Augusta

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse stands as Augusta's most iconic landmark, rising 39 metres above the rocky headland where two oceans collide in a visible churn of currents. Built in 1895, it remains the tallest lighthouse on the Australian mainland and offers guided tours to the top every 30 minutes between 8:45am and 4:30pm daily. The surrounding grounds include an interpretive centre housed in an original keeper's cottage, and a historic water wheel that once supplied fresh water to the keepers' families. Whether you climb the 176 steps for a panoramic view or simply wander the boardwalks at sea level, few places in Australia offer this combination of history and raw coastal spectacle.\n\nFlinders Bay, which curves gently away from the lighthouse precinct, transforms between June and August into one of the finest whale-watching bays on the continent. Humpback whales arrive on their northern migration from late May, followed by the endangered southern right whale from July, with peak gatherings of mothers and calves in August. Charter boats depart the Augusta Boat Harbour daily during the season, and the whales frequently come close enough to observe from shore. The 1986 rescue of 96 false killer whales stranded at Town Beach - achieved over three days by local volunteers - remains one of the most celebrated wildlife rescues in Australian history and speaks to the deep bond this community holds with the sea.\n\nJust 15 minutes north of town, Jewel Cave is the largest show cave open to the public in Western Australia. Three immense chambers descend underground, filled with delicate helictite formations, towering stalagmites, and the fossilised remains of a Tasmanian tiger that date the cave's ecological history back tens of thousands of years. Guided tours run hourly and provide enough time to appreciate the cave's scale without rushing. Jewel Cave, along with Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, is managed by the Capes Foundation and combination tickets are available at both sites.\n\nThe Hardy Inlet and Blackwood River estuary to Augusta's north and east offer a quieter counterpoint to the drama of the cape. Kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders can explore calm tidal waters fringed by paperbarks and sheoak, while anglers target bream, tailor and mulloway year round. The Wadandi Track - a multi-day walking and cycling trail connecting Augusta to Cape Naturaliste - passes through this country, following routes that the Wardandi people travelled for generations and connecting coastal heath, karri forest, and riverside wetlands into a single continuous experience. For walkers who prefer a shorter outing, the 6-kilometre Whale Trail coastal walk from the Blackwood River mouth to the Augusta Boat Harbour offers sea views with minimal effort.\n\nAugusta township itself is small and unhurried, its main street lined with a supermarket, cafes, and a historical museum that traces European settlement from 1830 - making Augusta one of the earliest settled towns in Western Australia. There is no large resort infrastructure here, which is precisely the appeal: the town has resisted the polish of more commercial South West destinations and retains a genuine working character. Accommodation ranges from riverside caravan parks to self-contained holiday cottages, and the surrounding Margaret River wine region is an easy 45-minute drive north, making Augusta an ideal base for exploring the full length of the South West Capes.