Dunsborough is a popular holiday spot for West Australians due to its quiet sandy coves, surrounding national parks, great shopping precinct and proximity to the Margaret River region’s wineries and attractions. Beautiful homeware and fashion stores sit beside cafés, bakeries and restaurants in the townsite, while nearby beaches on the way to Cape Naturaliste are arguably some of the best in the south west.
You’ll notice many place names around Dunsborough which end with the sound ‘up’. This means ‘place of’ in the local Wadandi dialect. You can join a local aboriginal guide from Yallingup or Cape Naturaliste to discover more of the aboriginal history and significance of this region.
Cape Naturaliste
Take a drive to the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and Maritime Museum just 13kms out of town. Here, visitors can take a tour of the lighthouse and take advantage of the stunning views of the coast. There are several walking trails including the start of the Cape to Cape Walk which follows the coast to Cape Leeuwin near Augusta. These walk trails provide excellent viewing of the wildflowers in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, home to several rare species including the Naturaliste Nancy, Dunsborough Spider Orchid, Cape Spider Orchid and Meelup Mallee.
Cape Naturaliste is the perfect vantage point for spotting whales on their annual migration. Between September and December, southern right, humpback and blue whales are all commonly seen off the coast. Experience the magic of watching them bask and play in Geographe Bay from Cape Naturaliste’s purpose-built whale watching platform or from a cruise.
Caves
Formerly called Yallingup Cave, Ngilgi Cave is located on Caves Road between Dunsborough and Yallingup, around a 35-minute drive north of Margaret River. Discovered in 1899, it was the first cave in WA open to tourists and has remained one of the most popular destinations in the Margaret River region ever since.
It has a a number of different tours on offer, including the popular ‘Adventure Tour’ options that give thrill-seekers the opportunity to take a hard-hat and lamp and venture off the boardwalks.
