Rottnest Express
Press Room

Rottnest Express has its origins in the 1950s when Alan Kitcher began a new business venture ferrying guests from mainland Perth to Rottnest Island in his 42-foot wooden hulled boat ‘The Temeraire’.

Today, it is proud to be a Western Australian icon, helping people access and experience pristine Rottnest Island for more than 60 years.

With a fleet of modern ferries, Rottnest Express operates from two ports in Fremantle and most recently, Barrack Street in the Perth CBD, making it easy for tourists to experience Perth’s favourite aquatic playground.

Not just a ferry service, Rottnest Express has bikes and snorkels for hire, as well as a bus tour that takes guests around the car-free island to all the most scenic spots.

To see the island from another angle, the 90-minute Adventure Boat ride takes guests on a circumnavigation with an expert guide providing commentary. There’s countless wildlife to be spotted including New Zealand fur seals and even humpback whales during whale watching season from September to November.

For those looking for an adrenalin rush, Rottnest Express conducts Thrill Rides – a 45-minute, high-speed ride on the purpose-built Eco Express. Exploring the island’s rugged coastline while being introduced to some of its aquatic inhabitants will leave guests on a high (and with messy hair!)

Rottnest Express takes its commitment to Western Australia seriously and works to support Telethon, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of the state’s disadvantaged youth.

Fast Facts

  • Rottnest Express’s Quokka Club gives the gift of free travel for Western Australian children aged between four and 12.
  • Will you see a quokka when you visit Rottnest Island with Rottnest Express? With more than 10,000 of them on the island, it’s highly likely.
  • It’s hard to believe Rottnest Express’s high-speed ferries have their origins in a single 42-foot wooden-hulled launch. That boat was called The Temeraire and it started ferrying passengers between Perth and Rottnest in the late 1950s.
  • Quite the athletic bunch, several Rottnest Express staff have swum the Rottnest Channel Swim, an epic 20-km open water swim, while raising money for charity.