Discover Rottnest Island by Foot
Discover Rottnest Island by Foot
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When you think of Perth’s favourite island playground you think of quokkas, summer holidays, white sandy beaches, sheltered bays and riding your bike around without a care in the world. With the addition of the Wadjemup Bidi (Wadjemup is the aboriginal name for the island and Bidi means walk) you can explore the island from a whole new perspective. With four completed trails and a fifth on the way, you could easily spend a week winding your way around the abundance of spectacular scenes that are located along the trail network.
Even if you are only on the island for a fleeting day trip, there is plenty of time to take in a couple of walks followed by lunch and a swim. The great thing about these trails is that they all link up at various points so you can choose your own adventure and take things at your own pace. The advantage to being on foot rather than bike is you get to see a lot more of the island and visit places that can only be accessed by foot. Throw in the cooler summer temperatures than the mainland and you have the perfect hiking escape for when things are too warm in Perth. To help with your planning, let’s go through the trails and what you can expect to see.
Ngank Yira Bidi – Uncover Bickley Battery
Length – 9.4km (One Way)
Start – Thomson Bay Beach
Finish – Oliver Hill Battery
Highlights – Thomson Bay, WWII History, Bickley Battery, Henrietta Rocks, Serpentine Lake, Oliver Hill Battery
Time – 3-5 hours
Exploring the rich WWII history of Rottnest Island, the Ngank Yira Bidi starts with a gentle stroll away from the main settlement along the pristine beaches of Thomson Bay before immersing you in a bygone era. Take in the impressive guns of Bickley Battery and explore the abandoned buildings that now house information boards on how the island played its part in the defence of the Western Australian coastline.
The trail then shifts focus to the rugged southern coast as you wind your way up and down the dune system. A quick trip inland to view the Beachcomber art installation and then you are taken to Henrietta Rocks for an extended beach walk along the wild Porpoise Bay. Moving away from the beach and towards one of the islands many lakes, its a quick jaunt around the picturesque Serpentine Lake before climbing up to the finishing point at Oliver Hill where you will get to experience stunning views back to the settlement.
Gabbi Karniny Bidi – Discover the Salt Lakes
Length – 9.7km (Loop)
Start – Main Settlement
Highlights – Vlamingh Lookout, Lake Baghdad, Lakes Boardwalk, Little Parakeet Bay, Geordie Bay, Longreach Bay, The Basin, Bathurst Lighthouse
Time – 3-5 hours
The Gabbi Karniny is the poster walk for what makes Rottnest great. Starting and finishing in the hive of activity of the island, it takes you out into the heart of the lake system where you will experience a variety of bird life up close before finishing with a series of stunning beaches on the north shore. If you only do one walk while you are on Rottnest then this is a pretty good way to spend an entire day.
After admiring the interior of the island you can settle on one of the many famous beaches and take a dip in the sheltered waters. Enjoy a coffee at Geordie Bay, a snorkel at The Basin or just lay out a beach towel and take in the rays at Pinky’s, there are so many things to do along this trail. With the finishing point so close to the best watering hole on the island it would be a shame not to finish the walk with a beverage at the Rottnest Hotel overlooking Thomson Bay.
Wardan Nara Bidi – Relax on Salmon Bay
Length – 10km (One Way)
Start – Porpoise Bay
Finish – Rocky Bay
Highlights – Parker Point, Little Salmon Bay, Osprey Stack, Salmon Bay, Wadjemup Lighthouse, Strickland Bay, Mammong Dreaming Sculpture
Time – 3-5 hours
Covering the largely untouched south side of the island, the Wardan Nara is a good mix of beach walking and a wilder dune experience. Within the first couple of kilometres you come across two stunning snorkelling spots in Parker Point and Little Salmon Bay that are well worth checking out if you brought your snorkel and flippers. Leaving the sheltered bays behind you are taken to the exposed coastline where the large ospreys like to nest. Walk down to one of the more popular nests is located just off shore before experiencing one of the best beaches on the island, Salmon Bay.
If you survive the roaring south-wester coming in off the Indian Ocean then you are rewarded with a trip inland to the highest point on the island and the ever present Wadjemup Lighthouse. Take a tour of the lighthouse or just admire the views before heading into the wild heathland that dominates the western part of the island. One final stroll near Strickland Bay and you are at the finishing point at Rocky Bay. Catch the bus back to the settlement or continue on the Karlinyah Bidi.
Karlinyah Bidi – Experience the Northern Beaches
Length – 5.9km (One Way)
Start – Little Parakeet Bay
Finish – Rocky Bay
Highlights –
Time – 2-4 hours
The shortest walk on Rottnest is by no means the least enjoyable with the Karlinyah Bidi offering up some of the best beaches on the island. You can start at either end but getting there will require either a walk or a bus trip so it doesn’t really matter. Depending on when you walk this trail, access may be limited due to the fickle nature of the sandy beaches but summer/autumn is the best time to experience the best that this trail has to offer. Dotted along the walking trail you will find some of the most secluded and rugged stretches of coastline unless you count the local bird populations.
Stark Bay offers the largest stretch of beach with a sheltered position from the raging south-westers, you can enjoy lying in the sun after a swim or just soak in the atmosphere as you stroll along the white sandy shores. The eastern beaches on this walk are where you will find the wild and rugged coastline so be careful when exploring the beaches and cliffs. The best snorkelling spot is at Little Armstrong Bay and is rated as one of the best spots on the island to dip your flippers into. While it may be short, you could easily spend a lot of time on this trail experiencing each beach or finding your own private bay to relax in.
Conclusion – Rottnest is a walkerís paradise that offers up a different experience to the forests of mainland WA. You can’t argue with being able to take a swim at almost any point of a hike and with plenty of snorkelling opportunities it’s not a bad idea to strap your mask and flippers to your backpack.
As always, make sure you adhere to the Leave No Trace philosophy so we can keep this pristine island playground in tip top shape for future generations.
To find out more about the Wadjemup Bidi visit the Rottnest Island website (www.rottnestisland.com./wadjemupbidi) or read all about what it’s like to hike these trails over at The Life of Py (http://www.thelifeofpy.com).
-Mark Pybus
Guest blogger
