a simple measure that would automatically improve patronage.

"If that was the price wouldn't you say: 'Let's not go to Hillarys or somewhere else in Perth, let's go to Rotto have a beer and lunch and come back at five o'clock'," he said.

The current day trip for an adult is $75 return from Fremantle with Rottnest Express. A day return trip from Hillarys on Rottnest Fast Ferries comes in at $84

The prices include a $16.50 landing fee, which blows out to $21.50 for an extended stay.

estimated to be more than $5 million annually.

Mr Papandroulakis said he had informal talks with Premier Colin Barnett on the subsidy issue.

Rottnest Express director Glenn Gaynor said his company offered 40,000 heavily discounted tickets per year, at prices that often left them operating the ferry service at a loss.

heatwave earlier in the year

$10,000 a month on feed.

250 farmers in 30 shires affected by drought, 25 per cent said water issues were now critical.

68 per cent of respondents saying the financial impact was worse than previous drought and 85 per cent said the environmental impacts were the same of worse than the last drought that lasted eight years.