies, I was happy to say goodbye to the mainland and prepare to meet my first quokka.
The ferry runs up and down the Swan River, so you’re treated to views of the Perth skyline, the suburbs, and the boats and cranes that mark the Fremantle harbor as a working port.
And if you’re out on a day trip and returning in the evening, you may be able to take in a beautiful sunset to end your day.
Visiting Rottnest in Winter: A Few Notes
- Book your ferry tickets (we used Rottnest Fast Ferries) and bicycles in advance.
- Rent a lock and a basket for your stuff — it’s worth it.
- Dress in layers. We experienced wind, rain, and sun all in one day.
- Bring a water bottle, snacks, and sunscreen (and binoculars if you want to see the seals).
If you’ll be exploring Perth, make sure to visit the Western Australian Botanical Garden in Kings Park.
