Rockingham weather: When is the best time to visit Penguin Island?

The best time to visit Penguin Island in Western Australia is in the Australian summer, when the Rockingham weather is warmest and driest.

Rockingham in Western Australia pretends to be a separate city, but it has long since been swallowed up by Perth’s suburbia. It is, however, the gateway to one of Perth’s best attractions. Penguin Island is just offshore, part of the Shoalwater Islands chain. As the name suggests, a colony of little penguins lives here. But it’s also possible to go swimming with dolphins and do nature cruises that spot Australian sea lions.

DON’T MISS OUT! 9 fabulous Perth experiences to book today ✅

✅ See the Rottnest Island quokkas the smart way – with a ferry and bike package.
✅ Be amazed by the abundant wildlife – on a dolphin, penguin and sealion cruise.
✅ See clear night skies in a moon-like desert – on a Pinnacles stargazing experience.
✅ Indulge in chocolate, cheese & premium wines – on a Swan Valley food and wine tour.
✅ See the city sunset from the water – on a Swan River dinner cruise.
✅ Watch gold being melted and poured – on a Perth Mint gold tour.
✅ Combine nature with imperious city views – on Kings Park Segway tour.
✅ Face your fears and get the thrill of your life on a – on a 15,000ft skydive.
✅ Find all the best hidden hangouts – on a small bar and street art tour.

A little penguin on Penguin Island in the Shoalwater Islands near Rockingham, Western Australia. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

The Rockingham weather isn’t all that different from the Rottnest Island weather, although Penguin Island is a little further south, so it can be a tiny bit colder.

Rockingham weather data

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology doesn’t measure climate data at Rockingham, but it does just to the north on the southern tip of Garden Island. For a proxy of the Rockingham weather, Garden Island will do just fine.

The hottest month in Rockingham is February, with a mean maximum daily temperature of 28.2°C. January, March and December are only a degree or so colder. Meanwhile, July is the coldest month in this part of Western Australia. It’s hardly freezing, though – the mean maximum daily temperature in July is 17.9°C.

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.

That difference in temperature doesn’t matter so much on land, but it does in the water. It’s the difference between an Indian Ocean swim being delightful and slightly bracing.

But the most important factor in the Rockingham weather is rainfall. There is barely any rain here between October and April. Even the rainiest of these months, April, sees just 32.1mm of rain.

The rainfall ramps up significantly between May and September, however. July is the rainiest month in Rockingham, with an average of 116.7mm of rain. More importantly, though, there is an average of 14.8 days of rain in July. Compare that with 1.2 days in February, and there’s a fairly clear difference in how enjoyable your dolphin cruise is likely to be.

5 fantastic experiences to book in Rockingham

Go swimming with wild dolphins in Shoalwater Bay.
See dolphins, penguins and sea lions – on a Shoalwater Bay islands cruise.
Get closer to the wildlife – on a kayaking tour.
Try flying with a jetpack – or flyboarding.
Take a guided sunset hike to Point Peron – with a glass of sparkling wine as a reward.

Where to stay in Rockingham, WA

The best Rockingham accommodation options are:

For a quality apartment hotel: Quest Rockingham.
To be close to the wildlife cruise departure point: Island Villas Accommodation.
For beachside location: Spinnakers by Rockingham Apartments.
For a pool: Nautilus by Rockingham Apartments.

When is the best time to visit Penguin Island?

So, when is the best time to visit Penguin Island? Well, the boring, obvious answer is during the summer months when the Rockingham weather is warmest and driest. But conditions are likely to be pretty good on Rockingham Beach for a month or so either side.

Australian weather in other destinations