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On the last day of our WA Adventure, we spent the day on Rottnest island. Rottnest Island sits offshore from Perth and is one of Western Australia’s most protected nature reserves. Rottnest is a popular destination for tourist and holiday makers with the Island offering crystal blue waters, sandy white beaches, rich history and numerous island activities.
We caught the ferry over to the island with Rottnest Express at 8:45am from Barrack St, Perth. Portable ramps were placed down by the helpful crew when it was time for me to board, making boarding and disembarking super easy and completely step free. The ferry trip over to Rottnest Island took 2 hours with a quick stop in Fremantle to pickup other passengers. The Rottest express crew were all very happy and friendly, which led to a great atmosphere on the ferry. It also included commentary which was handy for us tourists to learn a little info on the local area.
Note: The Rottnest Express B Shed Terminal in Fremantle is not wheelchair accessible, however wheelchair access is available at the Northport Terminal.
Once on Rottnest Island we did an accessible Discovery Rottnest island bus tour which I had also booked through Rottnest Express in advance. The bus tour was fantastic as it gave us a chance to see the beautiful island within the comfort of the air conditioned bus. The Discovery Rottnest bus is accessible via a ramp and has a large seating space for a wheelchair. There was plenty of room to move, and the tour bus had large glass windows, so it was easy to see everything when seated for all passengers. We had a chance to get out and take a quick walk down the step free boardwalk and of cause take a few photos of the amazing views before heading back on the bus.
Rottnest Island is such a beautiful island, full of sandy white beaches and blue oceans views, but that’s not all, it is also inhabited by the cutest of residents, the quokka. Quokkas roam freely around the island, and we saw a number of these cuties while exploring the island. Quokkas are only found on islands off the coast of Western Australia, Rottnest Island is the only island where people can get up close to these little marsupials in their natural habitat, so understandably they are very well loved and protected. Feeding or touching the quokkas are prohibited, but taking a selfie with them and their cheeky smiles are very welcome!
After our bus tour, we spent the rest of the day walking around the Island spotting quokkas. There are several free accessible guided walking tours throughout the day run by the Rottnest Island Voluntary Guides Association. We decided to take the “Meet the quokka tour” where we learnt a lot about the Islands history and quokka behaviour. Unfortunately, we missed out on seeing the Rottnest Island museum as the main entrance is not accessible, and I had to use the back entrance. but because it was nearly closing time we were unable to access it.
Rottnest Island offers disabled facilities on the island such as accessible toilets, a fully accredited Changing Place facility and wheelchair friendly accommodation options. Wheelchairs, Beach Wheelchairs, electric scooters and hand propelled disability bikes are available for hire. There is a wheelchair accessible shuttle bus for access to and from the ferries and an accessible Hop on and Hop off Explorer Bus. There are accessible shops and eateries in the central part of the island where we stopped for a bite to eat and of cause picked up a few souvenirs before catching our return Rottnest Express ferry off the Island.
Accessible Ferry Transfers: Yes
Step Free Pathways: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible Bus Tour: Yes
Step Free Cafes/Restaurants: Yes
Accessible Shop Access: Yes
Accessible Walking Tours: Yes
Accessible Toilets/Change Rooms: Yes
Accessible Overnight Accommodation: Yes
Mobility Equipment Hire: Yes
Accessible Hop on Hop Off Bus: Yes
Accessible Ferry Shuttle Bus: Yes
Museum Access: Yes (Via Back Door Access Only)
We had such a great day visiting Rottnest Island and meeting the cute island quokkas that live there. On our way back to Perth onboard the Rottnest Express we were met with live entertainment and onboard wine and beer tasting. What a perfect way to end the trip. To find out more about Rottnest Island accessibility head over to the Rottnest Island official website listed below.
Rottnest Island Details
Website: rottnestisland.com
Address: Rottnest Island, Western Australia 6161
In my opinion I give Rottnest Island a rating of 4.5 for wheelchair accessibility, and a rating of 4.5 stars for the overall experience.
* I was not financially compensated for this review. The review is based on my own opinion and personal experience.*
