Cape Arid National Park
- Introduction
- Fact file
- CALM Esperance (08) 9071 3733
- Park ranger (08) 9075 0055
Introduction
Lying on Western Australia’s rugged south coast, Cape Arid National Park protects a stunning coastline of sweeping beaches rimmed by the intense blue waters of the Southern Ocean. In 1792, the French Admiral Bruni D’Entrecasteaux named ‘Cap Arride’ as he sailed past the coast; a decade later the name was anglicised by Matthew Flinders. The area was settled in the early 1870s, when graziers took up land around Thomas River and Pine Hill. The ruins of homesteads, buildings and dams are a legacy from this time. In the north, the Russell Range rises to its highest peak at Mount Ragged. Elsewhere are sand plains, heathlands and rocky granite hills. The heaths are studded with wildflowers in spring and several species of orchids can be found on and near Mount Ragged. The 160 bird species include the ground parrot (endangered in Western Australia), the Australasian bittern, short-billed black-cockatoo and Cape Barren goose. Mammals include the bush rat and western brush wallaby, and there are a variety of reptiles and amphibians. Southern right whales are regularly spotted off the coast, especially during late winter and early spring, and seals occasionally visit the beaches. There are a number of marked trails in the park: Tagon Coastal Walk (7 km return, 4 hours, medium difficulty) leads from Thomas River to Tagon Harbour; Mount Arid Walk (2 km, 1 hour, easy) offers great ocean views from the summit; while the strenuous Mount Ragged Walk (3 km return, 2 hours, difficult) climbs to the top of Tower Peak (585 metres). Coastal fishing from the beaches and headlands within the park is excellent all year round.
Fact file
Camping
Thomas River, Jorndee Creek, Seal Creek, Mt Ragged (latter 4WD access only); self-sufficient camping applies at all sites
Location and access
120 km east of Esperance via Fisheries and Tagon roads, or via Merivale Rd
Park Information
Size
279 832 ha
Where to Stay
Esperance (08) 9071 2330,1300 664 455
www.visitesperance.com
Campsites
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