"Rottnest Island ~ Islan ..." a Rottnest Island Travel Page by icyjo24

Rottnest Island is located 18km off Fremantle, which is just a 25 minute ferry ride from Victoria Quay. The island is 11km long and just 4.5 km wide at some parts. The climate here is of a pleasant semi-arid Mediterranean type.

The island was named 'Rottenest' , which means rat's nest, by Dutch explorers in the 17th century as they have mistook the marsupials, now known as quokkas, as huge rats.The island has a history of being an Aboriginal convict settlement, a military installation and a salt-gathering place.

If you like natural coastal scenery, you can spend a day cycling around the island. The island is also surrounded by many fine beaches and bays, which is popular for snorkelling, scuba diving and swimming. Although its supposedly the Land of the Quokkas, I didn't manage to see any in the wild as I just saw one in the main settlement area.