Plan smarter. Book Rottnest with confidence.
A planning guide, where to stay, when to book, and how to improve your chances.
Find an area that fits the way you want to holiday.
Best areas for families on Rottnest
Where families tend to settle in: short walks to swimming, kid-friendly beaches and supplies close by.
Read guideQuietest Rottnest beaches and bays
The bays where you'll happily walk an extra ten minutes to have the water more or less to yourself.
Read guide
Best areas near the ferry
Stays that put you within a few minutes of the ferry, the bakery and the bike-hire shop.
Read guideUnderstand the release calendar so you can plan around it.
Open Days and how the release window works
The official release rhythm, and what to do if you don't get through.
Read guideSchool holidays and peak booking periods
The weeks where the island fills up, and the calmer windows on either side.
Read guideWeather and the best months to visit
An honest look at the weather across the year, and the windows we'd recommend.
Read guideSmall changes that meaningfully improve your chances.
Why flexible dates dramatically improve your chances
The single biggest lever you can pull when booking Rottnest, and it costs you nothing.
Read guideHow quickly popular stays can disappear
The honest picture of how the cancellation market actually moves, and why an alert beats a tab.
Read guide
Starter, Flexible or Power: which fits you
Three plans, three different shapes of trip. Pick the one that matches the way you'd holiday.
Read guideOpen Day schedule
Rottnest accommodation is released one month at a time, on the first Wednesday of each month at 8:30 am AWST.
- Wed, 1 July 2026March 2027Peak
- Wed, 5 Aug 2026April 2027Peak
- Wed, 2 Sept 2026May 2027Standard
- Wed, 7 Oct 2026June 2027Standard
- Wed, 4 Nov 2026July 2027Standard
- Wed, 2 Dec 2026August 2027Standard
- Wed, 6 Jan 2027September 2027Standard
- Wed, 3 Feb 2027October 2027Standard
Always confirm with the Rottnest Island Authority before relying on these dates.
Near the ferry jetty in Thomson Bay. Open daily 7:30 am to 5:00 pm.
Rottnest Nursing Post, 9292 5030. Emergencies: 000.
Telstra has the best coverage. Free Wi-Fi around the settlement.
Card accepted everywhere. One ATM near the general store.
We'll keep watch for the right stay.
Set a watch once and we'll let you know when something matches, calmly, without the constant refreshing.
Set up a watch