Getting to Rottnest Island

Getting to Rottnest Island in Western Australia (WA) is easy, with various transport options close to the State’s capital, Perth; you can take a ferry, plane or your own boat.

Ferries to Rottnest

A short ferry ride is the most popular way of getting to Rottnest Island in Western Australia (WA). Ferry services run every day from Hillarys Boat Harbour in Perth’s north, Fremantle in the south and Barrack Street Jetty in Perth’s city centre.

Getting to Rottnest Island by ferry

Rottnest Island ferry companies provide transfers to the island from Perth City, North Fremantle (Rous Head), Fremantle (Victoria Quay) and Hillarys Boat Harbour in Perth’s north. Rottnest ferries take approximately 25 minutes from Fremantle, 45 minutes from Hillarys Boat Harbour, or 90 minutes from Perth's Barrack Street Jetty.

Rottnest ferry times, contact details and timetables

Depending on the time of year and the company you choose to travel with, Rottnest Island ferry times vary. Please contact the ferry company directly for any queries relating to ferry travel.

For timetables and more detailed information about Rottnest Island ferries, please click on the links to the following operators:

Flights from Perth

A 12 minute flight to Rottnest Island on board the Rottnest Air Taxi provides a great opportunity for you to get some stunning aerial photos of the surrounding area. The service operates on demand out of Jandakot Airport in Perth’s South and takes to the air any time during daylight hours.

Rottnest Air Taxi

Get a return flight to Rottnest Island from around $100 per person.

Rottnest Air Taxi operates on demand, flying ANYTIME during daylight hours. Just let us know when, and we will set aside an aircraft for you.

Our philosophy is to make our service flexible, cost effective and easy to use. As such we operate an ‘on demand’ timetable.

The flight time between the Mainland and Rottnest Island is about 12 minutes. It takes you directly over Fremantle and the lower Swan, with spectacular views along the river towards Perth itself, and of course a unique perspective on ‘Rotto’ as you arrive too!

Rottnest By Helicopter

Arrive in style in your own private helicopter from Rotorvation Helicopters.

Excellent visibility and incredible views will make your Rottnest trip a real adventure. Flights available seven days a week from Jandakot Airport. Includes return flight and three hours on the Island. Extra time can be arranged for a small fee.

Rotorvation Helicopters

There is nothing quite like flying to Rottnest by helicopter. Incredible visibility and stunning views of historic Fremantle, the southern beaches and Rottnest itself make this the ultimate way to get to the Island.

The flight time including the return trip is approximately 40 minutes. Three hours helicopter standing time allows you the opportunity to explore the Island or enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the Island’s excellent restaurants.

Prices
Contact Details

By Boat

For many residents of Western Australia (WA), their favourite way of getting to Rottnest Island is to take their own boat. This also provides the perfect opportunity to experience the island’s many coastal activities. More boating details can be found in the Taking your own boat section.

Contact the visitor centre for further information about getting to Rottnest Island in Western Australia (WA).

Taking your own boat

All the information you need for taking your own boat to Rottnest Island can be found on the boating information page.

Western Australia has the highest per capita boat ownership in Australia, and Rottnest Island is a favourite destination for "boaties".

Regulations and guidelines are in place to preserve Rottnest's unique environment and to ensure the safety of those enjoying the Island and its waters.

Everyone entering the Rottnest Island Reserve, including the marine reserve, is required to pay an admission fee as a contribution to the conservation of the Island and the provision and upkeep of facilities.

Visitors arriving by ferry pay this fee as part of their fare. Admission fees are $12.50 for Adults and $1.00 for children aged four to twelve years inclusive.

Each visitor to the Reserve pays an annual admission fee of: Day visitors adults $15.00, children (4-12 years) $4.50, children under 4 years are free, family (2dults+2 children) $34.50; Extended stay (overnight) adults $18.50 children (4-12 years) $6.75 children under 4 years are free, family (2 adults + 2 children) $43.75. These admission fees are included in the ferry fare, or as part of an annual admission fee for boat owners.

The Rottnest Island Authority manages all moorings and jetty pens on the Island. There are two systems in place to manage these.

The first system involves a rental system for moorings and jetty pens, which is administered by the Marine and Boating section at the Rottnest Island Visitor Centre. (ph: +61 8 9372 9771).

The second system involves licensed a mooring system, which is administered by the Moorings Officer, email Marine Administration or ph: +61 8 9432 9320.

Luggage Information

To help reduce the impact of excess luggage on the Island and preserve the holiday atmosphere that we all enjoy, the Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) applies the following restrictions to luggage deliveries on Rottnest:

How much luggage can I bring to Rottnest?

Each RIA accommodation booking has an allowance of two bags per fixed bed for accommodation with a maximum of 22kg. 'Airline' style luggage labels are available when you book your return travel with your preferred ferry operator. Please note that additional labels are not provided when fold-out beds are hired.

We aim to deliver your correctly labeled luggage within two hours of your arrival on Rottnest.
Items such as surfboards, surf-skis, fishing rods, guitars, bicycles, cray-pots and golf bags will not be delivered and must be transported to accommodation by their owners. These items must to be picked up by passengers at the jetty after disembarkation.
Dive cylinders and gas cylinders will not be delivered due to dangerous goods handling requirements.
Medication and fragile items should be carried in hand luggage. Please be aware that once luggage is removed from the ferry you will not be able to access it until it has been sorted and delivered to your accommodation.
Hand luggage should be carried aboard the ferry as luggage placed in crates is transported to a sorting yard and is not accessible to the public. A two hour delay may be experienced if unlabelled luggage is placed into crates as it will need to be sorted and returned to the Visitor Centre.

Is there any restriction on the size of bags or boxes I can bring?

There are certain restrictions you need to be aware of.

The following size and weight restrictions are in place to comply with health and safety regulations. Luggage exceeding the specified size and weight may not be delivered.

Each bag with handles - maximum 22 kilograms
Each cardboard box - maximum 10 kilograms
Each luggage item must not exceed 500mm x 800mm in dimension
No 'piggy-backing' of baggage items is allowed, for example, attaching a sleeping bag to a suitcase.

Enquiries

For any enquiries related to luggage delivery or allowances, please email the Central Reservations team or ph: (08) 9432 9111 or 1800 111 111 (WA Country callers).

Please note that some ferry companies impose excess baggage charges at their terminals. This is a charge by ferry companies for transportation to the Island only and does not relate to delivery of luggage to your accommodation.