In 2019 we conquered the Cape to Cape track. The hardest part was to find the time to do it and the logistics of being dropped off and picked up. It was a great experience on this awesome multiday hike with stunning views, wildlife and ever changing weather.
Shortly after the start point you come across an old water wheel. It was used to supply the Lighthouse keepers with water. The area past the water wheel features rock formations which are quite popular, they do look spectacular.
The section between Lighthouse and Hamelin Bay is very interesting, being an incredibly rough coast line with a lot of fossilised trees and other plants.
Fossilised roots ‘dangling’ down 
Its all fossilized roots and small plants that make the funny structure of the rock 
The Leeuwin Lighthouse where we started. 
Oyster Catchers – we see them more or less at every beach in WA. They are quite amazing how they dig for molluscs in the sand. They bond for life – the photos show a committed couple. 
Hamelin Bay is a beautiful spot. It’s famous for the stingrays that come close to shore every evening. It’s quite spectacular to see the big rays close up.
The Hamelin Bay Caravan Park is perfectly located right on the beach but out of the wind. You get cheap unpowered tent sites, they also offer hot shower / laundry access for $5 per person. In the peak season there is a food van in the park with deluxe meals. It features a shop, and a big playground next to a decent sized bbq area and camp kitchen.
We were there in the off season, but checked in for the luxury of a hot shower and to enjoy the rays and the sunset. The next day we hiked from there to Contos, a cheap bush camp, a bit off the beach in the forest. You are allowed to have fires there – depending on the season.
Along the way we encountered the Christmas Spider, also called the Jewel Spider. She is tiny and incredibly colourful and spikey. Despite that appearance she is harmless.
In the morning we pulled out everything we needed to cook a big breakfast. I left the carton with eggs on the table while digging for the cooker, when I turned around, they were gone. The crows took advantage of my distraction and grabbed the carton, dropped the eggs and had a feast.
The day started off nice and with a blue sky. This stretch of the walk is popular by surfers as you often get a good swell. The coastline is still rough and few memorials tell the tale of late surfers.
The weather turned rather grizzly around lunch time, and we got soaked by the drizzle and the windchill got us shivering. By the time we reached Prevelly, a small town with a nice caravan park, we were freezing cold. That cold that we briefly considered staying in a cabin, but the price was just ridiculous. Instead, we set up the tent and spent most of the evening in the cozy camp kitchen on the couch rugged up in a sleeping bag. (Can’t find the photos showing us soaked and frozen to the bone, maybe I was to cold to take photos, haha).
The following day the weather was much better. After a big breakfast at the café / bar next to the caravan park, we walked to Gracetown.
We encountered a Goanna, who wasn’t overly shy and stayed there with his tail hanging onto the track when we walked past.
At the town shop in Gracetown we had something to eat and called the caravan park to see if they would pick us up. The caravan park is a good 2km up the hill away from the track. The owner was happy to pick us up and we enjoyed a campfire outside the camp kitchen with a bottle of wine we got at the shop.
The following day the caravan park owner dropped us back at the shop where we enjoyed breakfast before heading further north on the track. It was another beautiful section along the coast through the bush with great views.
After reaching Moses Rock we started looking for a camp spot. We hoped to be able to camp along the river which meets the coast coming from the Quinnup Falls, just 500m inland. I even climbed to the top of the falls to see if there was a suitable clearing but had no luck. Further along the dunes we came across a spot a fellow hiker told us about. It’s very nice with tables and all, but to enclosed in the trees to have a fire. A bit further along the track, we found a spot completely in the bush, but with a nice clearing nearby for a fire.
We decided to start early and have coffee and breakfast in the next little town we found on the map: Indjidup. No luck there, just a few holiday houses and a resort. Many kilometres later, past Canal Rocks, near Smith Beach we found some coffee.
We walked past the Three Bears and found camp for the night. Along the way we saw a Blue Tongue. Despite them being neither poisonous nor having big teeth I never dared picking one up. Today I learned that you can pick them up quite easy, just grab it behind the neck so it can’t turn its head to bite.
A very short last leg we had to walk today, only 7km to get to Cape Naturaliste, the northern end of the walk. We are not big lighthouse fanatics and left out the walk to the lighthouse itself.
We got a taxi back to the motorbike and made our way back to Perth. Here we camp somewhere between Bunbury and Busselton:
Apologies for the late blog. Will try to catch up to a weekly post again.
Next one will be back to real time – our last adventure in the NT…