Scott

Scott National Park is a 19,012-hectare protected area in the southern Warren bioregion of Western Australia, situated on the south coast between Augusta and Hamelin Bay. The park protects coastal heath, karri forest, and wetland habitats in one of the highest-rainfall sections of the southwest coast. The Scott River flows through the park, draining the southern Darling Plateau into the Southern Ocean near Hamelin Bay. The park forms part of the Cape Leeuwin-Naturaliste conservation system. It is managed by DBCA.

Scott National Park supports exceptional biodiversity. The critically endangered western ringtail possum depends on peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) and marri woodland for food. Forest red-tailed black-cockatoos and Carnaby's black-cockatoos are resident. The Scott River estuary is a significant coastal wetland supporting waterbirds, migratory shorebirds, and marine species. Little terns nest on sandy beaches. Australian sea lions and New Zealand fur seals occur at Hamelin Bay. The offshore waters support humpback whales and whale sharks seasonally. Amphibian diversity is among the highest in WA.

The park supports diverse vegetation: karri forest at higher elevations, peppermint-marri coastal woodland, sedge wetlands in the Scott River floodplain, and coastal banksia-kwongan on sandy headlands. The south coast wetlands are among the most botanically important in WA, supporting many endemic sedge, orchid, and sundew species. The Scott River floodplain peat wetlands are listed as a Ramsar nomination site.

Leeuwin Block and southern Darling Plateau — granites and metamorphics. Coastal calcarenite dunes overlie older rocks near the shoreline. The Scott River has carved a broad floodplain through the coastal plain. Peat deposits in the floodplain represent accumulated organic material from thousands of years of wetland development.

Cool temperate Mediterranean climate with very high rainfall (1,000–1,400 mm) and frequent Southern Ocean storms. Summers are mild; winters cool and wet. The south coast receives the highest rainfall in WA. Cyclonic swells can reach 10+ metres on south-facing coasts.

Scott National Park lies within Bibbulmun Noongar country. The south coast was used by Noongar peoples for coastal and forest resource gathering. The Scott River estuary was a significant fishing and shellfish site. European exploration of the south coast occurred from the early nineteenth century.

Scott National Park was proclaimed to protect the significant coastal and wetland habitats of the Scott River system. The park is part of the integrated Cape Leeuwin-Naturaliste management framework and complements D'Entrecasteaux National Park to the east.

Scott River coastal walk. Wildflower trails through coastal kwongan and peppermint woodland. Snorkelling and sea lion interaction at Hamelin Bay (when sea lions are present on the boat ramp and beach). Whale watching from coastal viewpoints (June–October). The Scott River estuary and wetlands are excellent for birdwatching.

Located between Augusta and Hamelin Bay. Access via Boodjidup Road and Hamelin Bay Road. Hamelin Bay campground (managed by Shire of Augusta-Margaret River) is adjacent. Augusta and Margaret River provide accommodation.

Western ringtail possum requires peppermint woodland — fox control programs are critical. Phytophthora cinnamomi dieback threatens coastal heath and proteaceous understorey. The Scott River peat wetlands are threatened by drainage alteration and invasive plants (Typha domingensis replacing endemic sedge species). Climate change is reducing winter rainfall in the southwest.