Where can I see a quokka?

You can see a quokka on Bald Island near Albany or in the Northcliffe Forest south of Pemberton, Western Australia. But by far the most common place for quokka sightings is Rottnest Island.

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In recent years, quokkas have become famous on social media. These cute little marsupials have been giving koalas and kangaroos a run for their money. And, in a stroke of good fortune for Tourism Australia, they live exclusively in Australia.

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These small marsupials grow about 50 centimetres tall and weigh up to five kilograms. They’re about the size of a smallish cat, and look like they’re smiling due to their facial muscles and protruding front teeth

Quokka populations on the Australian mainland

Quokkas are not widespread across the country, however. And the number of places where you can see a quokka in the wild has drastically decreased in the last century. The introduction of cats, dogs and – particularly – red foxes has seen the quokka population severely decrease.

Once reasonably common across the south-western corner of Western Australia, quokkas now only exist in small groups on the mainland. The population in the forests around Northcliffe, south of Pemberton, is beginning to recover following a devastating bushfire. But you’re really going to have to get lucky to see the quokkas around Northcliffe.

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Where can I see a quokka? Bald Island and Rottnest Island

Another spot where quokkas live in abundance is Bald Island off the coast of Cheynes Beach in Albany. But good luck getting to Bald Island – it is set aside as a nature reserve.

So where can you see a quokka? Reliably?

The answer is Rottnest Island, a short ferry ride from Fremantle. This 19 square kilometre island has become known as Australia’s quokka island, and has a population of around 10,000 of the smiley marsupials. In fact, the island gets its name from them. In 1696, Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh saw some on the island, and thought they were giant rats. Hence “rat’s nest”.

You don’t have to look too hard on Rottnest Island to find a quokka. They live across most of the island, but there are usually several Rottnest Island quokkas hanging out by the cafés and shop in the main settlement.