Rottnest Accommodation Open Days and Booking Release Dates
Bookings open one month at a time, eight months ahead, on the first Wednesday of every month.
Rottnest accommodation isn't released all year round. The Rottnest Island Authority opens bookings one month at a time, on the first Wednesday of each month at 8:30 am AWST. That morning is referred to as an Open Day.
The next Open Days
The first Wednesday of each month at 8:30 am AWST. Each Open Day releases bookings for the month eight months ahead.
- 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
- Wed, 3 Mar 2027November 2027Standard
- Wed, 7 Apr 2027December 2027Peak
Always confirm with the Rottnest Island Authority before relying on these dates.
Latest release: April 2027
April 2027 bookings are now open and April dates can be monitored with Quokka Watch. Availability varies by accommodation and travel dates. Stays that begin in late April can run through to a 1 May checkout; dates beyond that are released on the next Open Day, shown in the schedule below.
How the queue works
On Open Day, anyone trying to book is placed in a randomised virtual queue the moment the gates open at 8:30 am. Arriving at 8:29 is no different to arriving at 7:00. What matters is being in the queue before 8:30. When your turn arrives, you have a limited window to choose dates, pick a unit and check out. Because placement is random, even experienced Rottnest regulars regularly find themselves near the back of the line.
Why peak Open Days fill so quickly
Tens of thousands of West Australians log in simultaneously, chasing roughly 300 self-contained units. For summer school holidays and Easter, premium cottages and larger units are typically gone within minutes of release. For shoulder months it's far gentler: many units are still available later in the day, and some linger for weeks.
Insider strategy
Even small flexibility (a Thursday-to-Sunday instead of strictly Friday-to-Monday, or four nights instead of three) meaningfully multiplies the cancellations you can catch. Here's the maths behind widening your travel window.
Two-bedroom units and shoulder-night stays return to the system more frequently than premium six-bedders. If group size is flexible, broaden the search.
Summer school holidays, Easter and long weekends are the hardest windows. Have a second-choice date range ready so you can move quickly when something opens.
They don't stop a week after Open Day. New availability appears across the full booking window, right up until a few days before travel.
Missed an Open Day? Cancellations appear regularly in the months that follow, set a watch and we'll catch them as they appear.