Rotto on Two Wheels: How To Explore Rottnest Island By Bike

I’ve been to Greek, Thai and Indonesian islands, but Rottnest Island may be a serious contender for my favourite island in the world. Affectionately named “Rotto” by locals, this slice of paradise off the coast of Western Australia is home to beautiful bays, a pink lake and the elusive quokka, an adorable marsupial who calls the island home.

The best thing about Rottnest Island, though, is how bike-friendly it is. Cycling on Rottnest Island was the absolute highlight of my 2 weeks in Western Australia and I recommend it even to those who have little cycling experience.

There are more than 22km of bicycle trails on Rottnest Island, all of which take in the unique beauty of the surroundings, winding through grassy headlands, past incredible ocean vistas, colourful salt lakes and an array of birds and wildlife. Here’s the lowdown on how to explore Rottnest Island by bike!

How to get to Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island is only about 18km off the Perth coastline in Western Australia, making it perfect for a day trip from Perth or Fremantle.

Three different ferry companies service Rottnest Island — Rottnest Express, Sealink and Rottnest Fast Ferries — and there are multiple departures per day from Fremantle, Perth and Hillarys. I’d advise checking out the three companies and their website to find a time and port that’s best for you.

We personally booked a return ferry from Fremantle B Shed terminal, and the journey took roughly 45 minutes each way.

You can bring your own bike on the Rottnest ferry for an additional $15, but if so, be aware that it will be thoroughly sprayed with seawater. Be sure to wash it down properly afterwards — bike shops get a lot of business from damage caused by seawater.

For convenience, you could also book this Rottnest ferry and bike hire package through Viator. You can choose to take the return ferry from either Perth or Fremantle, and will be given your hire bikes on arrival at Rottnest, so you’ll be good to head off and explore right away.

Hiring bikes on Rottnest Island

When you disembark the ferry onto Rottnest Island, you’ll find yourself in ‘Thomson Bay Settlement,’ which is the only village on the island. Here, you’ll find shops, cafes and a bar or two, as well as the bike hire station, Pedal and Flipper.

Bike hire on Rottnest costs $30 per adult per day, $20 per child per day and $71 to hire an electric bike for the day.

The bike rentals include a helmet and chain to lock it up with, and also a baby seat if required. Note that there is a $5 holiday surcharge per bike during the peak travel period of December – January.

If you’re not sure about spending the whole time cycling, ask the Pedal and Flipper team about their bus and bike package. You can cycle as far as you like and once you’ve had enough, you can leave your bike in one of the racks around the island and take a bus back to Thomson Bay Settlement!

You can book your bike hire in advance to skip the queues on the day.

How long does it take to cycle around Rottnest Island?

Rottnest Island is very well set up for cyclists, with excellent paved roads, good signposting and fairly flat topography. There are also no cars on the island, aside from a limited number of commercial vehicles and a tourist bus. With this in mind, it’s completely feasible to cover the whole island in a day.

With 22km of bicycle trails, cycling around Rottnest Island should take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours, depending on how many stops you make.

Northern Rottnest

If you are visiting Rottnest for a day trip and anticipate spending lots of time swimming and snorkelling at the many bays, I would recommend the following short cycle loop around the northern part of the island.

Starting from Thomson Bay Settlement, follow the road to the Basin, Longreach Bay, Parakeet Bay, around Lake Baghdad and the Pink Lake, and back towards the Settlement via Lake Herschel. This loop is a feast for the eyes and hits some of the island’s most beautiful bays, as well as the many lakes of Rottnest. The lakes have a pink hue thanks to the algae and minerals present in the water and are simply mesmerising.

Southern Rottnest

The spectacular southern part of the island is home to beaches such as Henrietta Rocks, Porpoise Bay, Parker Point and Little Salmon Bay. Many of these bays are perfect for swimming and snorkelling, so be sure to bring your swimsuit and snorkelling gear.

I also recommend including a visit to Wadjemup Lighthouse; the road up to where the lighthouse sits is a little steep, but it’s worth the climb for the great views over the island.

The West End

If you want to get away from the busier bays, and are up for a longer ride, you’ll want to head towards the West End of the island. Some parts of the West End are only accessible by bike, so you’ll be sure to find some real hidden gems.

As you head through the ‘Narrow Neck’ of the island towards the West End, you’ll notice the landscape starting to look a little more rugged and wild. It’s a stark contrast from the east side of the island, where the Perth skyline looms and tourists numbers swell in the summer months. Here on the west side, you’ll be treated to uninterrupted views across the ocean, as the next landmass, Mauritius, is almost 4,000 miles away across the Indian Ocean.

For those who make it to this part of the island, there are viewing platforms at Cathedral Rocks and Cape Vlamingh, from where you might spot fur seals, sea lions, Bottlenose dolphins and even (from August to November) migrating Humpback whales.

Don’t forget to stop for a quokka selfie!

This wouldn’t be a Rottnest Island blog post without mentioning the quokkas! If you don’t know what a quokka is, it’s a rodent-like marsupial native to the island. These little critters are absolutely everywhere and resemble a rat/kangaroo hybrid. They’re actually the reason the island has its name — a Dutch explorer who navigated to the island thought they were giant rats and named the island “Rotte Nest” in their honour.

They don’t seem to be afraid of humans and are pretty inquisitive so it’s easy enough to find them. Just be sure to remain alert and don’t cycle off the road.

The ‘quokka selfie’ trend has arisen in recent years, after tourists noticed that if you can get a selfie with a quokka at the perfect angle, he looks like he’s smiling into the camera!

Rottnest Island is highly encouraging of the quokka selfie phenomenon and even provides tips on how to get the best quokka selfie. That being said, you’re not allowed to feed or touch the quokkas, so be sure to admire them from a distance and use a selfie stick to get your picture.

Suggested reading: How to be a responsible wildlife tourist

It’s no wonder that quokkas are known as the world’s happiest animals — they live on the beautiful Rottnest Island, after all!

Rottnest Island essentials

Want to cycle around Rottest Island yourself? Here’s what you need to know about visiting.

Where: Rottnest Island is located 18km off the coastline of Western Australia, and makes an excellent day trip from Perth or Fremantle.

When: Rottnest Island is pleasant year-round, but October to April has the warmest temperature and lowest rainfall.

How: Three ferry companies service Rottnest Island: Rottnest Express, Sealink and Rottnest Fast Ferries. There are multiple departures per day from Fremantle, Perth and Hillarys. Alternatively, you can book a ferry and bike hire package to make things simpler.

Thank you for reading! If you found this post useful, I’d be grateful if you would consider using the affiliate links below when planning your travels. I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This will help me to keep this blog running. Thanks for your support — Lauren.

Accommodation – Booking.com
Flights – Booking.com
Travel insurance – World Nomads
Excursions & tours – Viator
Outdoor gear – Decathlon
eSIMs – Airalo

Alternatively, you could buy me a coffee to say thanks!