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| Cape to Cape Track | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cape to Cape Track |
| Location | Western Australia |
| Length | 135 km |
| Trailheads | Cape Naturaliste, Cape Leeuwin |
| Use | Hiking, bushwalking |
| Highest point | Contos Bluff (~150 m) |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Season | Year-round |
| Established | 1990s |
Cape to Cape Track The Cape to Cape Track is a long-distance coastal walking trail in Western Australia connecting two prominent headlands, Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. It traverses sections of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, passes near towns such as Dunsborough and Margaret River, and showcases coastal scenery, karri and jarrah country, and biodiversity characteristic of the Southwest Australia ecoregion. The route is managed by state and local conservation bodies and is a focal point for outdoor recreation, ecotourism, and regional conservation initiatives.
The route extends approximately 135 km along the southwestern coast of Australia between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. It links coastal landmarks including Sugarloaf Rock, Eagle Bay, and the beaches of Meelup, while crossing geological formations like limestone cliffs and ancient granite outcrops. The track is promoted by agencies such as the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and regional tourism organizations including Regional Development Australia. It attracts bushwalkers, nature photographers, and scientific researchers studying Busselton-to-Augusta coastal systems and endemic species in the Southwest Australia biodiversity hotspot.
The corridor follows the strike of the Leeuwin Block and passes through the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge with sections on sandy dunes, coastal heathlands, and forested slopes dominated by karri and jarrah communities. Notable waypoints include Point Piquet, Cape Freycinet-adjacent headlands, and seaside features such as Gracetown beaches. The trail offers views of the Indian Ocean and navigates estuaries associated with rivers like the Molliup Brook and the Wonnerup Estuary near Busselton Jetty influences. Topography varies from sea-level beaches to elevated bluffs such as Contos Bluff and seasonal wetlands that are part of the Vasse-Wonnerup Ramsar site complex.
European exploration milestones near the corridor involve voyages by figures linked to James Cook-era charting of Australian waters and later 19th-century maritime navigation by ships that called at King George Sound and the surrounding capes. Local settlement and industries including whaling at Flinders Bay and timber extraction shaped early infrastructure. The modern track was conceived during collaborative conservation planning by state park authorities, local councils like the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, and community groups such as local bushwalking clubs active in the 1980s and 1990s. Establishment and consolidation of the route occurred during the 1990s with formal signage, guidebooks by publishers like Wilderness Press-style operations, and incorporation into regional ecotourism strategies promoted by entities such as Tourism Western Australia.
Vegetation communities along the corridor include coastal heath, limestone-associated scrub, and tall forests dominated by Eucalyptus diversicolor (karri) and Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah). The region supports endemic plants from genera such as Banksia, Hakea, and Grevillea, and rare orchids recorded in surveys by institutions like the Western Australian Herbarium. Faunal assemblages feature marsupials including quokka-related taxa in nearby islands, macropods such as western grey kangaroo, and small insectivores recorded in faunal studies by universities like The University of Western Australia. Avifauna includes migratory shorebirds observed under frameworks used by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme and raptors such as white-bellied sea eagle. Marine mammals like southern right whale and humpback whale are occasionally seen along the coast during seasonal migrations documented by cetacean monitoring programs.
Management responsibilities are shared between the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, local volunteer groups, and Indigenous land councils. Maintenance activities include erosion control, boardwalk construction over sensitive dunes, interpretive signage, and invasive species control programs coordinated with agencies such as the Parks and Wildlife Service. Trail standards follow best-practice guidelines influenced by national frameworks like those promoted by the Australian Walking Track Managers network and involve risk assessments, fire management plans aligned with state emergency services, and periodic ecological monitoring by research groups from institutions such as Curtin University and Murdoch University.
Access points are available at Bunker Bay, Yallingup, Prevelly, and towns including Margaret River and Augusta. Accommodation options range from camping within designated park sites managed by park authorities to lodges in Margaret River wine region localities promoted by regional tourism bodies. Permits and regulations for camping or vehicle access are administered by the relevant state agencies; peak seasons coincide with summer holidays and wine-region events such as those organized by Margaret River Wine Association. Safety information emphasizes preparation for changing coastal weather influenced by the Leeuwin Current, tide awareness for cliff-top sections, and respect for cautionary signage installed by local authorities.
The coastal landscape lies within the Traditional Owner country of groups including the Wardandi people and Bibbulmun peoples (Noongar language groups), whose cultural heritage includes songlines, dreaming stories, and seasonal resource use tied to coastal and forest environments. Indigenous knowledge holders and organizations such as local Aboriginal corporations collaborate with park managers on cultural site protection, interpretation, and joint management initiatives similar to programs elsewhere in Western Australia. Cultural heritage surveys document middens, scarred trees, and other archaeological features that inform conservation and visitor education efforts, supported by heritage legislation administered at the state level.
Category:Western Australia Category:Hiking trails in Australia