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Wadjemup, also known as Rottnest Island in Western Australia, is known for its wild ocean scenery, crystal clear waters, surrounding dive sites, and its population of adorable quokkas – but it’s also car-free, which means the only way to get around Rottnest Island is by bike.
Cycling Rottnest Island is the best way to explore the island, whether cars are allowed or not.
The island is only 11 kilometres long and 4.5 kilometres wide, with an elevation of 46 metres across the whole island – so it’s easy enough to cycle around in one day.
If you’re planning a bike ride around Rottnest Island but not sure how to do it, where to get bikes from, or what to see, this guide is for you!
Getting to Wadjemup (Rottnest Island)
It’s easy to get to Rottnest Island. First, you need to catch the Rottnest Express ferry from one of the departure points from Perth’s city centre – Fremantle Port or Hillarys Boat Harbour.
The journey is 30-minutes from Fremantle and 45-minutes from Hillarys, barely a difference.
The ferry drops you off at the pier by the main settlement on the island within Thomson Bay. At the end of the pier, you will find the Visitor’s Centre where you can pick up an island map and information about the island.
Then, it’s time to get kitted out.
Where To Get Bike Rentals
You can get your bike hire from the main settlement on Rottnest Island, a short walk from the visitor’s centre.
Head to Pedal & Flipper Hire, who have a huge variety of bikes for hire. You can choose between standard step-through bikes, cross-bar bikes, electric bikes, and they also have children’s bikes.
They also have baby seats, trailers, and other mobility assistance equipment for hire.
All hires come with helmets and bike locks. Click here to reserve your bike hire in advance.
The Rottnest Island Cycle Trail Itinerary
The best thing about Rottnest Island is it’s so small you can see it all in one day, and explore at your own pace.
However, it does require a little bit of planning to make sure you don’t cycle past all the attractions and sites. Here is a map of the route you can follow. At the end of this guide, we have a more detailed map with the attractions marked.
Cyclists – be aware of pedestrians, as not everyone chooses to cycle!
Rottnest Bakery
Before you set off on your cycling adventure, head to the Rottnest Bakery to pick up some cakes and sweet treats to take as a snack with you.
You may also want a little sugar to settle your sea legs after the crossing.
But the bakery is not only worth visiting for its delicious baked goods, but’s also where you can meet the local wildlife – specifically, the quokka!
Quokkas are a really cute marsupial which are native to Australia. Sadly, their numbers are dwindling and they are endangered.
Rottnest Island is the place to go to see them in the wild, as there are estimated to be 10,000 of them on the island.
They love to hop around on the grass outside the bakery, but if you don’t see them there, don’t worry, you will see them later on!
Stop 1: Henrietta Rocks
Our visit to the Rotto was short, and since the sun was shining when we woke, we decided it best we capitalize on that so we could see the pure beauty of the turquoise water as the sun beat down.
After leaving the bakery, we headed for our first stop, Henrietta Rocks. We didn’t appreciate the force of the wind until we turned into it on our way to Henrietta Rocks, a place known for snorkeling and popular with moored boats.
I didn’t remember so many hills when I biked with my sister many years before, and I’ll never forget them again. It was something about having a trailer with a four year old in the back that made everything feel harder.
I felt like I could feel every rising gradient, panting heavily to pedal my sluggish body, and Savannah’s now happy one, up the hill. No words were able to escape from my mouth to answer her constant chatter.
We made it to the top of the rise and prepared for the downhill coast, but the wind forced as backwards shouting a “take that” to gravity.
By the time we stopped at Henrietta Rocks, we were about ready for a collapse.
The view was spectacular and took my mind of grunting away for a wee while.
I was transfixed on the boats sitting on what looked like glass.
The colours swirling turquoise, green and aqua around them. A few people lingered at the water’s edge, their toes dipping in, contemplating whether it would be more enjoyable to bask on the glistening white sand or to dive in and explore the underwater world.
A few English tourists walked up the stairs, snorkels in hand. They said there wasn’t much to see, so we didn’t bother to go down the beach to snorkel. It was probably the wrong season for it.
The views from the hill top were good enough, and they saved me a walk down the stairs.
Stop 2: Parker Point
We pushed on towards Little Salmon Bay, stopping off at Parker Point for some more incredible coastal views.
There’s nothing special about Parker Point, it was just another look out, to which there are many along the cycle route.
Here’s another one of Jeanies Lookout – as you can see, it’s just a signpost on a log – nothing special really. Just a great place to stop and admire the reefs.
Stop 3: Little Salmon Bay
A short distance from Parker Point is Little Salmon Bay. By now we were almost half way round the loop, and from my vantage point, it was pretty much downhill with a side wind instead of a head wind meaning the rest of the cycle ride will be much easier.
The view told me what was coming was pretty special. We’d come all this way, we might as well keep on going.
Uh oh, a snake!
As I pressed down on the pedal and Little Salmon Bay came into view, something else caught my eye.
I saw the wiggling out of the corner of my eye coming across the road. I pulled up immediately knowing it was a snake. Earlier that morning I’d seen a sign warning that poisonous snakes were in the area.
I looked back and saw Kalyra pushing down on her pedals with Tour de France force timing a perfect roll right over the snake.
“Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop!!” I screamed putting my hands out the side to catch her and Craig.
She pulled up in time right beside me. “There’s a snake.” She watched it slide away in fascination, and I did with relief.
It took a close brush with a snake to snap me out of my lethargy, to get back into the present, and enjoy the moment. I knew that the snake had arrived with a message for me.
My eyes refocused back into wonder and the rest of the ride around the island was magical.
Eventually we arrived at Little Salmon Bay and decided to head onto the sand for a short play and rest, whilst Craig had a quick snorkel.
Stop 4: The Wadjemup Lighthouse
Cycling inland we went past the Wadjemup Lighthouse, making the sensible choice to look at it from below rather than cycling up the hill to see it up close.
There are two lighthouses on the island, Bathurst and Wadjemup. Wadjemup is the oldest lighthouse on the island and was built in 1849.
At the time, it was Western Australia’s first stone lighthouse and was used to provide a safer sailing route for ships to Fremantle Port.
You cannot enter this lighthouse, but the views from where it stands are incredible.
Stop 5: Cathedral Rocks
The West End of the island is the best place to look for New Zealand fur seals, also known as long-nose fur seals, which are commonly found swimming around Cathedral Rocks and our next stop, Cape Vlamingh.
I am not sure why they are called Cathedral Rocks, there aren’t any spectacular rock formations there, just a rocky outdrop in the ocean where seals like to bask in the sun.
But, there is a viewing platform to help you get a better vantage point to see them.
Stop 6: Cape Vlamingh
If you really wanted to see more seals, head to Cape Vlamingh, the western most point of the island.
It’s also the last bit of land between Australia and Madagascar – 6,436 kilometres away.
There’s a short, leisurely trail around the west end, taking you to see the most windswept side of the island (it can be walked in 30 minutes).
You can often see seals and bottle-nosed dolphins playing in the surf here.
Stop 7: Pink Lake, Lake Vincent, Lake Negri
The wind was behind us now and we went racing through the middle of the island feeling sorry for those passing us into the head wind.
Through the middle of the island are many lakes. Some of these lakes have a pink hue thanks to the algae and minerals present in the water.
The trail passes by three lakes, Lake Negri, Lake Vincent, and the aptly named Pink Lake. You can learn all about it as you cycle past.
Stop 8: Parakeet Bay
Once we hit the north of the island, we decided a stop at one of the sheltered beaches for some lunch and a swim.
We were pretty hot by now and felt the full force of the sun once we were out of the wind.
Parakeet Bay was recommended to us as the most sheltered place to swim on a windy day. Our community are never wrong with their suggestions for us.
We found a spot by the rocks to have some lunch and then enjoyed a refreshing swim.
The water at Rottnest is pretty chilly so be warned. This is also a great snorkeling area, but I have slight nervousness about swimming in Western Australian waters with the presence of sharks.
Seeing a man wade into the water in a shark resistant wetsuit only upped the fear so I stayed in quite close to shore. You might not be as fearful as me, so don’t let my frets get in the way of your snorkeling fun.
Stop 9: Geordie Bay
We stopped at Geordie Bay for a promised ice creams for the girls.
We weren’t that fussed on this part of the island, so headed back to our village in Thomson Bay soon after, via two of the most magical beaches in Australia…
Stop 10: The Basin
The Basin is a white sand beach known for being a great spot for snorkelling. If you only have time to enter the ocean once on your Rottnest Island bike ride, make it here.
The waves are gentle because the bay is protected by the reef, and there’s an abundance of marine life quite close to the shore.
The beach is also surrounded by rocks and boulders which are fun for the children to play on. You may even spot a quokka or two!
Stop 11: Pinky Beach
Pinky Beach is another beach with great swimming conditions. It is protected by the rounded bay, making it a great spot for families with young kids.
It also has great views of Bathurst Lighthouse on the headland.
Stop 12: End with a Beer at Rottnest Pub
We celebrated our achievement of cycling around Rottnest Island with an ice cold beer at the Rottnest Pub, which has spectacular views.
And knowing we’d engaged in some much needed exercise before hand, they went down guilt free!
Best Time To Visit Rottnest Island
The most popular time to visit Rottnest Island is in the summer season (December to February) when the weather is warm and sunny, however, we think any time of year is a good time to visit Rottnest Island.
Spring and Autumn are a good for hiking as the weather isn’t baking hot, so you can warm up by cycling, but still enjoy dry weather.
Map Of This Rottnest Island Bike Ride
You can find all the stops and attractions mentioned in this guide on the following interactive map.
Are you planning to cycle around Rottnest Island? What are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments.