Rottnest Island Full-Day Tour: Grand Island Oliver Hill
Four hours on the island covering military tunnels, fur seals and two centuries of history
A full-day tour from Perth to Rottnest Island with return ferry and hotel pickup, featuring a 4-hour guided Grand Island tour. You ride a historic train to Oliver Hill to explore WWII gun emplacements and tunnels, then travel by air-conditioned coach to Wadjemup Lighthouse, Henrietta Rocks, Cathedral Rocks and Mabel Cove, with light lunch included.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Rottnest Island full-day tour
- Hotel pick-up or self-drive to Hillarys
- Check in at Rottnest Fast Ferries office
- Ferry crossing to Rottnest Island
- Train ride to Oliver Hill
- WWII guns and tunnels guided tour
- Enjoy light picnic lunch
- Coach tour with island commentary
- Stop at Wadjemup Lighthouse and Jeannie's Lookout
- Visit West End and Cathedral Rocks seal colony
- Free time at Rottnest settlement
- Ferry return to Hillarys Boat Harbour
- Coach transfer back to Perth accommodation
What’s included
- Return ferry ticket from Hillarys Boat Harbour.
- National Park entry fees.
- 4-hour guided Grand Island tour with live commentary.
- historic train ride to Oliver Hill.
- guided WWII tunnels and gun emplacement tour.
- air-conditioned coach transport to Wadjemup Lighthouse, Henrietta Rocks, Cathedral Rocks and Mabel Cove.
- light picnic lunch.
- hotel pickup and drop-off if you select that option at checkout.
Times
- Every day 10:00
Before you book
Operated by Rottnest Fast Ferries
Prices and times updated today
Traveler reviews
The experience
The day starts with a courtesy coach pickup from your Perth hotel (or you can drive to Hillarys Boat Harbour and use the free parking). Check-in happens at 9am at the Rottnest Fast Ferries office, and the 45-minute high-speed ferry departs at 10am. Once you arrive at Rottnest Island, you make your way to the railway station to board the historic Captain Hussey train for the ride up to Oliver Hill: a unique way to see the island's landscape without walking.
At Oliver Hill, a guide leads you through the WWII gun emplacements and tunnels, a 45-minute tour that covers roughly 700 metres of walking and 240-plus uneven steps (equivalent to climbing eight storeys). There are no rest stops and no backtracking once you're inside, so this part demands a moderate level of fitness and steady footing. After you emerge, you'll have light lunch before boarding an air-conditioned coach for the second half of the tour. The coach takes you to Wadjemup Lighthouse, where you can admire the views from Jeannie's Lookout, then out to the rugged West End to see the long-nose fur seal colony at Cathedral Rocks. Throughout the coach portion, your guide provides running commentary on Rottnest's unique history, environment, heritage and wildlife.
After the tour ends, you have free time to explore the main settlement area and visit local shops before catching the ferry back to Hillarys Boat Harbour at the end of the day. If you booked hotel pickup, the courtesy coach will return you to your Perth accommodation. National Park fees, the ferry ticket, lunch and all transport on the island are included.
Is this one for you?The Oliver Hill tunnels and the coach stops together give you the island's military and natural history in one day, but the tunnels demand steady footing and a moderate level of fitness. If climbing the equivalent of eight storeys of uneven steps in an enclosed space is not for you, check whether Rottnest offers a gentler alternative. Choose hotel pickup if you'd rather not drive to Hillarys early. Choose the boat harbour start if you want to control your own timing.
Compare the 12 alternatives
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 16 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What is Oliver Hill and why is the tour through it so demanding?
Oliver Hill is a WWII military site on Rottnest Island with gun emplacements and tunnels built to defend Fremantle during the Second World War. The guided tour lasts 45 minutes and involves approximately 700 metres of walking and over 240 uneven steps inside enclosed tunnels with low ceilings and uneven surfaces. There are no rest stops or backtracking, which is why it requires moderate fitness and is not suitable for those with mobility issues or for carrying children.
How long is the ferry crossing from Perth to Rottnest Island?
The high-speed ferry from Hillarys Boat Harbour to Rottnest Island takes 45 minutes each way. You depart at 10am and return at the end of the day after your tour concludes.
Do I need to arrange my own transport to Hillarys Boat Harbour, or is pickup from my hotel included?
You can choose at checkout: either book hotel pickup from selected Perth hotels (a courtesy coach collects you and returns you at the end of the day), or drive yourself to Hillarys Boat Harbour and use the free parking. The ferry ticket and all transport on the island are included either way.
What does the light picnic lunch include, and can I request dietary options?
The tour includes a light picnic lunch served after the Oliver Hill portion. You should advise any specific dietary requirements at the time of booking so the operator can accommodate them.
Is there time to explore Rottnest Island on my own, or is the entire day scheduled?
After the 4-hour Grand Island tour ends, you have free time to explore Rottnest's main settlement area and visit local shops before catching the return ferry. This gives you a window to wander at your own pace before heading back to Perth.
Rottnest Island Full-Day Tour: Grand Island Oliver Hill
9h 30m · EN
from AU$ 199 per person
≈ US$ 142 in your currency
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.