Instead of our annual shopping trip to Garden City, Perth, we decided to head to Rottnest Island on Boxing Day.
Fondly known as Rotto to the locals, Rottnest is an island just 30 minutes from Fremantle, Perth. There are scheduled ferries that depart daily from Fremantle and for this trip we took SeaLink (sealinkrottnest.com.au) that set off at 7am (1st ferry of the day).
December is a hot summer month in Perth. I do not recommend going to Rottnest during winter months as you will find it a dread. The seas are often more choppy than usual during the winter months and as a friend aptly put across, she felt that she was on an endless roller coaster ride on board the ferry.
Alternatively, you can arrive in style via a light aircraft. Paul took this when he was 4 years old and it has remained one of his most treasured memories ever since. We promised each other to bring our kid/s to Rottnest via the seaplanes on our next visit. You can visit swanriverseaplanes.com.au for more information.
Bike rentals are at 30 AUD per day and they are not rented by the hour. You put down a deposit of 100 AUD, so for 2 pax, set aside 160 AUD for the day. Bike trails are open and it is easy to select different routes. If you are going to do a few pit stops, set aside 5 hours or more for the trip around the island. Considering that the bicycles are proper mountain bikes ranging from 3-month-old to a year old, the price did not feel like a pinch to us.
The air was crisp under an azure sky as we set off on our rented bicycles. Never did I expect that this would be the day that marked my proper initiation as an Australian's wife! 2 hours into our ride and less than 10 metres away, I saw my very first dugite. The dugite is a dangerous, venomous brown snake (it varies in different colours). The husband spotted it first as he was well trained to keep his gaze wide and far while riding on the roads. As he plainly put across, the snake was probably sunning itself in the glorious weather when we "intruded". If you come from an extremely safe country like mine, you are probably not going to be on your guard while riding carefree past the natural landscapes.
The best thing to do if you spot a dugite is to stop immediately in your tracks and observe. This is not the best time to start snapping pictures of it because you want to know where it is heading. I know you are probably going to be very scared if the snake is near you. Do your best to remain stationary until it verifies that you are of no danger to it. Contrary to belief, the snake does not want to attack you and it usually strikes only when it is being provoked or threatened. Hence, once the snake realizes that you mean no harm, it will usually slither away on its own. This is not the first time I encountered a snake (the last time was when I was in the countryside of Koh Samui), so you would think I would be very calm, but no, my heart was pumping hard and I was close to hyperventilating knowing how deadly its bite is.
Rottnest is home to the most famous marsupial known as the Quokkas. We were lucky to spot 4 quokkas, one when we first arrived, the 2nd one when we were near the holiday homes that dotted Rottnest and the 3rd one was having a fight with another. You can opt for the 45 minutes free walking tour by Rottnest Voluntary Guides Association to discover more quokkas.
There are many activities you can do on Rottnest Island, like exploring the maze of underground tunnels at the Oliver Hill Gun and Tunnel Tour. I recommend climbing up the Wadjemup Lighthouse for a breathtaking 360-degree view of the island. In my next trip to Rottnest, I will definitely experience an underwater snorkel (if i can overcome my fear of sharks) and witness the migration of humpback whales. If I am up for it, I will definitely spot the New Zealand fur seals from the Cathedral Rocks on the west end of Rottnest Island too!
