Travel Facts for Rottnest Island
Ferry and Accommodation Options on Western Australia’s Paradise
Find out the various ways to get to Rottnest Island, located just off the city of Perth, Western Australia, and learn about the various accommodation options available.
Rottnest Island is a small island located just 12 miles (19 kilometres) off the coast of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. For locals, Rottnest Island has long been a favorite weekend getaway or a place to relax for a week or two over summer. Knowing how to get there and where you can stay are the first steps to planning your ultimate stay on Rottnest Island, or “Rotto” as the locals like to call it.
Getting from Perth to Rottnest Island
By far the most common way to reach Rottnest Island is by ferry, which can take as little as half an hour, depending on which port you choose. Each provider offers up to five or six departure times per day, with more in summer.
A large amount of ferry traffic leaves from Perth’s harbor city of Fremantle, south of the main business district and on the coast. Several companies operate ferry routes from Fremantle to Rottnest, including Rottnest Express and Oceanic Cruises. Some of the routes from Fremantle actually begin in Perth proper, where you can board and then cruise down the Swan River to Fremantle, where other passengers will be boarded. The entire trip from Perth via Fremantle takes about an hour and a half.
If you are living or staying north of the city center, it will be easier for you to board a ferry at the Hillarys Boat Harbour. Rottnest Fast Ferries operates the service from Hillarys and the trips usually take around three quarters of an hour.
Where to Stay on Rottnest Island
While some 70% of the visitors to Rottnest Island stay only for the day, the experience is much more worthwhile if you stay at least overnight, if not longer. There is a range of accommodation options at all levels of comfort and price on the island.
The top of the range accommodation can be found at the Rottnest Lodge, which isn’t quite five-star but is still very comfortable for the island, and has excellent dining facilities, too. The Quokka Arms Hotel also offers hotel-level accommodation and is located on the waterfront.
For budget travelers, there is a camping ground at Thompson Bay on the island. It is especially popular and reservations are usually required. There is also the Kingstown Barracks dormitories and the Rottnest Youth Hostel.
If you are planning to stay for a few days or a week or two, then there are many villas and small houses which can be rented through the Rottnest Island accommodation authority. These are furnished and equipped with all the basics, some of them are overlooking the ocean, yet they are still available for reasonable rates. School holiday and summer seasons are always booked out long in advance so make your reservations as early as possible.
