Experiences
Experiences
Pick your destination with OPAL.
Three ways to spend a private day on the water. Choose one, or ask us to combine them.
01 · Wadjemup
Rottnest Island.
Known as Wadjemup to the Noongar people, Rottnest sits about 19 km off the Fremantle coast. It is car-free, ringed by bays and beaches, and home to the quokka, the small, famously friendly marsupial found in the wild almost nowhere else.
By boat you can reach bays most day visitors never see. Anchor in clear water, swim off the back of the boat, then head ashore for a wander or a long lunch at the settlement.
From
Fremantle
Best for
Swimming, snorkelling, beaches, quokkas
Best time
Warmer months for swimming
Things to do at Rottnest Island
Ask us to plan around your favourites
Swim and snorkel
Sheltered bays with clear water and reef close to shore, such as The Basin and Little Salmon Bay.
Meet a quokka
Wander the Thomson Bay settlement. They are wild, so look but never feed or touch.
Explore ashore
Hire bikes to loop the island, or walk to Wadjemup Lighthouse and the Oliver Hill gun battery.
Beach hop
Parakeet Bay, Geordie Bay, Pinky Beach: pick your favourite, or lunch at the settlement.
02 · Derbarl Yerrigan
The Swan River.
Perth’s river, Derbarl Yerrigan, runs from the Indian Ocean at Fremantle up to the city. From the water, the skyline, riverside estates, parks and bridges arrive one after another, with black swans and dolphins along the way.
A river cruise is a slow, relaxed day: pass through the harbour, glide upstream and decide as you go where to stop. Barrack Street Jetty departures can be arranged for a city start.
From
Fremantle or Barrack Street Jetty
Best for
Sightseeing, celebrations, sunsets
Best time
Year-round; late afternoon for the light
Things to do at The Swan River
Ask us to plan around your favourites
Skyline views
See the city, Elizabeth Quay and Kings Park from the water.
Waterfront homes
Cruise past Peppermint Grove, Claremont and Applecross.
Look for wildlife
Black swans, pelicans, ospreys and, in the lower river, bottlenose dolphins.
Golden hour
Time the return for sunset, with the skyline lit behind you.
03 · Shoalwater Islands
Carnac & Garden Island.
Just off the Fremantle coast, Carnac Island and Garden Island sit within the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. Carnac is a small protected nature reserve, best known for its colony of Australian sea lions that haul out on the beach.
Garden Island is the largest island on this stretch of coast, with white-sand beaches, clear water and quiet bays. Access around parts of the island, including the naval base, is restricted, and your skipper will plan around those areas and any wildlife rules on the day.
Visit one or both. It is a day for wildlife, swimming and long, slow time at anchor.
From
Fremantle
Best for
Wildlife, swimming, snorkelling
Please note
Nature reserve and restricted areas: rules apply
Things to do at Carnac & Garden Island
Ask us to plan around your favourites
See the sea lions
Watch from the boat at Carnac, keep your distance and follow your skipper’s guidance.
Snorkel the reef
Clear water and rocky reef around both islands when conditions allow.
Garden Island beaches
Anchor off white sand and swim in sheltered, turquoise water.
Spot the birds
Seabirds and shorebirds nest and roost around the islands.
Planning
Your day, your plan.
Conditions decide
Routes, stops and swim spots depend on weather, sea conditions and skipper approval. Your skipper will confirm the plan before departure.
Rules on the water
Rottnest, Carnac and Garden Island have protected and restricted areas, so wildlife, mooring and landing rules apply. We’ll explain them before you go.
Your next day on board
Tell us where you want to go.
Share your preferred date, group size and destination and we’ll plan your OPAL Cruise.
Enquire now