Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leeuwin-Naturaliste National ParkWestern Australia |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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A location in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park
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 Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park
Location in Western Australia
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| Nearest town or city | Busselton |
| Established | 1957 |
| Area | 190.92 km2 (73.7 sq mi) |
| Managing authorities | Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia) |
| Website | Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park |
| See also | List of protected areas of Western Australia |
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park is an amazing national park in the South West region of Western Australia. It's located about 267 kilometers south of Perth.
This park is named after two famous places with lighthouses: Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste. These capes are at opposite ends of the park. The park is found in the areas of Augusta-Margaret River and Busselton. It's super popular, with millions of visitors each year!
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What Makes Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park Special?
This park is home to huge forests of karri and jarrah trees. It also has many cool caves, and you can even explore some of them!
The park's rugged coastline stretches for about 120 kilometers. It goes from Bunker Bay in the north all the way to Augusta in the south. Along the coast, you'll find interesting rock formations like granite rocks, Sugarloaf Rock, and Canal Rocks. The coastal area also has awesome beaches with famous surf spots, such as Supertubes, Yallingup beach, and Smiths Beach.
Plants and Animals You Might See
The plants in the park change as you move from the coast inland. Near the ocean, you'll see coastal scrub-heath. Further in, there are large areas of peppermint trees, banksia plants, and tall karri forests.
Many different bird species live here, including sea birds, red-eared firetails, white-breasted robins, rock parrots, and even emus. You might also spot native mammals like southern brown bandicoots, western grey kangaroos, western ringtail possums, and brush wallabies.
The Amazing Ridge and Its Caves
The national park sits on a special area called the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge. This ridge has unique geology, meaning the types of rocks and land are very distinct. The different kinds of plants also grow in narrow bands that follow the north-south direction of the ridge.
Along the entire length of this ridge, there's a whole series of caves. One of these caves is called Devil's Lair. It's very important to scientists because it has ancient archaeological discoveries inside.
Explore the Cape to Cape Track
In 2001, the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) opened a fantastic walking trail called the Cape to Cape Track. This track is 135 kilometers long and follows the beautiful Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge. It's a great way to explore the park's stunning scenery!
