Margaret River Karri Forest & Cape Walk
Walk through the tall forests south of Margaret River — the karri and jarrah woodlands give way to the spectacular Cape Leeuwin headland where the Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean meet at the most southwesterly point of the Australian continent.
- 1
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse (1896) stands at the meeting point of the Indian and Southern Oceans — the most southwesterly point of Australia, named by Matthew Flinders who circumnavigated the continent, the lighthouse marks a geographical and maritime boundary of real significance.
- 2
Boranup Karri Forest
Boranup Karri Forest is the most accessible tall karri woodland in the Margaret River region — the forest grows on the deep red soils over limestone that also support the region's vineyards, and the giants reach 60 metres in the sheltered gullies.
- 3
Hamelin Bay
Hamelin Bay is a sheltered beach where rays and sharks gather near the boat ramp — the friendly stingrays were habituated by fish scraps from the original fishing boat landing and now approach waders in the shallows for an unexpected wildlife encounter.
- 4
Karridale Arboretum
Karridale is a historic timber mill town deep in the forest — the arboretum of exotic trees planted by the mill managers in the 19th century now towers above the karri, an incongruous collection of oaks and elms in the Australian bush.
- 5
Augusta Blackwood River Mouth
Augusta at the mouth of the Blackwood River is the most southern town in the Margaret River region — the estuary is a feeding ground for bottlenose dolphins, and the town's character as a fishing and holiday community reflects the end-of-the-road geography.
- 6
Alexandra Bridge Blackwood River
Alexandra Bridge crosses the Blackwood River in a karri and jarrah forest — the river here is calm and tea-coloured from tannins, and the forest walk along the bank is one of the most beautiful short walks in the South West.