Rottnest Island, Western Australia — interactive Google street map, satellite and terrain views, Street View, live local weather conditions and 7-day forecasts, real-time local and world news, and an editorial description of Rottnest Island, in the City Of Cockburn local government area.
| Locality | Rottnest Island |
| State | Western Australia (WA) |
| Local Government Area | City Of Cockburn |
| Country | Australia |
| Timezone | Australian Western Standard Time (AWST) - no daylight saving |
| Remoteness | Remote Australia |
| Latitude | -32.00692 |
| Longitude | 115.52078 |
| Population | 565 |
| Density | 30.8 /km² |
| Area | 18.4 km² |
| Elevation | 10 m |
| Postcode | 6161 |
| Area Code | 08 |
| Distance to Perth | 33 km west |
Rottnest Island is a locality in the City Of Cockburn local government area of Western Australia, Australia. It is a small community with a population of 565. The locality covers an area of 18.4 km², giving a population density of about 30.8 people per km². It sits at an elevation of around 10 m above sea level. It lies approximately 33 km west of Perth. Rottnest Island is located at 32.0069°S, 115.5208°E. It observes Australian Western Standard Time (AWST) - no daylight saving. Postcode: 6161. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies the area as Remote Australia.
Rottnest Island, a jewel in the Indian Ocean, presents a landscape sculpted by wind and wave, where the land rolls in gentle ochre and pale green undulations towards a coastline fringed with startlingly white beaches. It lies 32.4 km west of Perth, WA (from Perth, WA: bearing 260°T), and is situated 26.2 km west-south-west of Scarborough. The air here carries the clean tang of salt and the subtle perfume of native flora, a constant reminder of the ocean’s proximity. Low-slung vegetation, resilient and hardy, clings to the sandy soil, punctuated by the occasional hardy tree, its branches often leaning away from the prevailing westerly winds. The island’s terrain is a mosaic of sheltered bays, dramatic ocean-facing cliffs, and vast salt lakes that gleam like scattered mercury under the expansive Western Australian sky. The light, especially in the late afternoon, casts a warm, honeyed glow across the dunes, softening their edges and imbuing the scene with a profound sense of peace.
The history of Rottnest Island is deeply intertwined with its natural bounty and its strategic location. Once a significant site for the Whadjuk Noongar people, its more recent past has seen it function as a penal colony and later as a prisoner of war camp. Today, its primary economic driver is tourism, drawing visitors from across the globe to its pristine beaches and unique wildlife, most famously the quokkas. This island sanctuary, a haven for these charismatic marsupials, thrives on its reputation as a place of natural beauty and a retreat from mainland bustle. Its distinctive character is further shaped by a commitment to preserving its fragile ecosystem, with a focus on sustainable tourism and the protection of its endemic species, making Rottnest Island a cherished natural and historical landmark.
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This page provides an interactive Google map of Rottnest Island, Western Australia with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorially written description provides background on Rottnest Island, in the City Of Cockburn local government area.
Detailed location data for Rottnest Island includes the postcode (6161), telephone area code (08), and local government area (City Of Cockburn), with an ABS remoteness classification of Remote Australia. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any Australian city, town or locality.
Location data is drawn from Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020) and enriched with GeoNames and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, matched by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Rottnest Island is identified even where the name is shared across multiple localities.
| Page generated | June 2026 |
| Location data | Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020); enriched with GeoNames and ABS 2021 Census data, matched by coordinate proximity |
| Description | Editorial description generated with AI assistance from verified Geoscape, ABS and GeoNames location data. |