Rottnest Island by bike
On Wadjemup / Rottnest you share the quiet sealed roads mainly with other bikes, buses and service vehicles, with a bay round every corner. Here's every way to get a bike there, compared, plus the e-bike and ferry rules, the loop, and where to fill your bottle.
- Adult bike hire
- $35
- a day at Pedal & Flipper; $20 after 1 pm
- E-bike hire
- $83
- a day, island only, 18+ to hire
- Your own bike
- $18–25
- on the ferry, by operator and bike type
- Round the island
- 3–5 h
- 22 km says RIA; we trace about 28 km
Suits: families, first-timers and e-bike riders on the short rides; fit riders and roadies for the full loop. Expect hills and wind.
Explore the island in 3D
The orange line is the Island Ride, about 28 km on the roads we traced. Tap a numbered stop to fly there and see what’s at it: water, toilets, food, swimming and snorkelling.
Rottnest Island by bike
Wadjemup · 19 km² · highest point 45 m
Ferries land at Thomson Bay on the east end. The Island Ride runs the south coast to the West End and back along the north coast’s bays. Tap a numbered stop to see what’s there.
Every drinking-water point is in the island’s eastern third. Fill up before you head west.
Rottnest Island Authority, read 14 Oct 2026
Our 3D drawing from OpenStreetMap data (ODbL) and Geoscience Australia 5 m heights (CC BY 4.0) via AWS Terrain Tiles. Buildings and landmarks are our own models, shaped from their OpenStreetMap footprints and public photos; wall and roof colours are illustrative where the map doesn’t say. Heights are exaggerated 2.5 times and buildings 1.15 times; plants, people, boats and props are enlarged so they read at map scale. The sea floor, seagrass, coral and sea life are illustrations of what lives around Rottnest, not a survey. Not for navigation.
If you're going
- Hire
- Cheapest is Pedal & Flipper on the island: $35 a day for an adult bike, $83 for an e-bike. Ferry operators hire pedal bikes only ($35 to $38), ready on the jetty or at the terminal.
- Own bike
- $18 to $21 return on the ferry, $25 for an e-bike. Bikes must weigh 22 kg or less, and e-bike batteries must come out. Book the space with your ticket.
- Which ride
- Little kids: the 4 km Mini Loop. A half day: the 10 km Beaches, Lighthouses and Lakes ride. A full day: around the island, 3 to 5 hours with stops.
- Water
- Carry 2 litres each (3 in hot weather). Taps at Thomson Bay, the Army Jetty, Kingstown Barracks, The Basin, Vlamingh Lookout and Geordie Bay; none out west.
- Rules
- Helmets on. Hire bikes stay on sealed roads and paths, never on beaches or jetties. Don't touch or feed quokkas: $150 to $200 on the spot.
- Admission
- $21.50 per adult, included in your ferry fare.
Plan your day
Pick your ferry, who's riding and the bays you want. The planner times the day from the real ferry timetable and the road distance between stops, and tells you whether it fits.
- On the island
- 0
- Riding
- 0 km
- At stops
- 0
- Spare
- 0
Loading the ferry timetables…
How the planner works. Ferry times are from each operator's own timetable, read 20 October 2026: Rottnest Express and Rottnest Fast Ferries to April 2027, SeaLink to January 2027. Operators change times, so go by your booking. Distances are our routing along the island's sealed roads and paths on OpenStreetMap, visiting your stops clockwise, the way the RIA rides the island. Speeds are average moving speeds and are our assumptions, the same as in the ride times table; we found no reliable figure for children. Stop times are our suggestions, except the RIA's "allow an hour" for each snorkel trail. We allow 10 minutes to collect a ferry bike or your own, 20 to walk to Pedal & Flipper and hire one (it opens 8.30 am to 5 pm), and have you at the jetty 30 minutes before your ferry home. Nothing here is booked or held for you.
Bike hire prices compared
An adult bike costs $35 a day at Pedal & Flipper on the island, or $35 to $38 if you book it with your ferry. Only Pedal & Flipper hires e-bikes ($83). Nobody hires by the hour.
| Hire from | Adult, day | Child | E-bike | Pick up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedal & Flipper (on the island) | $35 | $22 | $83 | Bedford Avenue, behind Hotel Rottnest, 8.30 am to 5 pm |
| Rottnest Express | $38 | $19 | – | Waiting on the island jetty |
| SeaLink | $37 | – | – | Off the ferry on the island |
| Rottnest Fast Ferries (Hillarys) | $35 | $18 | – | Hillarys ticket office, before you sail |
Prices are as published on each operator's own pages, checked 13 October 2026. Pedal & Flipper's come from the RIA's price list, valid from 1 July 2026. Prices change, especially over the December and January holidays, so confirm when you book.
- Pedal & Flipper extras (from 1 July 2026): $21 for each extra day; $20 adult or $50 e-bike if you hire after 1 pm; adult bike with baby seat $47; child or cargo trailer $27 (children 12 months to 4 years); adult tricycle $41. Helmet and lock included. Deposits: $50 for a bike, $200 for an e-bike, $100 for a trailer.
- Rottnest Express: baby-seat bike $44, bike with trailer $62, plus $5 per bike over the December–January holidays.
- Rottnest Fast Ferries: $50 for two days, then $10 a day; child $25 for two days. One lock per group, $25 bond.
- Age: the hirer must be 18 or over at Pedal & Flipper, and SeaLink bikes must be collected by someone 18 or over. Pedal & Flipper takes no outside child trailers on its bikes.
Ferry and bike packages compared
A package saves very little: $2.50 to $6 for an adult on the prices we checked. Pick the ferry port that's closest to you, then book the bike with it or on the island.
| Leaving from | Package | Package, adult | Ferry and bike booked separately | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremantle (B Shed) | Rottnest Express, Experience Rottnest | from $123 | $125.50 $87.50 ferry + $38 bike | The bike waits for you on the island jetty. Helmet and admission included. |
| Fremantle | SeaLink: no package on its own site | – | from $127 from $90 ferry + $37 bike | Add the bike when you book the ferry and collect it off the boat. Fares are dynamic, so they can rise on busy days. |
| Perth (Barrack Street) | Rottnest Express, Experience Rottnest | ask when you book | $173.50 $135.50 ferry + $38 bike | Adds a Swan River cruise with commentary. The page shows one "from $123" for every port, so check the Perth price when you book. |
| Perth | SeaLink: no package on its own site | – | from $171.50 from $134.50 ferry + $37 bike | As for Fremantle: add the bike at booking. |
| Hillarys | Rottnest Fast Ferries, Ferry & Bike Combo | $124 child $72 | $130 $95 ferry + $35 bike | You collect the bike at Hillarys and take it across. Youth (13 to 16) $110, concession $115. Valid to 31 March 2027. |
Adult same-day return fares, including the $21.50 island admission fee, as published on each operator's own pages, checked 14 and 19 October 2026. We don't earn anything from these links. Prices change, especially over the December and January holidays, so confirm when you book.
- Want an e-bike, a trailer or a choice of bike? Take any ferry and hire from Pedal & Flipper on the island: $35 for an adult bike, $83 for an e-bike, the only e-bike hire on Rottnest.
- Book bikes ahead for summer weekends and school holidays. Ferry bike numbers are limited and can sell out.
E-bikes: hire or bring your own?
Hire one on the island from Pedal & Flipper for $83 a day ($50 after 1 pm). Bringing your own costs $25 on the ferry, but only if it weighs 22 kg or less and the battery comes out, which rules out many e-bikes.
Hiring
Only Pedal & Flipper hires e-bikes; none of the ferry companies offers them. You must be 18 to hire one, with a $200 refundable deposit. Book ahead in summer.
Bringing your own
All three ferry operators charge $25. Rottnest Express and SeaLink won't carry an e-bike whose battery can't be removed; Rottnest Fast Ferries accepts built-in batteries. Every operator has a 22 kg limit, so weigh yours first.
Who can ride
WA law lets you ride a legal e-bike (pedelec up to 250 W) from age 16. So a 16 or 17-year-old can ride their own e-bike on the island but can't hire one.
Is it worth it? The RIA says the full loop has some steep, winding hills and suggests an e-bike or a shorter ride if that sounds hard. If hills put you off, the Wadandi Track in the South West is a gentle rail trail with e-bike hire nearby.
Taking your own bike on the ferry
$18 to $21 return for a pedal bike, $25 for an e-bike. Book it with your ticket, hand it to the crew, and collect it from them on the island.
| Operator | Pedal bike | E-bike | Departs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rottnest Express | $21 | $25 | Fremantle B Shed, Northport (no riding inside the port), Perth Barrack Street |
| SeaLink | $20 | $25 | Fremantle Victoria Quay (B Shed), Perth Barrack Street |
| Rottnest Fast Ferries | $18 | $25 | Hillarys Boat Harbour |
- Size limits (all three): 1.3 m high, 1.8 m long, 45 cm wide, tyres up to 6 cm, and 22 kg. Trailers travel empty. SeaLink takes no tandems; Rottnest Fast Ferries charges $25 for one.
- Northport: Rottnest Express's Northport terminal is car access only, and cycling or walking inside the port isn't allowed. Ride to B Shed instead.
- SeaLink's fee is listed under "price per day"; we're checking whether that means each trip.
- On the island you collect your bike from the ferry crew. Bikes aren't delivered to accommodation.
The rides, and how long they take
The RIA suggests three rides from Thomson Bay: a 4 km Mini Loop (30 minutes), 10 km of beaches, lighthouse and lakes (1.5 to 3 hours), and the Island Ride, about 22 km (3 to 5 hours).
The Island Ride as we've traced it on OpenStreetMap, through every stop the RIA names.
Rotto Mini Loop
About 30 minutes
Thomson Bay through the bush to The Basin, along the coast past Longreach Bay to Geordie Bay, then inland past the salt lakes to Vlamingh Lookout. The RIA pitches it at little legs. Building up to it? Our 13 family rides around Perth include loops of 3.5 to 6 km.
Beaches, Lighthouses and Lakes
1.5 to 3 hours
South past Kingstown Barracks to Henrietta Rocks, Porpoise Bay, Parker Point and Salmon Bay, up Wadjemup Hill (the island's highest point) to the lighthouse, and home past the lakes.
The Island Ride
3 to 5 hours with stops
The south coast first, through Narrow Neck to the West End (seals in winter, whales from June), then back along the north coast's bays to Geordie Bay and Thomson Bay. The RIA says it suits experienced riders.
Is it really 22 km?
Traced along the roads through every stop the RIA lists, including the ride in and out of the West End, we get about 28 km. Plan for more than 22 km, and we'll confirm the distance by GPS when we ride it. The RIA's 3 to 5 hours still fits: it's the hills and the stops that take the time.
How long will the island ride take you?
Plan on 3 to 5 hours if you swim, snack and take photos. A fast rider who barely stops can do it in under two hours. The RIA says 3 to 5 hours; Rottnest Express says 1.5 to 2. The gap is speed and stops.
| Rider | Speed | Stops | Total 22 km | Total 28 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast, fit rider, few stops | 20 km/h | 15 min | 1 h 20 | 1 h 40 |
| Confident regular rider | 15 km/h | 45 min | 2 h 15 | 2 h 35 |
| Confident rider on an e-bike | 18 km/h | 45 min | 2 h | 2 h 20 |
| Casual adult, swim and café stop | 11 km/h | 1 h 30 | 3 h 30 | 4 h 05 |
| Family with school-age kids | 8 km/h | 2 h | 4 h 45 | 5 h 30 |
Where the numbers come from. The RIA's Island Ride page gives 22 km and 3 to 5 hours (checked 13 October 2026). SeaLink's cycling guide repeats 3 to 5 hours, and Rottnest Express's FAQ says about 1.5 to 2 hours for the same 22 km. The speeds and stops in the table are our assumptions (average speed while moving) for a geared hire bike on sealed road with hills and wind, so treat the totals as estimates, not measured rides. Each total is distance divided by speed, plus stops, rounded to 5 minutes. We'll swap in our own riding and stopped times after we ride the loop. If your family tires early, the RIA's 10 km ride takes 1.5 to 3 hours and the 4 km Mini Loop about 30 minutes.
- Is it hilly? In places. The RIA warns of steep, winding hills; the climb to Wadjemup Lighthouse is steady, and Oliver Hill is steep. One ferry operator calls the island "relatively flat"; we'd go with the RIA.
- Which way? There's no one-way rule. The RIA's Island Ride goes south coast first, which is clockwise.
- Is 4 hours enough? For the Mini Loop or the 10 km ride, yes. For the whole island, it's tight once you allow for collecting bikes and the ferry; give it a full day. Try your own ferry times in the day planner.
- More easy rides? Our WA bike routes page lists rail trails for families and e-bikes across the state.
We'll ride the loop clockwise this spring and add our measured distance and climbing, riding time versus stopped time, where the shade runs out, and photos.
Water, food and shade
Fill up at Thomson Bay, Kingstown Barracks or Geordie Bay before you head west: there are no taps past them. Most of the island has no shade.
- Water refill points (RIA): Thomson Bay settlement, the Army Jetty, Kingstown Barracks, The Basin, Vlamingh Lookout and Geordie Bay. Carry at least 2 litres per person, 3 in hot weather.
- Food: the Thomson Bay settlement has the bakery, cafés and the General Store. Out on the loop: Geordie's Café at Geordie Bay, Kalli's at Wadjemup Lighthouse and Lexi's at the West End, which also has shelter and toilets.
- Sun and wind: most paths are fully exposed. In summer and early autumn the south-westerly sea breeze (the "Fremantle Doctor") arrives in the afternoon, so ride the exposed West End early.
- Health: there's a nursing post in Thomson Bay but no pharmacy; the General Store sells basic medicines.
Rules, and quokkas
WA road rules apply on the island. Wear a helmet, stay on sealed roads and paths, use lights after dark, and never touch or feed a quokka.
- Helmets are the law for every rider, including kids and trailer passengers.
- Where to ride: hire bikes may only be ridden on sealed roads and cycle paths. Riding on beaches, into lakes or the sea, or on jetties costs you your deposit, and entering closed tracks is an offence.
- Traffic: buses and service vehicles share the roads, and every vehicle on the island is limited to 40 km/h. A tourist train runs too: look both ways at rail crossings.
- At night: a white front light and a red rear light. Pedal & Flipper sells lights for $20.
- Lock your bike. Hire bikes do go missing, and taking someone else's bike is an offence.
Quokkas
All wildlife on Rottnest is protected. Don't touch or feed quokkas: touching spreads disease and can make mothers abandon their young, and human food makes them sick. Ride with care, as they often sit on or beside the road. On-the-spot fines are $150 for feeding where signs prohibit it and $200 for interfering with wildlife; a court can fine up to $10,000. Report injured animals to rangers on (08) 9372 9788.
When to go
Autumn (April–May) and spring (September–November) are mild and ideal for riding. Summer is hot and busy, so book bikes early and start early.
Autumn, Apr–May
Mild and settled. SeaLink rates it excellent for cycling.
Spring, Sep–Nov
Mild, with whales passing the West End until December.
Winter, Jun–Aug
Quieter. Seals at Cathedral Rocks. Pack a wind jacket.
Summer, Dec–Mar
Hot, dry and busy. Ride early, carry 3 litres and book ahead.
Current notices (8 October 2026)
- Road closures and limited parking near both Fremantle ferry terminals; allow extra time.
- The Changing Places accessible facility is closed for building work until December 2026.
- The RIA asks visitors to report sick or dead birds on 1800 675 888 while it monitors for bird flu.
Wadjemup
This section mentions the deaths of Aboriginal people in custody.
Wadjemup is the island's Whadjuk Noongar name. From 1838 to 1931 it was also a prison where more than 4,000 Aboriginal men and boys were held.
The RIA describes Wadjemup as the "place across the water where the spirits are". Before the sea rose and cut it off more than 6,500 years ago, it was part of the mainland, and Whadjuk people hunted and gathered there.
From 1838 the island was a prison for Aboriginal men and boys, some as young as eight, taken from all over WA. At least 373 died in custody and are buried in what is now the Wadjemup Aboriginal Burial Ground. The Quod was built by prisoners in 1862–64. Prison buildings later became holiday accommodation, and the RIA now acknowledges that its past management hid much of this history.
Today the Aboriginal-led Wadjemup Project is working on truth-telling and memorialising the burial ground and the Quod. The burial ground is a protected site. Please respect any fencing or signs, and learn more at the Wadjemup Project and the Wadjemup Museum.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to hire a bike on Rottnest?
$35 a day for an adult bike at Pedal & Flipper, or $20 after 1 pm. Through the ferry companies it's $35 to $38. A child's bike is $18 to $22, and an e-bike $83 (island only).
Can you hire a bike by the hour?
No. Nobody offers hourly hire. The shortest is Pedal & Flipper's after-1 pm rate: $20 for an adult bike, $50 for an e-bike.
How long does it take to ride around Rottnest?
3 to 5 hours with stops, says the RIA. It calls the loop 22 km; traced along the roads to the West End and back, we make it about 28 km. Rottnest Express says 1.5 to 2 hours, which by our sums only suits a fast rider who barely stops. Our table of ride times by rider type shows where you would land.
Is 4 hours enough on Rottnest?
Enough for a short ride, not the whole island. Do the 4 km Mini Loop or the 10 km lighthouse and lakes ride.
Can I take my own e-bike to Rottnest?
Yes, for $25, if it weighs 22 kg or less and the battery comes out. Rottnest Fast Ferries also accepts built-in batteries.
How old do you have to be to hire an e-bike?
18 at Pedal & Flipper. WA law allows riders from 16 on their own e-bikes.
Do you need a helmet on Rottnest?
Yes. WA law applies, and every hire bike comes with one.
Is there a Rottnest bike map?
The RIA has an interactive island map, and paper maps are at the Visitor Centre. Phone reception is patchy, so save a map before you go.
Can you ride off-road on Rottnest?
No. Stick to sealed roads and paths; hire bikes aren't allowed anywhere else, and closed tracks protect plants and wildlife.
Sources
How we made this guide. Prices and rules come from the operators' and the RIA's own pages, checked on 8 October 2026; hire prices and ride times were checked again on 13 October 2026. Prices change, especially over summer, so confirm when you book. We'll add our own notes after we ride the loop. If something's wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.
No commissions. Nothing on this page earns us money. If we add booking links that pay us a commission, we'll say so next to them.
- Rottnest Island Authority: Pedal & Flipper Hire and its price list (valid from 1 July 2026) and hire terms; getting around by bike; cycle your way around the island and its three ride pages; practical tips; amenities; protect our wildlife; Aboriginal culture.
- RIA corporate site: Aboriginal history of Wadjemup, Wadjemup Project, admission fees (2026–27).
- Rottnest Island Regulations 1988 (penalties, Schedule 4).
- Rottnest Express: bike hire, luggage, FAQ, Experience Rottnest.
- SeaLink: bike hire and cycling tips.
- Rottnest Fast Ferries: bike hire, luggage, Ferry & Bike Combo.
- Ferry timetables, read 20 October 2026: Rottnest Express, SeaLink, Rottnest Fast Ferries.
- Road Safety Commission: bicycle riders and e-bike rules.
- Bureau of Meteorology: the Fremantle Doctor.
- Map: our drawing from © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), data as at 8 October 2026.
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