October 2016
Cape Leeuwin is one of the most scenic spot to visit in the Margaret River region. It is located at the extreme south-western point of the Australian continent. Cape Leeuwin marks the boundary between the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean. Augusta is the closest town to Cape Leeuwin, just a 12 minutes drive and Margaret River town being 30 minutes away.
We start our 2nd day road trip by visiting Cape Leeuwin before proceeding to the next attraction of the day. Although we arrived in Augusta in the early evening the previous day, we were unable to make a visit here as the grounds of the lighthouse closes at 5:00 p.m.
The lighthouse precinct is enclosed in a fenced-off area which you’ll need to pay $8 to enter. To climb up the lighthouse, you’ll have to join a tour for an additional $12.
The Cape Leeuwin lighthouse is located on its own precinct, a narrow peninsula of granite jutting out into the ocean built-in the late 19th century. It offers spectacular views of the cape as well as views out to sea. At 39m high and 56m above the sea, the lighthouse is the third tallest in Australia and the tallest in Western Australia. It stands at its lonely position near the edge of the dramatic granite peninsula. It was one of the last in the world to remain manually operated until 1982.
About 250m before you reach the lighthouse car park to your right, there is an old Historic Water Wheel. It was built to pump water from a spring up to the lighthouse cottages and over the years the wood that it was originally made from has been coated with minerals. The fossilised water wheel is worth a visit, as where the sea meets the rocky beach, the water a crystal clear. The water wheel is located next to the car park.