Home to the world's largest population of quokkas, the small, perpetually smiling marsupials that have made it famous, Rottnest Island lies about nineteen kilometres off the coast near Perth in Western Australia. To the Whadjuk Noongar people it is Wadjemup. That Aboriginal name means, roughly, the place across the water where the spirits are. The island was joined to the mainland until rising seas cut it off thousands of years ago, and it had long been used for ceremony before the separation. Its European name dates from 1696, when the Dutch captain Willem de Vlamingh anchored here and mistook the quokkas for large rats, naming the place a rat's nest. The animals, found in great numbers across the island, remain its best-known residents. The island carries a darker history as well. From 1838 until 1931 it was used as a prison and forced-labour camp for Aboriginal men and boys, a painful chapter now being acknowledged through truth-telling and memorial work. About eleven kilometres long and protected as an A-class reserve, Rottnest is administered directly by the state government rather than any local council, with development carefully limited to preserve its environment. Its great draw is the coastline: more than sixty secluded bays and beaches of white sand and clear water, linked by walking and cycling trails. Snorkelling, swimming and watching for whales, seals and dolphins are among the main activities. Cars are largely kept off the island, so visitors get around on foot, by bicycle or on the shuttle bus, reaching the island by ferry from Perth and Fremantle or by light aircraft. The Wadjemup lighthouse, completed in the 19th century, stands on high ground at its centre. Between the wildlife, the beaches and the layered history told at the island museum and on Aboriginal-led tours, Rottnest offers a popular day trip or longer stay, combining a laid-back holiday feel with a strong sense of place.

Type: Outdoors

Address: Perth, Australia, 6161

Website: https://www.rottnestisland.com