Australia
Rottnest Island
Quokkas — the world's happiest-looking marsupials — pose for selfies on a car-free island off Perth.
The quokka sits on its haunches, ears forward, apparently smiling. It is not smiling — its facial structure simply looks that way. But the effect is disarming, and the selfie is already taken. Rottnest Island runs on quokka charm and bicycle wheels.
Rottnest Island (Wadjemup in Noongar language) sits 19 kilometres off the coast of Perth in Western Australia. The island's quokkas — small marsupials weighing 2.5-5 kilograms — are the island's most famous residents, their apparently cheerful expressions making them a global selfie phenomenon. No private cars are permitted; the island is explored by bicycle or on foot, with 63 beaches and 20 bays ringing its 11-kilometre length. The island's history is more complex than its holiday-brochure exterior suggests — from 1838 to 1931, Wadjemup was used as a prison for Aboriginal men and boys, with an estimated 373 deaths. A memorial and ongoing truth-telling process now sit alongside the tourism.
Couple
Bike from bay to bay, snorkel in turquoise water, and encounter quokkas on every path — Rottnest is a car-free island built for unhurried pairs.
Family
Quokka encounters, safe swimming beaches, and bike rides with no traffic — Rottnest is a family-friendly island that practically runs itself.
Friends
Hire bikes, race between bays, snorkel together, and argue about who got the best quokka photo — the island turns friendship into gentle competition.
- Quokkas — small marsupials with a permanent smile — approach you without fear, posing for photos.
- No cars allowed — the entire island is explored by bicycle or walking track.
- Sixty-three beaches and twenty bays ring an island only 11 kilometres long.
- Heritage cottages and converted army barracks sit within earshot of waves on both shores.
Thomsons restaurant — rotisserie meats and local wines with views across Thomson Bay at sunset.
Fish and chips at The Basin — crystal-clear water, white sand, and quokkas eyeing your chips.
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