One Day Itinerary for the Mindful Traveller

This guide will help mindful travellers design a day of enlightening Wadjemup / Rottnest Island history tours and Aboriginal cultural experiences.

4 minutes

Pinky Beach at Sunset

When you travel, you immerse yourself in a place. In its history, its culture, its food… you want to experience it all. And Wadjemup is the place for meaningful immersion.

This is the itinerary for enlightening history tours that take you all the way in (and all the way back).

9 am Breakfast

We’re gifting you, mindful one, with a nice, slow start. Make your way to The Lane Cafe in the settlement mall for a coffee, a spot of people (and quokka) watching, and a hearty breakfast that’ll keep you going until later this afternoon.

10:30 am Rottnest Island train tour

Your next stop is the train station to catch the Captain Hussey’s first trip of the day. The 64-seat historical train will take you on an idyllic and informative journey through the island’s south, passing iconic and historically significant landmarks along the way.

You’ll disembark at Oliver Hill Gun & Tunnel, a significant World War II heritage site built to defend Fremantle port from warships. Meet our voluntary guides and discover the military remnants hidden within, including a maze of underground tunnels.

Lane Cafe

Oliver Hill Battery

1 pm Aboriginal tour of Rottnest Island

We’re going on a guided walking tour with the award-winning Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours & Experiences. For you, we recommend the Extended Wadjemup Tour where you can discover the island’s significance to Noongar people with your Noongar guide, and experience a traditional Aboriginal sand ceremony, Dreamtime story, and traditional song.

Bookings are essential, so make sure you plan ahead for your Aboriginal culture tour of Wadjemup.

3 pm Pinky’s Rottnest Island

We’re closing your day at Pinky’s Rottnest Island, one of the most celebrated dining experiences on the island. Pinky’s is inspired by the best of Western Australian produce, sustainably sourced as much as possible, with a flavour distinct to the island.

Enjoy stunning local seafood, refreshing cocktails, and live music on weekends. While away the afternoon, watch the sun go down, and take in the views of Pinky Beach and Bathurst Lighthouse.

Walter McGuire from Go Cultural Tours

Pinky's Beach Club at sunset

Staying overnight?

After yesterday, you’re already starting with a newfound respect for the island and its history. Spend a quiet morning wandering through the Pilot Boathouse and Wadjemup Museum, reflecting on what you find inside in the light of everything you now know.

Wadjemup Museum

Pilot Boathouse

During the 1800s, maritime pilots were tasked with guiding ships through the reefs surrounding Rottnest Island and delivering them safely to Fremantle Harbour. The boathouse is a relic of this lost trade. Constructed in 1846 at the northern end of a seawall, the boathouse now holds replicas of pilot boats and historical photos tracing the 57 years of piloting on the island.

Once you’re finished here, walk the short distance to Wadjemup Museum. Developed in consultation with the Wadjemup Aboriginal Reference Group, Wadjemup Museum tells the island’s story from its beginnings more than 40,000 years ago right up to its role in 2020’s global pandemic.