Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park

Parks for people by Lauren Cabrera

The remarkable Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park stretches 120 kilometres between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin with a diverse and captivating landscape of rugged coast, beaches, bushland, caves, forests and historic and archaeological sites.

ith its temperate climate of cool swimming and surfing due to the large years and is reflected in the names of many winters and mild, warm summers swells, rips and difficult conditions. Abseiling nearby sites such as Yallingup, which means Wand a plethora of recreational and rock climbing can also be dangerous, ‘place of caves’, Meekadarabee ‘the moon’s activities on offer, the region has become especially near the popular Bob’s Hollow. bathing place’ and Boranup ‘place of the a popular destination for city dwellers, male dingo’. Nearby Cowaramup is the place interstate and overseas visitors who rest CULTURAL CONNECTION of the parrot (cowra) or purple-crowned in nearby resorts, vineyards, farms and It is of little surprise to the local lorikeet, which, according to Noongar lore, townships. Wadandi people that Leeuwin-Naturaliste brought fire to Earth. Injidup comes from Recreational activities at the park is the most visited national park in the the Noongar word (inji) for the lovely red include abseiling, rock climbing, riding and State. The Wadandi people, one of the pea flower (Templetonia retusa), which bushwalking. It’s important to note that fourteen Noongar tribes in the south-west grows along the limestone cliffs in winter. some activities can be dangerous such as of Western Australia, have an intimate To Aboriginal people, this area was a land knowledge of the land, its changing of plenty, providing local tribes with a rich seasons and abundant natural foods. variety of edible plants, wildlife and fish. Above Canal Rocks. The Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge is a Photo – David Bettini major feature of the park running along NATURAL WONDER the coast between Cape Naturaliste and Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park Above top right Purple-crowned lorikeet. Cape Leeuwin, nestled in the land of the forms part of an internationally recognised Photo – Sallyanne Cousans Wadandi people. biodiversity hotspot. Additionally, the Above right Spider orchid. Aboriginal occupation of the Leeuwin- densely vegetated thickets in rivers, Photo – Ann Storrie Naturaliste area dates back at least 40,000 streams and wetland systems of the

8 LANDSCOPE Discover more about Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park Scan this QR code or Left Boranup Forest. visit Parks and Wildlife Photo – Marc Russo Service’s ‘LANDSCOPE’ playlist on YouTube. Above Western ringtail possum. Photo – Suzanne Trigwell/DBCA

Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge provide into a camping area called Jarrahdene. of the coast between the capes was refuge for several native fauna species The campground has an enjoyable treacherous for ships. At least 22 ships including threatened mammals such as interpretative walk through old relics from wrecked at Cape Leeuwin and 12 ships off the western ringtail possum, chuditch the era when the mill was functioning (see the most westerly tip of Australia, Cape and brush-tailed phascogale. Thanks to Step back in time: Jarrahdene, LANDSCOPE Naturaliste, before lighthouses were built in DBCA’s Western Shield wildlife recovery Summer 2019–20). 1895 and 1903 respectively. program, populations of these species are The lighthouses not only continue to being protected in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste LIGHTHOUSES, SHIPWRECKS provide safe passage for mariners but have National Park from the threat of foxes. AND LEGENDS become iconic landmarks of the area. Cape Western grey kangaroos are plentiful, and The first European sailing ship to arrive Leeuwin is an important collection site for brushtail possums make regular visits to in the area was the Dutch ship Leeuwin in meteorological data and boasts the longest forest campsites, especially Point Road. 1622. Almost 180 years later, the famed unbroken record of weather data recording Fascinating spider orchids are one naval navigator, chart maker and explorer in the State since 1897. unusual group of plants in a huge diversity Matthew Flinders sighted the same rocky of plant and animal life in the park and headland and named it Cape Leeuwin in CAPE TO CAPE TRACK the region boasts an incredible 7239 plant honour of the Dutch ship. The premier walk trail along the species, most of which are found nowhere The next year, French explorer Nicolas Leeuwin-Naturaliste coastline is the Cape else on Earth. Baudin made landfall at Geographe Bay, to Cape Track, winding 130 kilometres from Boranup Forest between Caves Road giving French names to many landmarks Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin. and the coast is home to pale-barked karri along the coast. The track takes five to seven days to trees that reach heights above 60 metres A small group of British settlers, walk and is one of only two long distance and is the furthest west you can find karri, including the Molloy, Bussel and Turner walk tracks in the south-west of WA. To the the third tallest tree in the world. Boranup families, moved to Augusta in 1831 and set north, a 3.5-kilometre section of the track is a regrowth forest less than 140 years up timber, agriculture and dairy farming from Cape Naturaliste to Sugarloaf Rock old, grown after timber tycoon Maurice industries. The Bussels moved soon after has been developed to a higher standard Coleman Davies milled the trees in 1884. and formed the town of Busselton. to accommodate high visitor use including Trees from the timber yard were once used The profitable jarrah and karri industry those with disability and the elderly, and to build the iconic Hamelin Bay jetty that saw tonnes of wood shipped from Augusta is pram friendly. To the south, the track could once berth three ships at a time, and and Hamelin Bay during the timber boom remains less developed to maintain a more the mill itself has recently been developed of the 1890s. However, the wild beauty remote experience.

LANDSCOPE 9 Parks for people Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park

The Cape to Cape Track crosses the mats that in turn may harbour many Margaret River where it meets the ocean communities of invertebrate life, some of and when the river mouth is open in which may not be found anywhere else in winter and spring a track diversion is in the world. place as it is difficult and dangerous to Fossils and archaeological specimens cross. The track is pleasantly challenging have been found in some cave deposits, and takes walkers through breathtaking including evidence of Noongar coastal scenery. occupation and remains of extinct The rich sea life of the Cape to Cape marsupials, reptiles and birds. The caves’ coast is one of the great attractions of constant temperature, humidity, alkalinity the track. From the track you can often and protection from disturbance means see humpback and southern right that rich and diverse assemblages of fossil whales migrating up and down the coast, vertebrates have been well preserved bottlenose dolphins surfing along the and are some of the best examples of any beach, shorebirds such as the red-capped Pleistocene deposits found in Australia. plover and sooty oystercatcher feeding in the shallows, and osprey circling overhead. An amble along the shoreline Above left Cape to Cape Track, near the will reveal crabs, periwinkles and limpets Wilyabrup Cliffs. clinging to the rocks with a variety of seagrasses and colourful seaweeds Above Ngilgi Cave. Photos – Tourism WA washed up on the beach. For end-to-end walkers travelling north to south, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse is an Do it yourself iconic departure point and Cape Leeuwin’s Where is it? 92 kilometres south-west of tall visage, nestled out on the rocky south- Bunbury. west tip of WA, signals to walkers that Total area: 19,000 hectares they have reached their destination. Visit trailswa.com.au for more information about Facilities: Information, toilets, picnic tables, gas barbecues, campgrounds, walk walking the Cape to Cape Track. trails, bike trails, 4WD access, boat ramps, CAVES OF THE CAPE boat and canoe access, beach fishing Recreational activities: Abseiling, The limestone of the Leeuwin- camping, fishing, rock climbing, boating, Naturaliste Ridge is home to caves, with bushwalking, surfing, swimming, wildlife a wide variety of caving experiences on viewing offer, from self-guided, unlit Calgardup or Nearest Parks and Wildlife Service office: more adventurous Giants Cave, to lit-up Blackwood District, Mammoth Cave or guided tours such as 14 Queen Street, Busselton WA Ngilgi, Lake and Jewel Caves. Phone: (08) 9752 5555 Swamps and small streams supply Conto campground can be booked online water to some caves. Tree roots can at parkstaybookings.dbca.wa.gov.au make their way into these and form root

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