What is Cape Leeuwin?
Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly point of mainland Australia, near the town of Augusta in Western Australia. It is often described as where the Indian and Southern oceans meet.
The cape was named after the Dutch ship Leeuwin, meaning lioness, which passed the coast in 1622. Matthew Flinders later used the name when charting Australia's southern coast in 1801.
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, completed in 1896, is the tallest lighthouse on the Australian mainland at about 39 metres. It still guides ships around this treacherous corner of the continent, where strong winds and big swells are common.
Margaret River region
The cape lies at the southern end of the Margaret River region, famous for wineries, surf breaks, caves and forests. The 125-kilometre Cape to Cape Track runs north from here to Cape Naturaliste.
Humpback and southern right whales are often seen off the cape between June and December. The Leeuwin Current also brings warm water south along the coast here.
Did You Know?
Visitors can climb the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse and look out over the meeting of two oceans.