A free trip to Rottnest is up for grabs for anyone who finds a quokka which escaped from Rottnest Island earlier this week.

The adult quokka arrived at the Regional Resource Recovery Centre in Canning Vale on January 4 and a day later a worker, who was not familiar with the marsupial, took photos of the “big rat” on his phone and shared it with a colleague, who recognised it as a quokka and called the Rottnest Island Authority.

RIA environmental officer Shane Kearney said she was unsure if the quokka was still at the Canning Vale facility or had made its way to adjoining bushland.

Mr Kearney said the RIA was working with the Department of Parks and Wildlife to find the quokka and take it to the vet at Perth Zoo.

The quokka will not be taken back to the island and instead will be relocated to Perth Zoo or a wildlife park.

If you find the quokka, call the Wildcare Helpline on (08) 9474 9055.