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Photography – Bobby Bense | Helen Janneson Bense

Editing – Helen Janneson Bense

Location – Rottnest Island/Wadjemup

How to get there – Sealink

Outfits – Summer Cotton Dress | Off Shoulder mini Dress | One piece swim | Swim cover

Island adventures off the beaten path are my kind of holiday. To end the summer with a bang my family and I took the Sealink eco friendly ferry across to our favorite island getaway spot Rottnest/Wadjemup.

We had a few days to explore which was an amazing opportunity to get up early and circumnavigate the entire island by bike. An adventure I highly recommend. We headed to the West End and found incredible spots for cliff jumping, empty beaches all to ourselves with the most pristine snorkelling and turquoise waters, spotting adorable quokkas along the way. 

My travel tips for Rottnest/Wadjemup – 

• Take the environmentally friendly ferry option on board Sealink to and from the island.
• Check the wind direction before heading out. Always go early to beat crowds and before winds pick up in the afternoon. If it’s a strong SW from early in the day then head to the northern side of the island – Parakeet bay, Geordie bay, the Basin. If it’s an easterly or light winds then take the opportunity to explore the coast along Parker Point rd and head all the way to the West End.
• I recommend a stop at Little Salmon bay early before the crowds and SW winds for some incredible snorkelling. You’ll see a whole lot of this pink cauliflower coral so close to the shore. Just snorkel out towards the left hand side where the buoys are and you can’t miss it. This is the southern most point in Western Australia you can see coral like this due to the Leeuwin current that brings tropical warm waters and coral spawn.
• Hire an e bike from Pedal and Flipper (located on the island) and explore the whole island. It’s best to prebook during high season. I love to stop and take lots of photos and enjoy each spot so an e bike was a super easy for me to carry all my gear, explore the whole island, stopping along the way. You can also ride your own bike – Bobby and our kids did this as they are absolute machines! Or jump on the hop on/hop off bus. 
• For the adrenaline junkies ride to the West End along Digby drive for the most epic cliff jumping spot. You’ll take the last right turn before you reach the end, which is not marked. As you ride toward Eagle bay and Mable cove there will be a high cliff to the left. The spot is along this cliff right before you go downhill and reach Mable cove. You’ll need to park your bike on the side of the road and walk down. Often you’ll see other bikes there in high season so it’s relatively easy to find. In low season you may need to wander a little more to find it. As you carefully walk down the cliff you’ll see reef and turquoise water (like the picture) to the right and a narrow channel of water to the left. This channel is where you can get back in after you jump. Be mindful of rough seas and snakes in this area and only jump if you are a confident swimmer and can make it back to the beach, just in case.
• Take loads of water, food, hat, sunscreen and shade if you can carry it. There are not many facilities as you venture further so it’s best to be self sufficient. The sun can get really hot and drying in summer when you’re out all day riding. We travel wearing reef shoes which make it super easy to go from biking, hiking to snorkelling. Mine fit into my fins to make it even easier to transition.
• Be mindful of snakes as you venture to the more isolated parts of the island. Bring a first aid kit if you have space and be sure to know the location of the Nursing post on the island.
• To spot Quokkas with ease just wait for late afternoon/evening and they will be out and about. The Basin, the campgrounds, the pub, and the sports oval are always spots we see lots of them.
• And lastly enjoy the beautiful nature but please respect the environment, never feed the Quokkas, and take all your rubbish home. We saw horrific amounts of plastic on our trek in some really remote spots too. More than we could even pick up and carry.

Wadjemup is a special place with a long history. It’s important to learn more about it, and acknowledge the traditional owners, so you can show your respect for this land/boodja we walk upon.

If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to ask. Happy to help you plan a wonderful adventure.

With love and gratitude,

Helen xx