QUOKKA!
How did I get to see so many of these cute marsupials? By taking the Rottnest Express to Rottnest Island!
Woo Hoo! Going to Rotto!
Cathie and I took the train into Perth to catch the ferry this morning (this was also my first time taking the train). We had also hired bikes when we booked our tickets.
Look at all those bikes!
We arrived about 10:15 on the island. We got our bikes, and Cathie grabbed a helmet from the crate (helmets are mandatory in Australia). I brought my helmet with me.
The bikes were 3 speed with belts (like Tilmann). You wouldn’t want to load them up with panniers or anything, but they are serviceable transportation.
We picked up a map at the Visitor Center, and planned our circumnavigation of Rottnest. The wind was blowing pretty good, but it was sunny. Our first quokka sighting was just after we started riding.
Cathie gave the quokka the leaf to eat.
We stopped at Pinky Beach. The scenery was quite spectacular.
If it was summer, the swimming would be nice.
We also got this cute little quokka to smile!
Okay, they naturally look like they are smiling...one reason they are so popular.
We continued on to Geordie Bay. There is a general store and a cafe at Geordie Bay. We hadn’t been riding long, but we were ready for a snack (it had been awhile since breakfast). At the store and cafe there was this gate.
No quokkas
In the cafe...apparently, quokkas can’t read.
We had apple crumbles that were delicious. The quokkas kept waiting for a little nibble to drop. The shop workers kept shooing them out.
See the quokka NOT going out the door?
Back on the bikes, we continued on to Catherine Bay. Of course this was a must stop photo op since it’s Cathie’s Bay and all.
Come on Cathie! You are almost at the top!
The road was fairly hilly. The bikes could have had one easier gear (especially for those who don’t do much riding...Cathie). It was okay though. If it was too steep, Cathie just hopped off and walked.
We pulled off at Stark Bay. Flat Will wanted to have a beach photo.
Flat Will at Stark Bay
The road we were on came to an intersection. Turning right would take us out to Cathedral Rocks and Cape Vlamingh, but it was 7.4kms return. I asked Cathie if she wanted to go. She said we should go because I was only here once. I told her I didn’t want to kill her! Well, we went out, and it was so worth it!
We saw fur seals at Cathedral Rocks
And Flat Will got his photo taken with a quokka!
I call this...”Pig Rock”
Cape Vlamingh
How’s that for a gull photo?
Also saw this King Skink
We rode the ups and downs back to where we had turned, and continued on around the island.
The Wadjemup Lighthouse
As we were thinking we might be running short on time, we took the shorter (but still hilly) way back to Thompson Bay (where we got off the ferry).
Come on, Cathie! We don’t want to miss the boat! (Not really, we had plenty of time)
Still going strong after almost 22kms (but getting a wee bit tired)!
Back at the Settlement (Thompson Bay) we had enough time to get something to eat. Believe it or not, there is a Subway on Rotto!
The local Subway quokka
I did get cookies at Subway, but mostly I got food at the bakery.
This is, apparently, a very well known bakery. Cathie said people come to Rotto just to go to the bakery.
Of course, there were numerous quokkas looking for nibbles.
They do tend to get underfoot...
When it was time, we made our way back over to the ferry dock. We met up with the couple, Frank and Gail, who we had met on the boat going over. They, too, had hired bikes and ridden around the island.
Heading to the dock.
We gave our bikes to the ferry people, and boarded our boat. As we returned to Perth, the sun did it’s magic and gave us this amazing show.
It was a fabulous day on Rottnest! Cathie is so lucky to live in a place where you can take a boat and go take hundreds of photos of beautiful scenery, and...QUOKKAS!!!
Aren’t I just the cutest!!!
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