RouteMargaret River

Margaret River Wardandi Country & Culture Walk

Explore Margaret River through the lens of Wardandi Noongar culture — the custodians of this land for more than 45,000 years who named the rivers, caves, and coastal features that European settlers later renamed, and whose culture persists throughout the region.

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1
Ngilgi Cave Wardandi Significance
Ngilgi Cave at Yallingup is the site of the Wardandi story where Ngilgi (good spirit) defeated Wolgine (evil spirit) — the cave's significance to the Wardandi Noongar people predates European discovery and gives the cave its name still used today.
2
Margaret River Noongar Heritage Trail
The Margaret River Noongar Heritage Trail marks significant sites in the river corridor — the river (Waginup in Noongar language) was a vital resource for the Wardandi people, who moved seasonally between the coast and inland forests.
3
Lake Carbanup Birdlife Site
Lake Carbanup near Yallingup is a Noongar seasonal camp site — the wetland attracted Wardandi families seasonally for bird hunting and fresh water, and the adjacent land now in private hands contains scar trees and other cultural evidence.
4
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse (1903) stands on Wardandi country at the northern tip of the region — the cape walk provides whale watching from June to November as Southern Right and Humpback whales pass through Geographe Bay.
5
Quinninup Falls Noongar Country
Quinninup Falls in the Blackwood Valley are a Noongar freshwater site — the falls on the Blackwood River were a significant gathering place for Wardandi people moving between seasonal camps, and the river valley retains dense native vegetation.
6
Boranup Lookout Cultural Landscape
Boranup Lookout overlooks the karri forest plateau and coast — from this elevation, the extent of the Wardandi country becomes visible: the forest, the coast, the caves below, and the agricultural cleared land that replaced the woodland in which Wardandi culture developed.