Making her quokka dream come true, Lisa captioned the Instagram carousel “Such a long trip to go see you in person bro”, and in less than 12 hours, the post had more than 5 million reactions!
One of the most-followed people on Earth, Lisa told a crowd in Melbourne she really wanted to see a quokka while she is in Australia, knowing she would have to fly across the country and then catch a ferry to get to Rottnest Island – the home of the world’s happiest animal.
And that’s exactly what she did, in between Blackpink shows in Melbourne and Sydney!
She conducted a poll on her Instagram story with more than 90 per cent of her followers supporting her quest to meet Western Australia’s furry icon.
Lisa joins a list of celebrities who have captured an incredible quokka selfie.
Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes’ quokka selfie dates back to his visit to WA in October 2019.
Likes: 7,623,473
Lisa
Blackpink’s Lisa was on Rottnest Island on Wednesday, making the trip to Western Australia in between shows in Melbourne and Sydney.
Likes: 5,911,041
Chris Hemsworth
Hollywood superstar Chris Hemsworth visited Rottnest Island on a family holiday on March 2019.
Likes: 4,096,824
Roger Federer
Former world number one tennis champ and now recently retired, Roger Federer visited Rottnest Island in December 2018, while he was in town for Hopman Cup.
Likes: 529,418
Rafael Nadal
Much like Roger Federer, Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal visited Rottnest Island in January 2020 as part of the Hopman Cup.
Likes: 485,208
Sam Kerr
Matilda’s captain Sam Kerr returned to her home town of Perth in December 2022, taking her partner for a memorable getaway to the island paradise.
Likes: 60,444
Kelly Slater
Renowned surf champ Kelly Slater snapped his gnarly quokka selfie when he was in Western Australia for the annual World Surf League Margaret River Pro in June 2019.
Likes: 133,240
How do you get to Rottnest Island?
Perth is Australia’s sunniest capital city and is consistently rated as one of the world’s most liveable cities due to its spectacular natural surroundings and vibrant city life, particularly following a major transformation that continues to deliver new hotels, bars, restaurants and public spaces, including the twice-crowned world’s best venue, 60,000-capacity Optus Stadium.
Famous for its laid-back atmosphere and beautiful beaches, Rottnest Island lies just 19 kilometres offshore from Perth surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Rottnest is a car-free zone and hiring a bicycle is the best way to get around.
There are ferries that operate regularly every day out of Perth, Hillarys and Fremantle. Fremantle is the main port for Rottnest Island ferries. From Fremantle, it’s a half hour ferry ride.
You can also fly to Rottnest Island in a small fixed-wing plane (like Lisa), a seaplane or by helicopter.
Why Rottnest Island?
Home to 63 beaches and 20 bays, Rotto (as the locals like to call it) is where you go to swim, surf, snorkel, fish and relax. Surrounded by coral reefs and shipwrecks, the diving and snorkelling is out-of-this-world.
And of course, it’s home to the adorable quokka. The quokka is a small marsupial that is known as the world’s happiest animal due to its apparent smile. Native to Western Australia, the largest population of quokkas is found on Rottnest Island, an idyllic holiday playground only 19 kilometres off the mainland of Perth.
The pristine island has welcomed several exciting new tour offerings in recent years, including a crayfish catch and cook experience, scenic flights, glass bottom kayak tours, boat hire, walking tours, segway tours and Aboriginal cultural tours.
In addition to these experiences, the island has received a major boost to its accommodation offering, with the opening of ‘glamping’ eco-resort Discovery Rottnest Island, and luxury hotel Samphire Rottnest.
How do you take the perfect #quokkaselfie?
Here are our top tips to get that instagrammable shot.
Pick your time: To be fair, it isn’t hard to spot a quokka on Rottnest Island, but the best places to go are the main settlement area, or by the salt lakes. Go early in the morning, or if you’re staying overnight, you’ll see them come out as the sun begins to dip. As nocturnal animals, they tend to be sleeping in the middle of the day.
Autumn is one of the cutest times to visit, as you’ll likely spot a mother and joey together – just be extra cautious and be sure to give them plenty of space.
They’re happiest when they’re eating: You’ll see that cute quokka smile when they look up at you with curiosity, or when they are eating. As tempting as it is – don’t feed the quokka! You’ll see them foraging and find a tasty leaf to nibble. The best way to help these animals thrive is to let them find their own food and water.
Be quiet: It’s easy to get excited when you see these happy marsupials, but you’re more likely to get a premium pic if you be patient and most importantly, quiet.
Quokkas are very inquisitive and will often come over to say g’day. If you spot one, get down low, and wait for it to come to you. Be sure to give them plenty of space and do not touch them – quokkas are still a wild animal.
Best photo hack: To capture that perfect shot, try using a selfie stick or a wide-angle camera for an extra dose of cuteness without getting too close.
Always remember to watch in wonder from a respectful distance and do your part to help these special animals thrive by letting them forage for their own food and water.
Once you have your shot, put the camera away and just enjoy the moment.
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