Rottnest Island is an island on the west coast of Australia. This is located near the Australian capital Perth. This island became famous for its small inhabitants, the quokkas. These are mini kangaroos that are certainly the funniest thing holidaymakers have seen so far.
The best time to visit Rottnest Island
To find out the best time of year for a holiday on Rottnest Island, it is a good idea to follow the recommendations for Western Australia. The Australian spring and the summer months, which are the same as the local months of September to March, are particularly suitable for this.
At Christmas and New Year’s Day, there is a significantly increased ferry service due to the holiday season. You should take this into account when planning your vacation and postpone your plans to the surrounding months.
Journey
Rottnest Island can be reached by ferry through connections to Perth and Fremantle. The journey time to the island is about 30 minutes due to the short distance to the mainland to Fremantle with the Rottnest Express (approx. 19 kilometres) (departure point B Shed Victoria Quay in Fremantle approx. 35 minutes).
From the Hillarys Ferry Terminal in Perth, the crossing takes about 45 minutes.
Sights on Rottnest Island
There are two well-known lighthouses on the island. These are the Wadjemup Lighthouse and the Bathurst Lighthouse. The Wadjemup Lighthouse was the first lighthouse in Australia to be equipped with a rotating head and dates back to 1849. However, it had to make way for the second lighthouse built on the same site in 1896.
The Bathurst Lighthouse has been in operation since 1900 and is located in the northeastern part of the island. Disasters have already occurred more often at this point, which is why the decision was made to build another lighthouse.
Quokkas – Mini Kangaroos with Googly Eyes
About 10,000 to 12,000 quokkas live on Rottnest Island. These cute animals are about the same size as German domestic cats and belong to the genus of kangaroos. With their brown and cuddly fur, cute teddy ears and oversized button eyes, the cute inhabitants of Rottnest Island are popular subjects for photos. In the meantime, no holidaymaker seems to ask himself why they are also named the “happiest animals in the world”. In each of the many photos, which took social media by storm many years ago, they seem to smile very broadly.
With a little patience, the holidaymakers here also manage to convince the animals to take a selfie. This sounds difficult, but it is actually quite simple. So these little animals are now used to the high level of attention and are no longer shy. Quokkas are curious creatures and sometimes come in front of the cameras of holidaymakers all by themselves.
Thomson Bay Settlement – Capital of Rottnest Island
The capital of Rottnest Island was named after Robert Thomson. He was the first settler to settle on the island in 1829 and from then on managed it himself. Robert Thomson moved to this island with his wife and seven children and founded the Thomson Bay Settlement, which is usually referred to as the Main Settlement. Many of the buildings standing here date back to colonial times and gave the place a historical flair. Over the past decades, many of these buildings have been restored and opened. This includes the Hotel Rottnest, which dates back to 1859 and offers holidaymakers a magnificent view of Thomson Bay.
The climate on Rottnest Island
| Month | Max Temp (°C) | Min Temp (°C) | Precipitation (mm) | Rainy days | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 10 |
| February | 25 | 20 | 20 | 2 | 10 |
| March | 24 | 18 | 30 | 3 | 9 |
| April | 22 | 15 | 40 | 4 | 8 |
| May | 20 | 13 | 90 | 6 | 7 |
| June | 18 | 11 | 120 | 8 | 6 |
| July | 17 | 10 | 130 | 9 | 6 |
| August | 17 | 10 | 120 | 8 | 7 |
| September | 18 | 11 | 80 | 7 | 8 |
| October | 20 | 13 | 40 | 5 | 9 |
| November | 22 | 15 | 30 | 3 | 10 |
| December | 24 | 17 | 20 | 2 | 10 |
