Everyone Flocks To Rottnest Island In Summer, Here’s Why A Winter Trip Might Be Better
Kayla Wratten
Freelance Sub-Editor | Urban List Queensland
Think Rottnest Island/Wadjemup is just a summer destination? Think again. When the crowds thin out and the days turn cooler, the island transforms into a peaceful coastal getaway with secluded beaches, better-value stays and idyllic weather for outdoor adventures.
With plenty of winter deals on offer, it's the perfect time to stay overnight and experience the island at its most unhurried. Cycle between empty stretches of white sand, explore glassy bays and spot quokkas, before rugging up by a fireplace as the sun drops.
We've rounded up the best Rottnest Island winter deals for a cosy coastal escape.
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Where To Stay On Rottnest Island
The Lodge Wadjemup
The Lodge Wadjemup is the perfect antidote to the winter blues. Blazing fireplaces and heated flooring keep you snug in the cooler months, while a stylish heated pool makes swimming a year-round indulgence—complete with striped sun loungers and parasols to relax all day long.
Across 109 rooms, the interiors are a love letter to the landscape with a soft, pastel colour palette inspired by the surrounding beaches and the island's iconic pink salt lakes (yes, the ones you’ve seen all over Instagram).
Check in during winter to take advantage of the lodge's All-Inclusive Immersive Winter Escape package. It includes return ferry transfers from Fremantle, two nights’ accommodation, daily breakfast at Sunsets Bar & Dining and a $150 food and beverage credit, from $469 per night.
Samphire Rottnest
If your winter wishlist includes zero planning and maximum relaxation, Samphire Rottnest ticks every box. Spend your afternoon lounging by the heated pool, unwind in the private guest lounge with complimentary coffee and baked treats by the roaring fireplace, or end the day gathered around the outdoor fire pits.
Tempted? Check out the Winter Reset package, which includes your choice of Poolside, Beachfront or Beach Lane Suite rooms, plus two 55-minute massage treatments at Samphire Sanctuary, an in-room herbal tea ritual, a Hunter Lab travel set to take home and optional morning yoga or Pilates sessions. Set in the heart of picturesque Thomson Bay, this 80-room polished hotel is your ticket to cool-season luxury.
Stay Rottnest
For a quintessential island escape with your toes in the sand, Stay Rottnest puts you right where you want to be. With stylish self-contained units, heritage cottages, bungalows and cabins set right on the beachfront, you can wake up to spectacular sunrises, salty sea air and the calming sound of waves rolling in. Winter is one of the best times to visit because if you book three nights or more at Stay Rottnest, you'll save 30% through the chilly season.
Located near the Geordie Bay jetty, the sunshine-yellow units are ideal for families, with two, three and four-bedroom options featuring kitchens, bathrooms, open-plan living spaces, ocean view balconies and enclosed courtyards. Spend your days exploring the island, then come home to your own little beachside base.
Discovery Rottnest Island
Want to wake up surrounded by nature without sacrificing creature comforts? Discovery Rottnest Island is the sustainable stay that lets you do just that. Set behind the dunes of Pinky Beach, this eco-retreat swaps traditional hotel rooms for 83 stylish glamping tents, where fresh sea air and slow island mornings are standard. Plus, there are a bunch of rotating deals to get around this winter with massive dollar-saving discounts.
By day, you can wander the sandy boardwalks, cycle the coastline or simply soak up the peaceful surrounds. By night, fall asleep to the sounds of nature beneath a canopy of stars, with the thick canvas tents keeping you cosy when the winter chill rolls in. Choose from deluxe hideaways or more pared-back setups, all designed to give you that off-grid ‘I’m on holiday’ feeling.
Where To Dine On Rottnest Island
Sunsets
One of the best restaurants on Rottnest Island is located at The Lodge Wadjemup. Sunsets is open all day for laidback dining with sparkling lake views. The extensive menu delivers Mediterranean-inspired fare with locally-sourced produce. The go-to is the prawn gnoccheti, which sits alongside a range of handmade pasta, hearty meat dishes and seafood plates such as tiger prawns and Leeuwin Coast Albany rock oysters, plus a kids' section.
This winter, you’ll find specials like a $30 pinot and pasta menu and $35 steak and bottomless fries. Add a warm, roaring fireplace and heated floors, plus live music every weekend, and Sunsets is a cracking place to spend a crisp winter’s evening.
Pinky’s
Follow the sandy boardwalk through the dunes at Discovery Rottnest Island, and you’ll stumble across Pinky’s, a coastal dining spot with dreamy ocean views. Start your evening on Pinky’s Sunset Deck with a handmade cocktail or a glass of premium Western Australian wine, then settle in at Pinky’s Bar & Restaurant for a menu celebrating the best of the island’s local produce and sustainably caught seafood.
The menu blends Asian-inspired flavours, seafood-led dishes and Northern Italian influences, while winter calls for the smoky BBQ offerings. Think Mediterranean pork ribs, tiger prawns, swordfish skewers and tomahawk steak. As the night cools down, head to the outdoor firepit for one of the biggest off-season drawcards: complimentary marshmallows ready for toasting.
Lontara
No winter island escape is complete without a few memorable meals, and Lontara is one of the island's standout dining spots. Nestled in Samphire Rottnest, the breezy oceanfront restaurant serves up South East Asian-inspired dishes in a beautifully styled space filled with woven details, ceramic pieces and coastal decor.
In the cooler months, settle in for a seasonal winter menu featuring warming curries and comforting flavours such as cray laksa and Singapore noodles. Then, as the sun starts to dip, head to Bayside Bar next door for a toasty sunset session by the firepit, complete with a glass of mulled wine in hand.
This winter, the Lontara Voyage Of Flavour Package also offers a complimentary cocktail voucher for two at Bayside Bar, $150 dining credit for two at Lontara Rottnest and sleek accommodation in a Poolside, Beach Lane, Beachfront, or Signature Beachfront Suite at Samphire Rottnest—all wrapped into one neat deal that's valid until 1 September 2026.
Isola Bar E Cibo
When the temperature drops, few things beat a bowl of handmade pasta and a glass of wine, especially when you’re dining on the water’s edge. Overlooking Thomson Bay, Isola Bar E Cibo brings Italian coastal charm to Rottnest Island.
The seasonal menu is all about comforting flavours, from baked pastas to generous share plates and seafood cooked over a charcoal-fired grill. Expect dishes like slow-roasted lamb shoulder, taglierini with Shark Bay blue manna crab and ricotta cavatelli baked in rich passata and Angelfish vodka sauce, finished with parmesan and served bubbling hot. Come hungry.
What To Do On Rottnest Island
Cycling And Quokka Spotting
With mild temperatures, bright sunny days and fewer crowds, winter is the perfect time to explore the island’s wild beauty, and cycling is one of the best ways to see it. Hire a push bike or e-bike from Pedal & Flipper and spend the day cruising between beaches, bays and scenic lookouts. And make sure to keep an eye out for the island’s famous quokkas along the way.
Hiking And Whale Watching
For those who prefer exploring on foot, the Wadjemup Bidi hiking network is a must. Five connected trails span 45 kilometres across the island, taking you through coastal landscapes, salt lakes, bushland and dramatic limestone formations. Choose from shorter scenic walks or longer hikes (the West End trail is a standout for its whale spotting opportunities).
Speaking of, winter is prime whale watching season, with humpback and southern right whales making their way through the Indian Ocean. Keep your eyes peeled from stunning viewing spots like Cape Vlamingh, Cathedral Rocks, Pinky Beach, Bathurst Lighthouse and Little Armstrong Bay.
And if you want to turn your island adventure up a notch, the Rottnest Island Wild State Weekender is a three-day guided experience led by The Hike Collective running from Saturday 29 to Monday 31 August 2026. Spend two nights at Samphire Rottnest exploring pristine coastal trails, rugged landscapes and salt lakes, making the most of the bright winter sunshine.
Movies, Massages And Museums
While Rottnest Island is beloved for its scenery, there’s still plenty to do indoors. Melt stress away with a mobile massage from Golden Bees and let the experts come to you for a range of relaxing treatments. Our pick? The restorative deep tissue massage, performed using coconut oil. Bliss.
Or find out more about the island’s unique past at Wadjemup Museum, where you can spend a few hours exploring the 17 exhibits and charming sculpture garden. The current exhibition, Connections to Wadjemup, features artwork you can also purchase from over 50 Aboriginal artists sharing Dreamtime stories, natural landscapes and personal histories.
And for indoor fun, head to Rottnest Movies and Mini Golf for a cosy afternoon of catching a film, challenging your family to arcade games or playing a round of mini golf. It’s the perfect rainy-day backup plan or a break from cycling around the island. For more of the best things to do on the island, read on here.
Feeling inspired? Start planning your Rottnest Island winter getaway here.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Wadjemup/Rottnest Island and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why, read our editorial policy here.
Image credit: Rottnest Island Authority | Supplied