Since the first Europeans visited the west coast of Australia in the 17th century, Rottnest Island has seen numerous shipwrecks. The 11-kilometre-long (6.8 mi) and 4.5-kilometre-wide (2.8 mi) island is surrounded by hidden and partly exposed reefs whilst being buffeted by north-westerly winter gales as well as very strong south-west summer sea "breezes". It is situated 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west of the port of Fremantle meaning that much of the maritime traffic to Western Australia's major port passes close by.
Following is a list of the thirteen larger and surveyed shipwrecks close by to Rottnest Island (32°0′S 115°31′E / 32.000°S 115.517°E). The list is in chronological order. Details of every shipwreck at the island are unknown, as many thousands of vessels of varying size have visited the island each year. Other ships have been lost (or in the case of the Rottnest ship graveyard, deliberately scuttled) in waters further off-shore, including some closer to Fremantle. Still others were stranded on rocks at Rottnest but were refloated. Anitra II, for example is in this latter category, but is included in the list as the hull was on display on the island near the main settlement. It was lost at night during the 1979 Parmelia Race only a few nautical miles from the finish line.
Plaques have been located next to the wrecks as well as onshore to indicate their locations as part of a "wreck trail" concept produced by the Western Australian Museum in association with the Rottnest Island Authority. In encouraging full access to all the sites, by marking them on navigation charts and by producing interpretive materials in exhibitions, pamphlets and on the plaques, the wrecks have become part of a "museum-without-walls" concept. All of the wrecks are protected under Commonwealth legislation in the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 and State legislation in the Maritime Archaeology Act (1973). The Rottnest Island Wreck Trail was the first in the Southern Hemisphere and the first of Western Australia's heritage trails. The concept has been widely copied since.