Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse

Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse was built in 1903 from local limestone, short and stout at twenty metres because it stands on a high cape, and it still operates, with guided tours climbing to the gallery for a view over Geographe Bay and the Indian Ocean. The waters below are one of the better shore-based whale-watching spots in Australia: humpbacks and southern rights move through Geographe Bay from September, often resting close in, and a boardwalk to a dedicated whale lookout runs from the lighthouse car park. The Cape to Cape Track starts here, and short walks lead to Sugarloaf Rock, a granite stack that holds a breeding colony of red-tailed tropicbirds.

What you actually see

• The 1903 lighthouse - the limestone tower and its working light, on guided tours.
• The whale lookout - the boardwalk viewpoint over Geographe Bay.
• Sugarloaf Rock - the granite stack with nesting tropicbirds.
• The Cape to Cape start - the northern trailhead of the long-distance track.

When to go

September to December for the whale season, when humpbacks and southern rights pass close inshore; sightings from the lookout are frequent in that window. Tower tours run daily. Wind on the cape is strong year-round.

Honest expectations

Tower access is by paid guided tour only, with a spiral staircase. Whale sightings depend on the season and the day. The cape is exposed and windy, and the car park fills in holidays.

Nearby

Dunsborough lies southeast; Yallingup and Ngilgi Cave are south along Caves Road.