Visitor Information

The Rottnest Island Visitor & Information Centre (tel. 08/9372 9732) is right at the head of the jetty on the island. The center is run by the Rottnest Island Authority (tel. 08/9432 9111; www.rottnestisland.com), as is the entire island.

Island Orientation Tours

Many first-time visitors take the 1 1/2-hour Discovery Tour, a good introduction to the bays and the island's cultural and natural history, which includes a stop to see the quokkas. It costs A$33 for adults, A$16 for kids 4 to 12, and A$68 for families of four. Tours depart from the Thomson Bay stop at 11:20am. 1.40 and 1:50pm daily.

Getting There

Rottnest Express (tel. 1300/GO ROTTO [467 688] in Western Australia; www.rottnestexpress.com.au) operates trips from Perth (trip time: 1:45-2 hr) and, more frequently, from Fremantle (about 30 min.). Round-trip same-day adult fares average about A$90 from Perth, or about A$70 from Fremantle, with varying children's prices depending on age. There's free pickup from most Perth and Fremantle hotels. You pay about A$4 extra if you return on a later date. Bike hire and various day trips (including Rottnest Express's Eco Adventure, cruising around the island bays and coves) are available, and accommodations packages.

Rottnest Air Taxi (tel. 1800/500 006 in Western Australia, or 08/9292 5027; www.rottnest.de) provides transfers in four- or six-seater aircraft, about 15 minutes each way. A same-day round-trip in a four-seater costs about A$300 for up to three passengers, and a six-seater A$400 for up to five. Kookaburra Air (tel. 08/9417 2258; www.kookaburra.iinet.net.au) also operates a range of tours to Rottnest. Both operate from Jandakot Airport, 20 minutes south of Perth.

Getting Around

Ferries pull into the jetty in Thomson Bay, which has most of the facilities and hotels lining its shores. Rottnest Island Bike Hire (tel. 08/9292 5105) rents 1,300 bikes of every size, speed, and type, plus trailers and carriers (for surfboards, babies, etc). A multispeed bike is A$27 for 24 hours (plus a A$25 refundable deposit), including a helmet (compulsory in Australia) and lock. The price reduces for subsequent days.

The air-conditioned Bayseeker bus does half-hourly circumnavigations in summer (hourly in winter), calling at 18 stops, including the best bays. You can get on and off as often as you like, with an all-day ticket costing A$13 for adults, A$10 for children 4 to 12, and A$28 for families of four. Buy tickets for this and the tours below at the visitor center, gift shop, main ticket booth, or on board.

A free shuttle bus runs regularly between the airport and Thomson Bay, and the secondary settlement on the northern shore.

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