Lynne's Travels : Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island

Situated just a few miles off the coast of Fremantle and Perth lies Rottnest Island, with picturesque scenery, some of the finest bays and beaches in the world and unique, adorable wildlife. To local Aboriginal people the island is known as Wadjemup (meaning 'place of spirits') and items have been discovered on the island showing it was inhabited over 6000 years ago. After the Swan Valley Colony was established in 1829 Europeans began living on Rottnest Island and today it is a beautiful relaxed tourist destination with so much to offer.

You can get to Rottnest from 3 separate locations; Fremantle Boat shed, (takes 25 minutes) Perth Ferry Terminal (takes 90 minutes) or Hillary's harbour (takes 45 minutes) - which was where I chose to travel from. The boats leave early in the morning - returning about 4:30pm - giving you a full day to explore or to just relax on the island.

There is always something interesting to see on the crossing, whether is is the cityscape in the background, beautiful beaches along the coastline or the quaintness of the island as you approach.

Rottnest is famous as being home to the Quokka, a small marsupial; who although there are a few other colonies in Australia - the greatest numbers are found only on this island. In 1696 when the first European set foot on the island, it was called 'Rotte nest', meaning Rat's nest - because of the numbers of Quokkas there. How sad that they were described as rats; they are small wallabies lovingly known as pint-sized kangaroos. Today they are one of the most selfie-photographed animals in the world.

You must remember that Quokkas are free to roam around the island, and although they are friendly little creatures - you aren't allowed to feed them, touch them or harm them in any way.

At the end of the main jetty you will find the Visitor Centre which is open every day from 7:30am; where you can get information on sight seeing tours, walking trails, bus services, accommodation and numerous other activities - here are just a few :-

www.skydivegeronimo.com.au

www.swanriverseaplanes.com.au

www.segwaytourswa.com.au

www.whalewatchingwesternaustralia.com

www.adamspinnacletours.com.au

It is a car-free island, and most visitors get around by bicycle - hiring them on the mainland and bringing them over on the ferry. But there are other ways of seeing the island. You can take a 90 minute guided bus tour with detailed commentary which can also include Oliver Hill WW2 Guns and Tunnel Tour. There are 5 specific walking trails around the island, ranging from 5 to 10 kilometres in distance, with interpretive signs and sculptures. Or you can buy a ticket for the Hop On Hop Off bus - which is what I decided to do.

The bus stop is quite central - just behind the Visitor Centre area, and you can buy your tickets online beforehand (with your ferry ticket), at the kiosk or on the bus itself. The Adult price is $20 and for a child or concession it is $15 - which is valid for the entire day. What an fabulous way to see the island - if you don't fancy doing it by bike. The buses run every 15 minutes - I was so impressed, they were very punctual and I hardly wasted any time waiting for the next one to come along.

I decided to see as much of the island as possible before lunchtime, so I worked out an itinerary that would utilise my time. The first stop was picturesque Parker Point - the photographs will speak for themselves! The view from up on the cliff was breath-taking - the sea was so calm, clear and colourful. There are several bus stops in close proximity to here, so I was able to walk between them - taking in the view.

The crystal clear water is a marine sanctuary - perfect for snorkelling; and the white sandy beaches are so enticing............you just have to go for a paddle or a swim if you have the time. If you don't take your own equipment, you can hire snorkel sets, paddle boards and other beach requirements.

As well as spectacular scenery, look out for Rottnest's resident raptors - the Nankeen Kestrel and the Osprey (there are just over 14 known nesting sites around the island) and if you are lucky, you may see them dive into the ocean in search of their next meal.

In the distance, around Salmon Bay, is Wadjemup Lighthouse - which was my next stop.

This is one of two lighthouses on the island - Wadjemup being the tallest, most prominent one that can be seen from the mainland on a clear day. It took 9 years to build and was completed in 1851 - although it is completely modernised now; still assisting ships navigate through these waters.

Guided tours of the lighthouse are given several times each day, but if you don't fancy climbing all those stairs - the view of the island is still really good from the base.

Three of the walking trails start or end here - a good beacon to head for!

Back on the bus, the next stop was the furthest one from the ferry - Cape Vlamingh and the Cathedral Rocks. The bus driver told me it was highly likely seals were about and advised me which way to go. Only a few minutes walk up a sandy track, I came to a wooden platform overlooking the ocean - with a wonderful view of the rocky coastline below.

I was delighted to see numerous New Zealand Fur Seals happily playing in the shallows, quite near to people who were in the water - I don't know who was more inquisitive! They were mesmerising to watch and I could easily have stayed there much longer - but there was still more to see!

Only a short distance away was the West End Boardwalk to Cape Vlamingh - where as well as being a great place to admire the dramatic rugged coastline - if you are lucky, you may spot a pod of bottle nose dolphins or whales playing in surf. The area has an exposed shoreline platform that has been created by the strong waves in this area - making it an interesting geological site.

And can you believe it................although it is in the middle of nowhere - there is somewhere to buy refreshments and enjoy spending some time sitting in a deck chair looking out over the ocean.

Then it was time to catch the bus again, this time travelling along the northern coast of the island, passing bay after bay of pure white sand and turquoise sea.

As well as spectacular views out to sea, inland has picturesque wetlands, with the lighthouse in the distance - which are home to many species of birds. This is somewhere I would definitely like to walk around and explore the next time I visit Rottnest.

I travelled on the bus as far as Geordie Bay, deciding that this was an ideal place for lunch. Geordie's cafe has an extensive menu, places to sit inside or outside, a shop and Art Gallery attached - and is very close to some of the islands most popular beaches - Parakeet Bay, Geordie Bay and Longreach Bay. These are also a favourite mooring place of the hundreds of small boats that visit the island every day, so for me, they weren't the secluded paradise I was expecting.

You couldn't fault the soft sand and the crystal clear water - it was the perfect place to spend an hour or so relaxing. Keep a lookout though, for as well as fish swimming about, you are likely to have a sting ray pass by - I saw several!

From here it is an easy walk back past the golf course to the Thompson Bay Settlement, or you can catch the bus for free from Geordie Bay - back to the main bus stop in Thompson Bay.

There are still more bays and beaches to see (if you haven't seen enough), and as this area is close to where much of the accommodation is - you will find life guards on duty, which is re-assuring for families with young children. I was impressed with how many public conveniences there were on the island and the taps where you could fill your water bottle.

Whilst walking back, it gave me a chance to see some Quokkas in their natural habitat, in the shrubbery under the trees; they are so tame - there is nothing on the island to harm them. They really are the cutest little creatures - who have the art of posing for tourists off to a fine art!

It won't be long before you arrive back at Thompson Bay Settlement, the hub of the island, where you will find everything you need. There is a bakery, several boutique stores, different types of places where you can eat, drink and get ice cream. You are not allowed to ride your bike in this entire area (you can only walk with it), so many are parked up - you have to remember which is yours!

For those interested in history and the heritage of the island, there is the Museum in the Old Mill, the ex-convict John Lomas's Cottage, Rottnest Chapel, the Pilot Boathouse and the Salt Store - where salt was dried out and transported to the mainland - for many years it was the only source of salt in WA.

There are several quality places to enjoy a drink or meal, with a wonderful waterfront locations, such as Thomsons, Pinky's Beach club and Hotel Rottnest which is the place to be for entertainment, concerts and other events. To appreciate some of those, you have to stay overnight - now that is something worth asking the Tourist Information Centre to help me with next time :)

It was the perfect place to spend the last hour of my day before catching the ferry back to the mainland. And if all of that wasn't enough - there is Rottnest Movies, the Golf Club, a Family Fun Park, Karma Day Spa, countless cruises and tours and the Settlement Railway - a scenic ride up Oliver Hill. One day is never enough on Rottnest Island.