The day trip was booked, leaving on the first ferry over at 7:15am and returning on the last one out at 7:25pm. We would have a massive day exploring the sights, sounds and sun of Rottnest Island, 25km west of Perth.

The trip was to be our first visit to the island, of most certainly the first of many more visits to come. The ferry ride itself to get their was super cheap and easy, so much so I cannot believe we haven’t made the trip sooner! As we arrived in Thompson bay we collected our bikes and headed to the south side of the island, quite conscious of the southerly breeze that will pick up that afternoon. Our first stop was Little Salmon Bay just 3km from our arrival. From the get go this had to be one of the most picturesque parts of the island, a beautiful turquoise lagoon protected from the swell by a huge reef system. It was the perfect place to go for a snorkel with a great protected coral system and huge population of fish and other sea creatures to look for. Though by 10am the crowds had moved and it was time to move on so we jumped on our bikes and headed further west.

It’s about 20km to peddle from one side of the island to the other but it is hard work when carrying about 20kgs of extra gear on your bike, the best addition to our luggage has to be the cheap Sony bluetooth speaker we strapped to our bag, lasted all day getting bashed about and great to sing along to while riding about. Though the island is also surprisingly hilly! every view at the summit made things worth it as we saw miles and miles of beautiful untouched paradise.

The west side of the island is a little further afield for the average traveler but is well worth it for being quite wild and far less populated. Being a previous military outpost their are a tonne of abandon buildings and military sites to explore as well as some great rugged coastline to see and experience. The best side of this part of the island is the wildlife experience, on any day we got to see quokkas of course, huge osprey birds soaring above, lizards and other reptiles as well as a pod of dolphins cruising by. To see nature like this is truly special and really showed how fortunate we are to witness such raw beauty in our own backyard. Along the way we found some great places to come back to including some shipwrecks as well as fish hook bay which would be a great place to snorkel on a calmer day.

By now though we were getting super hungry and struggling energy wise, yes we had to bike around the island at least once in our lives but the idea of taking the air-conditioned bus next time sounds ideal. We survived however and cooled down under a shady tree enjoying some delicious bakery delights.

Our morning had been pretty full so far so the afternoon plan was to slow things down and visit some closer bays including the basin and little Parakeet Bay. The wind had definitely picked up and the northern beaches were a luxury being so protected and provided a great way to capture some great afternoon light and chase the last couple of photos we had in mind.

As the sun went down we enjoyed some fish and chips back in Thompsons Bay reflecting on our scouting trip to Rottnest Island. Yes the day was rushed but now we have a great idea of what the island has to offer and there is an endless amount to explore and come back to. I really encourage anyone to make it over to the island, its very easy and a great escape from the city and all its stresses. I can’t wait to be back and enjoy the sunny, sandy simplistic lifestyle Rottnest has to offer.

Our Scouting Trip To Rottnest Island

Click the link to see the full gallery of Images: Rottnest Island Story