Rottnest Island might only be 19 km2 but this is one island that is absolutely packed with adventure. With everything from walking trails and bike tracks to skydiving and the Rottnest Channel Swim, you certainly won’t be left with nothing to do.
Walk Your Way Around the Island
There are over 42km of walking tracks that take you all the way around Rottnest Island. Wadjemup Bidi consists of 42.6km of walking trails across five separate tracks and you’ll certainly see some amazing sites. The Whadjuk Noongar are traditional owners of Rottnest Island; Bidi means “trail” or “track” in the Noongar language.
The five sections of Wadjemup Bidi include:
Ngank Yira Bidi
This walk is a 9.4km one way track that should take you around 3-4 hours to complete. Along this track you can visit the Bickley Batter. This walk joins with the Gabbi Karniny Bidi and the Wardan Nara Bidi.
Gabbi Karniny Bidi
This track is a 9.4km loop that should take around 3-4 hours to complete and will take you through the Salt Lakes and past the Ferry Jetty.
Warden Nara Bidi
The longest walk at 10km one way, this trail should take around 3-4 hours to complete and joins with Ngank Yira Bidi, Ngank Wen Bidi and Karlinyah Bidi. There is a small track that joins with Gabbi Karniny Bidi. Along this walk, you can relax on Salmon Bay,
Karlinyah Bidi
A 5.9kkm one way trail that should take around 2-3 hours to complete. This walk allows you to enjoy the Northern Beaches and connects with the Ngank Wen Bidi and Gabbi Karniny Bidi.
Ngank Wen Bidi
This trail is a 7.6km look that should take around 3-4 hours to complete and lets you explore the West End.
Walking is a great way to get around Rottnest Island, and these trails allow you to explore the beaches of Rottnest, the Cathedral Rocks Seal Viewing platform and the West End Boardwalk. It is also a fantastic way of learning about the Aboriginal heritage and history in the area with storytelling audio boxes and interpretive artwork along the trails.
Cycling Rottnest
As cars aren’t allowed on Rottnest Island, cycling is a popular way to get around, and you can cycle almost the whole island. There are three main cycling tracks – 4km, 10km and 22km. On bike you can discover Pinky Beach, Salmon Bay, Wadjemup Lighthouse and West End/Cape Vlamingh amongst other sites with the opportunity to swim, snorkel and take in some of the views. The island cycling tracks will give you plenty of opportunities to spot some of the local wildlife including the popular Quokkas.
Swim the Channel
If you are up for some adventure, the Rottnest Channel Swim happens in February each year and is a 19.7km open water swim from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island. You can compete as a solo swimmer in a duo or in a team for this open water event. The Rottnest Channel Swim is one of the largest open water swim events in the world, and it’s certainly a popular event!
Undertake the challenge and then spend some time on Rottnest Island exploring everything the island has to offer.
Rottnest from the Sky
Do you want to experience Rottnest Island from a different angle? Skydiving from 15,000ft over Rottnest Island offers some amazing views of the island as well as views of Perth city and the coast. Landing on the pristine beaches of Salmon, Thompson or Bickley Bays, this is a fantastic way to experience adventure on Rottnest Island. Want to try something different? How about travelling to Rottnest in a helicopter and then skydiving at 10,000 ft from that helicopter?
If you’re looking for a unique way to propose, the team at Skydive Geronimo has a “Marry Me” package which includes 2 x tandem skydive jumps, video and photo packages and a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate.
If you feel you’re lacking a little adventure in your life, why not book a trip to Rottnest Island? With adventure around every corner, you’ll go home with memories to last a lifetime.
