Caves Road is a
scenic route
A scenic route, tourist road, tourist route, tourist drive, holiday route, theme route, or scenic byway is a specially designated road or waterway that travels through an area of natural or cultural beauty. It often passes by scenic viewpoints ...
in the South West region of Western Australia. It connects western
Busselton
Busselton is a city in the South West region of the state of Western Australia approximately south-west of Perth. Busselton has a long history as a popular holiday destination for Western Australians; however, the closure of the Busselton ...
with
Augusta, running along or to the west of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge, and is an alternative route to
Bussell Highway
Bussell Highway is a generally north–south highway in the South West region of Western Australia. The highway links the city of Bunbury with the town of Augusta and is approximately in length. The highway is signed ''State Route 10'', exce ...
. Caves Road is also a major component of the route from
Cape Naturaliste
Cape Naturaliste is a headland in the south western region of Western Australia at the western edge of the Geographe Bay. It is the northernmost point of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge which was named after the cape. Also the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ...
to
Cape Leeuwin
Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly (but not most southerly) mainland point of the Australian continent, in the state of Western Australia.
Description
A few small islands and rocks, the St Alouarn Islands, extend further in Flinders Ba ...
, in what is known as the state's Capes Region.
Route description
Starting at
Bussell Highway
Bussell Highway is a generally north–south highway in the South West region of Western Australia. The highway links the city of Bunbury with the town of Augusta and is approximately in length. The highway is signed ''State Route 10'', exce ...
in
Abbey
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
The conce ...
, west of
Busselton
Busselton is a city in the South West region of the state of Western Australia approximately south-west of Perth. Busselton has a long history as a popular holiday destination for Western Australians; however, the closure of the Busselton ...
, Caves Road initially heads west passing the
Locke Nature Reserve
The Locke Nature Reserve, also known as the Locke Estate, is an area of Crown land located on the coast of Geographe Bay near Caves Road (Western Australia), Caves Road approximately west of the town of Busselton. Comprising an area of , the es ...
or "Holy Mile" through
Dunsborough to
Yallingup. From there the road travels southwards, between the coast and Bussell Highway, which it rejoins at the northern edge of
Augusta.
Caves Road forms the majority of
Tourist Drive 250, which is named Caves Road Tourist Drive. The route runs from
Cape Naturaliste
Cape Naturaliste is a headland in the south western region of Western Australia at the western edge of the Geographe Bay. It is the northernmost point of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge which was named after the cape. Also the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ...
, north-west of Dunsborough, to
Cape Leeuwin
Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly (but not most southerly) mainland point of the Australian continent, in the state of Western Australia.
Description
A few small islands and rocks, the St Alouarn Islands, extend further in Flinders Ba ...
, south of Augusta.
[ ]
Most of the surfing locations that are on the coastline between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste are accessed via Caves Road.
It is a narrow winding road in most parts, and much has been made of its picturesque quality and passage through
Karri forest
Karri forest is a tall open forest type dominated by ''Eucalyptus diversicolor'' (karri), one of the tallest hardwoods in the world.
Karri forest occurs only in the south-west corner of the Southwest Botanical Province of Western Australia, in ...
.
History
Caves Road was named due to it being a way to access the caves of the region,
though it was sometimes referred to as Margaret Caves Road.
It has since also been considered as a tourist route within the road network, and designated as such in the 1990s.
In the early 1900s, loggers and tourists travelled by horse and cart on parts of what would become Caves Road to visit caves in the area. In August 1921, a key section of the road going northwards was paved, allowing motor-cars to travel the route both ways for the first time.
In the 1930s to 1960s its condition was a problem. A few sections run for only short straight alignments; its upgrading and maintenance is an ongoing issue.
There is an ongoing campaign to have the road heritage-listed at the state and federal level; the idea was first seriously considered in 2018.
See also
*
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park is a national park in the South West region of Western Australia, south of Perth.
It is named after the two locations at either end of the park which have lighthouses, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste.
It is l ...
*
Tourist Drives in Western Australia
References
External links
Roads in Western Australia
Capes region of South West Western Australia
Scenic routes in Australia
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