Quokka Heaven: Rottnest Island

Today is dedicated to the whole reason why I was keen on going to Perth in the first place. This reason is a 1.5h ferry ride from Elizabeth Quay on Swan River to a quaint island called Rottnest.

Now, let’s talk about history. Rottnest Island was part of the mainland about 6,500 years ago, before rising sea levels separated it. Long before it became a holiday destination, it was used as an Aboriginal prison from 1838 to 1931. Thousands of Aboriginal men were incarcerated there under brutal conditions, and many died from disease, malnutrition, abuse, and neglect. Those who died were buried in unmarked graves on the island.

Gruesome history aside, the island is home to the largest population of quokkas — often referred to as the world’s happiest animal. Just look at them smile! 😊

While these animals are absolutely wholesome and adorable, they are nocturnal. However, close to the bakery in The Settlement (a tiny town near the main jetty), there is a group of quokkas roaming about during the day. And yes — they are very much the centre of attention there. Unfortunately so.

They are wild animals. You don’t touch them, you give them space, and you don’t feed them. This is communicated clearly on signs across the island, during the ferry ride, and in leaflets — and yet people ignore all of it.

I’ve expressed my general dislike of disrespectful behaviour before, and this really got to me. With the monkeys in Bali, at least there was some form of consequence — they fought back when people crossed boundaries (to be fair, the monkeys were asses sometimes too). The quokkas, however, are defenceless. People shove phones into their faces, sit right next to them, prod them, touch them, and corner them when they try to retreat for peace and quiet. You could see how tired the little marsupials were. They just wanted to sleep, but instead they were stuck in survival mode. Watching this made me absolutely furious.

When I sat down for lunch — a pie — I was lucky to be approached by a very young quokka.
The little guy was clearly interested in my food, so I put it well out of reach and simply watched. Oh, so cute.

The quokka hopped up next to me and then climbed straight onto my lap, looking around and inspecting me as if I were the attraction. I stayed perfectly still, mildly stunned and very amused.
Once it realised it wasn’t going to get my pie, it hopped down and went on its way.

That was a genuinely happy moment I’ll treasure — all without me invading the furry guy’s privacy. Maybe the other way around, but I was fine with that. 😁

One quokka mum even had a baby in her pouch, occasionally poking out its head — or tail. Adorable. Unfortunately, people found that even more spectacular and got even closer. Every time I saw someone crossing boundaries, I spoke up. I ended up standing guard for about 30 minutes, and at least people moved on eventually.

The island is largely car-free. You get around on foot or — like almost everyone there — by bike. My ferry company rented bikes, so I took mine out for a 25 km ride around a bit more than a third of the island. Our company didn’t provide e-bikes, though, so I conquered all the hills myself. There were many. 😁

The nature is stunning: shrubland, beaches, inland salt lakes, and lighthouses. Absolutely delightful.

At one beach, not only did the rock formations look amazing, but I also spotted a snake — my second snake in Australia! Very exciting.
Another AI confidently told me it was not a snake but a legless lizard. Proper research later confirmed it was a dugite, a species of brown snake, typically ranked somewhere between 10 and 15 among the world’s most venomous snakes. Moral of the story: don’t trust AI blindly. 😁

I wish I could have stayed on the island longer, but after 25 km of cycling through hills in 30+° heat — and doing quokka protection duty — I was pretty knackered.

Interestingly, this was the first mostly overcast day I’d experienced in Perth. Until then, I hadn’t seen a single cloud in the sky. Still fine, though I did miss the sunshine a little. 😄

Around 4:30 pm, everyone gathered back at the main jetty to be escorted back to Elizabeth Quay, where I arrived by 6 pm.

Oh — and a shout-out to the Rottnest Island ferry provider I didn’t choose, but whose slogan I couldn’t ignore. I know a bad pun when I see one. See last pic for said pun.
You were warned. 😄Read more