Rothwell is a residential suburb of the Moreton Bay Region and is located in the west side of the Redcliffe peninsula. It is approximately 28km north-northeast of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland. The suburbs surrounding Rothwell are Deception Bay, North Lakes, Mango Hill, and Clontarf. The suburb’s southern and western borders are marked by the Saltwater Creek while Anzac Avenue passes through the south of the suburb. 

The suburb was named after the president of the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, Thomas James Rothwell. In 1921, Rothwell proposed a memorial drive marked by an avenue of trees to Redcliffe via the upgraded main road known as Anzac Avenue. On July 1, 1970, Rothwell was officially named as a suburb by the Queensland Places Names Board.

 Rothwell has a growing commercial district which is home to The Zone and a mixture of diverse retail businesses. A Woolworths supermarket was recently developed near The Zone on Deception Bay Road. There are larger shopping centres and supermarkets located in nearby suburbs Kippa-Ring and Deception Bay. Rothwell is serviced by the Rothwell Railway Station which connects to Petrie and is also home of the Redcliffe Airport.