Perth Holiday Planner 2024 Single - Flipbook - Page 38
GEORDIE BAY
Rottnest Island
– WADJEMUP
ENTER A DIFFERENT FRAME OF MIND WHEN STEPPING FOOT ON ROTTNEST ISLAND / WADJEMUP,
AN A-CLASS RESERVE RENOWNED FOR SECLUDED BAYS AND LAID-BACK ADVENTURES.
SURROUNDED BY THE expanse of
the Indian Ocean, just 19km from
the coast of Perth, the secluded
Rottnest Island is such a profoundly
special place. It’s a place
resonating with a powerful sense
of connection pulsating through
its brilliant bays and sheltered
beaches, untamed bushland, and
laidback, simple lifestyle. It’s a place
to make memories with the family,
and to meditate with one’s self.
It’s a place so many generations
of Western Australians reminisce
upon as they reflect on joyful family
adventures set to coastal backdrops
and otherworldly sunsets.
It’s also a place that holds
painful memories for Noongar
people whose family members
were incarcerated on the island
from 1838 to 1931, warranting
deep contemplation and an
understanding of its relevance to
Aboriginal people when visiting the
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DESTINATION PERTH 2024
island. There’s plenty to learn here
for those who are curious, and
the Wadjemup Museum and an
immersive tour with Go Cultural
Aboriginal Tours and Experiences
are ideal places to start.
Arrive on the island via ferry, or
by air, and feel completely at ease
with zero traffic, free from crowds
and city life. The iconic mode of
transport on the island is a bicycle,
while regular hop-on-hop-off
buses and segway tours are also
available.
Get to know Rottnest Island
on a hike of the Wadjemup Bidi,
comprised of five trails that
showcase various landscapes and
scenery from coastal headlands
to stunning inland lakes. The Hike
Collective curate inspiring tours,
with The West End Guided Hike a
favourite for its access to views of
playful long-nosed fur seals from
Cathedral Rocks.
TIP // Catch a 20-minute flight
with Swan River Seaplanes for
a swift and exhilarating arrival
onto the island, landing right in
front of Thomson Bay.
Let the wind whip through your
hair and feel the sunshine on your
back when cycling around to
discover the island’s collection of
serene lakes and swimming spots.
The breadth of incredible
snorkelling opportunities available
is unparalleled. Take a Rottnest
Snorkel Experience Tour for local
insights, indulge with a ‘Snorkel
& Sail’ tour on the iconic Capella
catamaran through Charter 1, or
define your own adventure. While
there are more than sixty beaches
and twenty bays to choose from,
the shallow reefs of The Basin
swimming hole, underwater
trail markers and colourful fish
of southern Little Salmon Bay,
