Island of Rats? No, Island of Quokkas

The Dutch explorers were wrong. What they found were not rats but quokkas, a species of small wallabies, on what is still known as Rottnest ("Rats' Nest") Island.
It's close enough to Perth, capital of Western Australia, for a daytrip destination of intimate beaches, corals, historic sites ... and quokkas. On the island, swim, surf, dive, fish, bike, bus, fly.
Take the ferry from Fremantle.