Cape to Cape Track hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Cape to Cape Track is Western Australia's great coastal walk. It follows the Indian Ocean coast of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, in the far south-west of the state, from the lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste near Dunsborough to the lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin near Augusta, where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. The Friends of the Cape to Cape Track give the length as 125 km, DBCA as 130 km; the line in this guide measures about 127 km. Most walkers take 6 or 7 days. There are no huts: you sleep in free walk-in campsites, national park campgrounds, caravan parks or the resorts and holiday homes at Yallingup, Gracetown, Prevelly and Hamelin Bay. No permit is needed.

The route

The track starts on a sealed path along the cliffs past Sugarloaf Rock, then drops to Yallingup and follows granite headlands, surf beaches and the high sea cliffs of Wilyabrup to Moses Rock and Gracetown. South of Ellensbrook it crosses the Margaret River at its mouth, passes Prevelly and Redgate, and climbs through coastal heath to Contos. The southern half is wilder and sandier: the long beach south of Contos, a day through the tall karri trees of the Boranup forest, the beach at Hamelin Bay, and then soft sand and limestone reefs past Deepdene and Cosy Corner to Cape Leeuwin.

This guide follows the route mapped on OpenStreetMap, including the new realignment at Quarry Bay near Cape Leeuwin, and splits it into 7 stages, about 18.1 km each. They follow the common 7-day plan: Cape Naturaliste, Yallingup, Moses Rock, Ellensbrook, Prevelly, Contos, Hamelin Bay and Cape Leeuwin. If you stay in rooms rather than a tent, end day 3 at Gracetown (11 km after Moses Rock) and walk on to Prevelly the next day. The highest point is under 200 m, but the track rarely stays flat: it climbs on and off the cliffs many times a day.

Highlights

• Sugarloaf Rock: a granite sea stack on the sealed first section
• Wilyabrup sea cliffs and Quininup Falls: tall cliffs popular with climbers and a seasonal waterfall near Moses Rock
• Ellensbrook Homestead and Meekadarabee Falls: a historic settler home and a cave and waterfall, a short side trip
• Margaret River mouth and Surfers Point: a river crossing on the sand bar next to a world-famous surf break
• Boranup karri forest: a cool forest of tall pale trees between two long beaches
• Cape Leeuwin: the lighthouse, the old waterwheel and the meeting of two oceans

When to walk the Cape to Cape Track

DBCA recommends the cooler months, September to November and March to May. Spring brings wildflowers, and whales pass close to the coast in winter and spring. Summer (December to February) is hot and dry, the creeks stop flowing, the tanks can run low, and bushfire risk is high: sections close on Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger days and Total Fire Bans apply. Winter (June to August) is cool and wet with strong north-west winds; the Margaret River mouth can be deep and fast, and DBCA runs an inland diversion between Kilcarnup and Wallcliffe Road. Prescribed burns can close parts of the track at any time of year, often at short notice.

How many days do you need?

Most people take 6 or 7 days at 15 to 25 km a day. The 7 stages here are 12 to 25 km. The northern half is easier, with towns close together; the southern half is longer and harder, with more soft sand. Very fit walkers finish in 5 days. You can also walk it as day sections from one or two bases, with a transfer each morning and evening.

Permits, camping and booking

Walking the track is free and needs no permit or registration. The four walk-in track campsites, Mount Duckworth, Moses Rock, Ellensbrook and Deepdene, are free, cannot be booked and are first come, first served. Each has a drop toilet, a picnic table and a rainwater tank, but no shelter. The national park campgrounds at Contos, Point Road and Boranup must be booked on Park Stay WA and charge a per-person fee. Camping anywhere else in the park is not allowed. Campfires are banned on the track and at the walk-in sites; carry a fuel stove. Dogs are not allowed in the national park.

Book rooms early for school holidays and Easter. Luggage transfer and slackpacking are easy to arrange: local companies drop you at the start of each day, carry your bags and collect you at the end.

Getting there and away

There is no public transport along the track itself. Perth is the main airport, about 3 hours by road from Dunsborough. Transwa coaches run from Perth via Busselton and Dunsborough to Yallingup, Margaret River and Augusta on most days. Busselton Margaret River Airport has Jetstar flights from Melbourne. For the trailheads you need a taxi or transfer: Cape Naturaliste is about 13 km from Dunsborough, and Cape Leeuwin about 8 km from Augusta.

Money, phone signal and supplies

Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but carry some cash for small stores. Mobile coverage is reasonable in the northern third and poor or missing on much of the rest, especially in the south. Stores for supplies are at Yallingup, Gracetown, Prevelly and Hamelin Bay; Margaret River, Dunsborough and Augusta have supermarkets and pharmacies off the track. Bins are only at Conto and in towns, so carry out all rubbish.

What to pack

Water is the main load. DBCA suggests about 1 litre per hour of walking; tank water is not guaranteed and must be treated. Bring sun protection, a hat and long sleeves, gaiters or light shoes that cope with sand, and sandals or a towel for river and beach crossings. Pack a first-aid kit with an elastic snakebite bandage, a personal locator beacon (PLB), insect repellent for the mosquitoes at Deepdene, and a tent with a fuel stove if you camp.

Difficulty

Trails WA grades the track Class 4, moderate to difficult depending on the section. The path is well signed, but long soft-sand beaches, steep dune climbs and rock hopping on the reefs make the southern days slow and tiring. Walk close to the waterline, where the sand is firmer, and plan beach sections for low tide. After storms some beaches wash out and you must use an alternative route.

Safety

In an emergency call 000. Mobile signal is patchy, so carry a PLB and install the Emergency+ app, which shows your coordinates. Red and green BEN signs at beaches give a location code for rescuers. Tell someone where you plan to sleep each night. Snakes are active in warm months: wait for them to move off the path. Keep off rock platforms in big swell, and check Park Alerts each morning.

History

The coast is Wadandi country, the land of the saltwater people of the south-west. The track grew from routes local resident Jane Scott pieced together in the 1980s, was built with a 1988 Bicentenary grant and opened officially in April 2001. It is managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions with the volunteer Friends of the Cape to Cape Track, who publish the guidebook and maps.