How big is Rottnest Island – and can I cycle round it?

Rottnest Island covers an area of 19 square kilometres. Hire a bike, and it’ll take about two to three hours to cycle around Rottnest Island. But you’re better off giving yourself longer.

Rottnest Island is the most popular day trip from Perth and justifiably so. It’s a short ferry hop away from Elizabeth Quay, Fremantle or Hillarys Boat Harbour.

Rottnest Island bike hire

The best way to explore Rottnest Island is on two wheels, and hiring a bike is pretty simple.

Package the bike hire in with your ferry ticket, and you’ll be given a bike and helmet when the Rottnest Island ferry docks.

At time of writing, the return ferry ticket plus bike hire costs $114. This should be booked online in advance to secure your spot.

8 Rottnest Island experiences best booked in advance

Ferry plus bike hire package. Or add a snorkel kit, too.
Short Settlement Segway tour or longer Fortress tour.
Island tour including train ride and lunch.
Sunset catamaran sailing cruise with champagne.
Oliver Hill train and tunnel tour.
Lakes and bays guided hike.
Tandem skydive.
Three hour boat tour to the best snorkelling spots.

Area of Rottnest Island

But just how big is Rottnest Island? Is it realistic to cycle around it? And is it possible to go around Rottnest Island by bike in a day?

Well, the area of Rottnest Island is 19 square kilometres. It is longer from east to west than north to south. The island is about 11km long and 5km wide.

How long does it take to cycle around Rottnest Island?

There are 22km of bike trails on Rottnest Island, which makes cycling pretty easy. Cars are also banned from the island, so there’s no traffic to contend with.

It is easy enough, therefore, to cycle around Rottnest Island in a day. Most people should be able to do it in two or three hours.

But that’s without stopping. And you’re going to want to make several stops to see the Rottnest Island quokkas, or enjoy the stunning Indian Ocean beaches. Little Parakeet Bay is particularly gorgeous, but there are dozens more to choose from.

If you hire a bike on Rottnest Island, then, you can make a day of it. Cycle at a leisurely pace, build in lots of stops, and you’ll have a great time.

You might also want to build a few Rottnest Island tours into the day. Options include the Oliver Hill train tour, a twilight sailing cruise, a Segway tour to the fortress and a snorkelling adventure. It’s also possible to go camping on Rottnest Island.

Which Rottnest Island ferry?

When deciding which Rottnest Island ferry to book, remember that there are three departure points. The Sealink ferries depart earlier, the Rottnest Express ferries are the cheapest and the Rottnest Fast Ferries go from Perth’s northern suburbs where there’s free parking. For more information and booking, use the links below.

Quokka on Rottnest Island — A quokka on Rottnest Island. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special

Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.