In the morning I went to Elizabeth Quay in Perth and picked up my ticket for the ferry that was supposed to take me to Rottnest Island.

The ferry trip took around  two hours. We drove down the Swan River to the ocean and then over to Rottnest Island. The crew told us something about the different buildings or lagoons we passed.

At half past ten we arrived on the island and I rented a bike there. Then I had six hours to explore the island on my own.

I would have also had the opportunity to do a bus tour around the island, but I found it more exciting to explore the island on my own. So I had the possibility to stop at any place I liked and stay there as long as I wanted.

Lost on Rottnest Island

At first my plan was to drive around the whole island in the six hours. After a look at the map I started driving. On the way I already had an incredible view of the beautiful blue water and the nature of Rottnest Island.

But then I soon noticed that the island is very confusing. I drove into many different small roads and paths, which then suddenly stopped and I had to turn back. Furthermore I could not orientate myself at all on the map of Rottnest Island.

At the beginning I also thought it would be very relaxed to drive around the island all day long, with the view to the water, but quite often it goes downhill and uphill again and all this at over 35 degrees.

At some point I had finally orientated myself on the map and I had found a path that was really beautiful. Many other cyclists have also ridden this route. In the beginning it was easy to ride the Ngank Yira Bidi way, but many have already had to push their bikes because they got stuck in the sand again and again. I then took a break while the others were already on their way.

Shortly after that I drove on as well. The view of the sea and the nature was great, but cycling this way was impossible. In the meantime I had to push my bike up and down through the sand, which turned out to be not so easy in the midday heat.

I gave up totally sweaty at some point. Far and wide there was nobody to be seen and it was simply impossible to follow the path by bike. Thereupon I made my way back and decided to go back to the ferry station and drive in the other direction to see a little more of the island. I had given up the plan to drive around the island completely, as at this point of time, two hours had already passed and I had not got far yet.

When I had fought my way back through the sand the Ngank Yira Bidi path and I was able to drive properly again without getting stuck, I saw the sign indicating the Ngank Yira Bidi path and what could I read? That the path is not suitable for bicycles… I don’t know what those people did who were all before me…

On the trail of quokkas

So I drove back to the ferry station and then went in the other direction. Now I only rode on the road and as soon as it became impossible to get further by bike, I parked the bike and explored the surroundings on foot.

Then I made my way to the Bathurst Lighthouse. Until then, I hadn’t seen a quokka yet, for which the island is so famous. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t see any, but I found one pretty quickly. Unfortunately, a sleeping quokka …

First I made my way to the lighthouse. There I enjoyed the view over the sea and the landscape and then I drove on. From then on I could see a lot of quokkas over the whole afternoon. Sometimes they also jumped past me when I crossed the street by bike.

I spent the afternoon driving along the water and watching the quokkas.

Shortly before I went back on the ferry I went to one of the lakes on the island, but unfortunately I expected a bit too much. The lake was absolutely not beautiful and not worth seeing. The view of the turquoise sea was clearly more beautiful.

Then I have already given my bike back and went back on the ferry. Then it was two hours down the Swan River back to Perth. During the trip back to Elizabeth Quay, there was a musician on board who sang and played the piano, but I hardly noticed anything of it as I was so exhausted that I fell asleep.