Leeuwin-Naturaliste

Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park protects 19,234 hectares of the spectacular coastline between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste in WA's Margaret River region — one of Australia's most dramatic and beautiful coastal landscapes. The park encompasses sea cliffs, surf beaches, karst cave systems, coastal heath, and karri-jarrah forest in a landscape where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. The region is famous internationally for world-class surf breaks, premium wine and food, and stunning karst cave experiences. The Cape to Cape Track — a 135 km walking route between the two lighthouses — is one of WA's premier multi-day walks. The Margaret River area's combination of natural and cultural tourism makes this one of Australia's most visited regional destinations.

The marine environment adjacent to the park hosts exceptional wildlife. Humpback and southern right whales migrate past the capes from June through October, with sightings common from clifftops. Australian sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, and dolphins frequent the coastline. Quokkas (Setonix brachyurus), a small wallaby more famous on Rottnest Island, inhabit the coastal heath in this one of their few mainland strongholds. Carnaby's black cockatoos and baudin's black cockatoos are prominent birds of the coastal heath. The park supports the threatened western ringtail possum in peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) coastal woodland.

The park's coastal heath is classified as one of the most diverse plant communities in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region. Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa), coastal banksias, hakeas, and proteaceous shrubs dominate the heath. The park includes coastal limestone formations supporting calcicolous plant communities and dune vegetation. Transitional karri forest occurs in the highest-rainfall areas near the Cape Leeuwin end. The cave systems below the park support unique cave ecosystems with endemic invertebrates.

The park sits on the Leeuwin Block — ancient Precambrian metamorphic and granitic rocks — overlain by Quaternary limestone (Tamala Limestone) along the coast. The collision of the Indian and Southern oceans at Cape Leeuwin creates the exceptional sea and cliff scenery. The karst cave systems — including Lake Cave, Jewel Cave, Mammoth Cave, and Ngilgi Cave — are developed in the Tamala Limestone and are among Australia's most spectacular cave systems, with extraordinary stalactite, stalagmite, and flowstone formations.

The Margaret River region receives WA's highest annual rainfall in a settled area — approximately 1,200 mm. Winters are cool, wet, and sometimes stormy as Southern Ocean fronts roll in. Summers are mild (22–28°C) with sea breezes and relatively low humidity compared to Perth. The moderate maritime climate, with long growing seasons and good summer sun balanced by winter rainfall, has driven the exceptional wine industry. The Cape to Cape Track is best walked in spring or autumn for the best weather and wildflowers.

The southwest cape country is within the traditional territory of the Wadandi (Wardandi) Noongar people, who have inhabited this magnificent coastline for over 45,000 years. The convergence of two oceans at Cape Leeuwin and the productive reef systems along the cape coast provided extraordinary marine abundance. European contact came early — the coast was charted by Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin in 1801. European settlement of the Margaret River region from the 1880s brought farming, timber cutting, and eventual development of the wine industry that defines the region today.

Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park was established to protect the spectacular cape coastline and its cave systems. The park is managed alongside the Margaret River's broader conservation estate. Cave tourism is the park's longest-established commercial tourism activity, with guided cave tours providing accessible interpretive experiences. The Cape to Cape Track, developed over several decades, is now one of WA's most popular multi-day walking tracks.

The Cape to Cape Track walks 135 km between Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse and Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse through coastal heath and cliff scenery. The Margaret River cave experiences — particularly Lake Cave, Jewel Cave, and Mammoth Cave — provide world-class karst interpretation. Surf at breaks including Margaret River Main Break, Surfers Point, and Gracetown attract international surfers. Whale watching from Cape Naturaliste and other headlands. Coastal walks with wildflowers and whale views.

The park is centred on the Margaret River region, 280 km south of Perth. Full visitor services are available in Margaret River, Dunsborough, and Augusta. Cave tours operate from licensed operators. The Cape to Cape Track has campgrounds at intervals along the route. Parks entry fees apply for cave tours and some access points. The region is accessible year-round; spring and autumn are best for the Cape to Cape Track.

The park faces pressures from the region's high tourism volumes, coastal development at the park's boundaries, and threats from Phytophthora cinnamomi dieback in the coastal heath. Western ringtail possum habitat management is a priority, with the peppermint coastal woodlands critical for this threatened species. Cave management focuses on protecting delicate formations from visitor contact and managing humidity and CO2 levels that affect cave microclimate. Climate change is increasing fire frequency in the coastal heath, which threatens to degrade the diverse heathland communities.