Rottnest Island Cycling Circuit
Cycle the 22-km circuit of Rottnest Island — the car-free island where bicycles are the main transport — visiting the western beaches, lighthouse, and wildlife-rich interior on a loop that takes in the best of the island in a day.
- 1
Hire Bike Thomson Bay
Rottnest Island has been car-free since the 1930s — bikes hired at Thomson Bay give access to the entire island, and the rule allowing no private cars (only emergency and service vehicles) creates a quiet, cycling-friendly environment unlike anywhere in WA.
- 2
Parakeet Bay
Parakeet Bay on the north coast is one of Rottnest's most sheltered swimming beaches — the calm, clear water in the protected bay is popular with snorkellers exploring the reef that lines the bay's southern edge.
- 3
West End Lighthouse
West End Lighthouse at the island's western tip stands above the most exposed point of Rottnest — the dramatic limestone headland with waves from the open Indian Ocean creates a wild contrast to the calm eastern bays, and the lighthouse (1895) is the island's most photogenic structure.
- 4
Cathedral Rocks
Cathedral Rocks at the West End are the most dramatic geological feature on Rottnest — the wave-worn limestone stacks rising from the surf demonstrate the power of the Southern Ocean when it wraps around the island's exposed western coast.
- 5
Army Bay & Gun Emplacements
Army Bay has the remains of WWII coastal defence guns — the emplacements built to defend Perth Harbour from Japanese submarine attack are now heritage structures, and the bay below was used for wartime training exercises.
- 6
Salmon Bay Snorkel
Salmon Bay on the island's south coast has excellent snorkelling on the fringing reef — the reef fish, coral, and occasional sightings of Australian sea lions make Salmon Bay the best accessible snorkel site on Rottnest for self-guided exploration.