Your day of adventure can continue well after the sun sets. Catch the late-night ferry and stay a little longer on Wadjemup / Rottnest Island.
With Wadjemup located just a short ferry ride away from the mainland, day trips are a beloved way to enjoy all that’s here. In the spring and summer months, the days are long; but it’s never really long enough, is it? Now with a limited-time-only late-night ferry service departing from 9 pm, your island experience can extend well into the evening. This leaves you with ample time to explore these unique evening activities and still return to the mainland.
After a busy day of sun, cycling and beach-hopping, wind down and observe the local creatures during their most active hours. Garden Lake is just a 3-minute walk from the main settlement and is one of the best places to spot a native quokka on the island. As the sun starts to dip and dusk hours emerge, activity tends to increase. Walk the boardwalk and appreciate these curious marsupials from a respectable distance.
If you stay here until the sun sets, you’re in for a show. Cast your eyes to the horizon and marvel in the fiery sunset colours reflected in the still waters of the salt lake systems that surround you.
With the sun dipped lower in the sky, take your renewed sense of energy to Rottnest Island Golf Course for a round of twilight golf. Between 14 November and 31 January, tee off at 5 pm for a 9-hole round timed perfectly to beat the heat of the day. Shorter games are available too, with 3-hole rounds teeing off at 5:30 pm. Take your time to appreciate the rapidly changing atmosphere of the course in the glow of the setting sun.
With hours left before the last ferry leaves, linger as long as you like in the kaleidoscope of a Wadjemup sunset. Pack a picnic with goodies from the General Store to snack on while you watch this natural spectacle from your lookout spot. The Basin, Pinky Beach and Bathurst Lighthouse make for some of the best vantage points, offering uninterrupted views across the Indian Ocean.
With later ferry options, there’s no need to rush home with rumbling tummies. Feed the crew with fresh fish and chips from the new Chippies food truck at Rottnest Island Golf Course. Or follow your noses towards the tantalising scent of handmade sourdough pizzas that waft out of Frankie’s on Rotto.
You can even explore further afield to Geordie’s Café & Art Gallery for hearty food in a spacious setting. The Quokka Hopper provides convenient on-demand private transport option to get you here. Operating until the later hours of the evening for a fee. There are 12 dedicated stops, or you can request a private chauffeur service, available in one and two-hour blocks.
Visit Pinky’s Rottnest Island from 14 November until 31 January to tap your feet to the sounds of live, local music artists. Here, a late afternoon session can easily roll into an evening feast with friends and family. The drinks menu is extensive, complete with kid-friendly options. As is the all-day dining menu, with fresh seafood and barbequed meats on offer to keep everyone satisfied well beyond the later journey home.
If you stick around after the sun has slipped into the sea, the beauty continues. Cast your eyes to the stars above for a moment of pure awe. Without the city lights of the mainland, it’s possible to spot constellations glimmering worlds above. Bathurst Lighthouse and Vlamingh Lookout provide ideal star gazing conditions but be sure to arrive equipped with a torch to ensure a safe return to the main settlement.
If the young ones (and those young at heart) still have energy to burn, visit the arcade area or putting green at Rottnest Island Mini Golf. Play a round of putt-putt under the night sky, with the added thrill of after-dark elements making each hole a unique experience. Over at the dazzling displays of the arcade, there are plenty of prizes to be won. Challenge your nearest and dearest to some competitive family fun.
Sink yourselves into deckchairs and watch a new release film or a family classic in the historic Picture Hall. Armed with scrumptious snacks from the candy bar, this is the perfect way to wind down before catching the final ferry home.
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