Feature by Bonita Grima
Stretching from Cape Naturaliste in the north to Cape Leeuwin in the south, Western Australia’s Cape to Cape Track is the coastal thread tying together some of the Margaret River Region’s best offerings. And you’ll find everything from stunning natural attractions to the wisdom of the area’s Traditional Owners, fabulous food and wine tours and luxurious stays along the way.
My heart beats faster as I round the bend and spy the crescent-shaped bay below. Dramatic limestone cliffs dazzle against a brilliant blue sky, and turquoise water laps soft white sand, luring me down to local favourite, Conto’s Beach.
Spirits soaring, I make my descent through wildflowers and waist-high scrub, with the wind rushing through my hair. There’s the intoxicating scent of peppermint bush in the air and, with the sound of waves crashing in the distance, I almost believe I can fly.
Running along scenic sections of the Cape to Cape Track has become an exhilarating morning ritual when visiting the Margaret River Region. But of course there are more leisurely and deliciously decadent ways to explore Australia’s longest coastal track.
Conto's Beach, the Cape to Cape Track
Walk this Way
Extending from Cape Naturaliste near Dunsborough to Cape Leeuwin near Augusta, the 135-kilometre track that joins two historic lighthouses and runs the length of the coastal ridge within the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, takes in epic surf breaks, tranquil bays, fascinating geology, towering karri forests, and an abundance of flora and fauna that includes wildflowers and whales in season.
While it might take anywhere from four to eight days to tackle in its entirety, the Cape to Cape Track needn’t be done in one go and can be accessed at various points between. And for those preferring to dip in and out, enjoying quality rather than quantity, there’s plenty of options for doing so. You can traverse a section of the Cape-to-Cape Track on an adventure tour over to Esperance with Untamed Escapes.
Named Best Tour Operator at the WA Tourism Awards, Walk into Luxury began its journey in 2014 with its award-winning Cape to Cape Walk. One of the Great Walks of Australia, the four-day signature Cape to Cape Walk led by passionate local guides takes in some of the track’s best sections such as the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse to Sugarloaf Rock route, Redgate Beach to Boranup Forest, and Moses Rock to Willyabrup sea cliffs. Founder Nikki King and husband Adam wanted to give people a taste of an area they consider to be very special.
Boranup Karri Forest
“I became obsessed with creating a special all-inclusive Cape to Cape itinerary for others to enjoy the best of the region like we had,” Nikki says. “It’s for anyone who likes walking but also likes being well looked after and, at the end of each day, returning to really good food, wine and comfortable accommodation.”
Walk into Luxury’s accommodation naturally includes one of the region’s most luxurious providers, Injidup Spa Retreat near Yallingup. With private plunge pool villas overlooking the Indian Ocean, guests can expect highlights including dinner prepared by a private chef; an exclusive lunch at the region’s first winery, Vasse Felix; a daily selection of local wines and cheeses; and access to treatments at the in-house spa.
Gold medal-winning eco-tourism operators Cape to Cape Explorer Tours also provide guided tours and assistance on self-guided adventures. While the eight-day end-to-end guided tour allows walkers to stay their own way – with choices ranging from glamping through to classic beach-house accommodation at popular hamlet, Gnarabup – self-guided adventures leave the itinerary up to you, with logistics sorted by the team. Alternatively, sample other regional gems with half- or full-day tours, including the Cape to Vine Day Tour, Cape to Cape Wine Tour, and Sunset, Forest and Cave Explorer Tour.
Cape Connection
For greater understanding of the land you’ll traverse, Aboriginal tour operator Josh Whiteland of Koomal Dreaming has a host of cultural tours. Learn about the Wadandi and Bibbulmun peoples, and their deep connection to the Capes with Whiteland’s ‘Kaya’ Cape experience, or follow in Whiteland’s footsteps on an easy 2.5-kilometre amble along the tip of Cape Naturaliste. Whiteland’s Cape Cultural Experience introduces you to flora and fauna, including bush foods and medicine, and finishes at a significant meeting place with traditional artefact interpretation and a didgeridoo music session.
Koomal Dreaming
Take the plunge
To really immerse yourself in the landscape, Margaret River Adventure Co. provides all you need to jump right in – literally. With 30 years’ experience in aquatic rescue and ocean safety, and as the marine coordinator for Margaret River surf movie, Drift, a microadventure with founder Cam O’Beirne ensures you’re in safe hands. While a two-hour Coasteering experience allows you to rock-hop, shore-scramble and swell-ride at some of Ngari Capes Marine Park’s most stunning locations alongside the Cape to Cape Track – including Indjidup’s natural spa and rock pools – O’Beirne’s Reef Snorkel in the Marine Park and Get up Close to Wild Stingrays tours offer more serene but equalling thrilling encounters.
Prefer to dip into a river or vineyard? Bushtucker River and Wine Tours’ Margaret River Winery & Brewery Tour visits five iconic estates, includes sampling of local produce at cheese and chocolate companies, and features a bush tucker lunch with Australian foods like crocodile, emu, kangaroo, native fruit chutneys and bread. You will also enjoy bush tucker on the Margaret River Canoe Tour after a guided paddle of the Margaret River. Departing from the river mouth, the canoe tour also takes in forest, wildlife, and historic Aboriginal and pioneering sites.
And for those who like deluxe dining – just add water. South West Cruises’ new Taste of the Bays is an excellent summertime option, with a seven-course progressive food and wine experience showcasing the South West’s best produce. Expect charcuterie meats from Farmhouse Margaret River, handmade cheese from Yallingup Cheese, organic olive oil and dukkah from Olio Bello, West Coast rock oysters, and Blue Ridge Marron from Manjimup all matched with top drops from Howard Park Wines and cider and beer from Colonial Brewing Co. Located near Dunsborough, this tranquil tour of the bays is an excellent post-hike reward or introduction to the area.
Injidup Beach, near Yallingup
Coastal Comforts
If travelling independently, there’s a good selection of luxury accommodation to base yourself at along the track. For premium coastal views and spa facilities, Injidup Spa Retreat and Pullman Bunker Bay Resort are where you’ll want to be. But for a boutique, in-the-forest feel, Empire Retreat with its attached day spa, is the perfect choice, nestled amid 107 hectares of bushland and picturesque pastures.
Also near Yallingup, and for those looking to work curated packages and experiences into their stay, Smith’s Beach Resort and Cape Lodge couldn’t be better suited. The former has sweeping views over one of the area’s best beaches and organises nature-based and epicurean adventures such as an e-bike winery tour, a behind-the-scenes look at winery, Cape Mentelle, and a farm tour and lunch at renowned paddock-to-plate, Arimia Estate.
Meanwhile, Cape Lodge’s reputation proceeds it, having long been considered one of the country’s finest country house hotels. Positioned within premium wine-growing country, and surrounded by some of the Margaret River Region’s best wineries, Cape Lodge boasts its own vineyard and one of the region’s best restaurants, helmed by executive chef Thomas Haynes.
No matter what you choose to see or where you choose to stay, the length of the Cape to Cape Track is crowded with the best of the best, and all you have to do to experience some or all of it is to put one foot in front of the other.
Arimia Estate, Wilyabrup
Published August 2022.