An hour by ferry or boat from Perth is the much loved island of Rottnest. “Rotto” is a favourite with locals for a relaxed beach holiday to be enjoyed with plenty of time barefoot in the white sands. There are plenty of gorgeous bays and beaches with crystal clear waters of aqua blue. The available accommodation reflect this relaxed vibe and at dusk there are plenty of the local marsupial, the quokka wandering around, grazing for food.
After experiencing Rottnest a number of different ways, the best way, is to find a friend with a boat who is familiar with the island! Even better if your friend knows how to get hold of the plentiful local crayfish (lobster) in the waters around Rottnest!
In a boat, we could visit the beautiful Parker Point for a swim in these clear aqua (albeit cold) waters. A spot this beautiful is understandably popular. Note how many other boats we had to weave through to get to a clear spot to anchor!
To get around the island, the best way is by bicycle. As there are no private cars on the island, cycling is very safe. Pinky Beach is a short ride from the town settlement. At Pinky Beach, there is a fancy beach resort with many glamping tents set up. This looks like a lovely fun stay except for the eye-watering price tag! It costs between $300 to $800AUD per night to stay in these glamping tents! At these prices, this is out of reach of many who would like to escape the rat race for a few restful days by the beach!
A little bit further westwards from Geordie Bay is the Little Parakeet Bay. On the day we visited it was overcast and crowded. (Crowded by Australia’s standard but we do have the extreme privilege of having vast amounts of stunning coastlines and much of it quite uncrowded.) The water on this day at Little Parakeet Bay was getting quite choppy and there were potentially dangerous rocks hiding underwater.
Due to the restrictions to interstate and overseas travel, Rottnest is currently extremely busy. The local bakery and pub are crowded and available accommodation is scarce. Despite this, Rottnest remains a place of stunning natural beauty. Unfortunately, the biggest downside is the price. Accounting for the cost of accommodation, ferry, bike hire and food, it’s not an affordable place for a middle income family to have a holiday.