Meet Rotto’s critters

Only 19km from Perth, Rotto is the perfect quick getaway, a whole other world with its picture-perfect beaches, secluded bays and famous wildlife.

To see the latter, take a trip to the new Cathedral Rocks viewing platform, where visitors can get close to the resident New Zealand fur deal colony without disturbing the creatures.

If you’re staying the night on the island, keep a look out for the white-striped freetail bat.

There are also plenty of geckos to spot and three species of frogs to listen out for – the moaning frog, the motorbike frog and the squelching frog. (You might know them by their alternative names – the burrowing frog, western green tree frog and sandplain froglet.)

Of course, snapping a picture with a quokka is a drawcard for tourists.

But for those wanting to know more about this quirky and officially vulnerable marsupial, there are free educational walks.

If you visit during autumn and winter, you may just be lucky enough to see joeys peeking out from their mother’s pouch!But for those wanting to know more about this quirky and officially vulnerable marsupial, there are free educational walks.

Thankfully, there are plenty of tracks connecting all the island’s best parts. You can explore these trails by bike or foot.

There are many free guided walking tours or you can make your own way along the Wadjemup Bidi – 45km of trails made up of five sections.

For a less feet-intensive exploration, try the Island Explorer shuttle service. This air-conditioned hop-on, hop-off coach takes you on a total circumnavigation of the island and stops in 18 places.

Seniors can enjoy great discounts on selected activities and accommodation by presenting their WA Seniors Card. For details call Rottnest Island Reservations on (08) 9432-9111.