Capes Foundation

24/06/2026

Meet Renee! 👋

Renee is one of the passionate team members you'll meet at Capes Raptor Centre.

🦅 As Training and Husbandry Coordinator, Renee plays a vital role in caring for the centre's resident birds of prey, overseeing their daily welfare, enrichment and training.
When she's not working alongside eagles, owls and falcons, Renee loves walking the coastal trails at Cape Naturaliste in the north of the Margaret River Region!

You may see Renee presenting a flight display - Be sure to say hello!

📷 (IG)

17/06/2026

Looking for an invigorating winter walk with lighthouse views, wild ocean scenery and a sense of adventure? Cape Leeuwin is home to some of the Margaret River Region’s most rewarding trails.

🚶 Leeuwin Biddi – An accessible 3.1km coastal trail linking Augusta Boat Harbour to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, perfect for families, casual walkers and cyclists.

🌿 Skippy Rock Loop – A moderate walk along Skippy Rock Road will lead you straight to the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge. Wander down to Quarry Bay and spot the fossilised Water Wheel on your return to the lighthouse.

🥾 Cape to Cape Track – One of Western Australia’s great long-distance walks, stretching between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste through beaches, forests and rugged coastline. Explore a short section or take on the full multi-day adventure. We love welcoming groups to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse on completion of their Cape to Cape hike!

Read the full guide here:

Discover coastal walk trails at Cape Leeuwin in Augusta, WA. featuring rugged scenery, ocean views, and natural heritage.

16/06/2026

Life at Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse wasn’t always as peaceful as it looks today! 🌊🐋

When the first lighthouse keepers, the Baird family, moved here, they faced extreme isolation, harsh weather, and even dingos roaming the surrounding bush, waiting to steal their precious supplies.

With no easy access to supplies, neighbours, or modern conveniences, everyday life demanded resilience and resourcefulness.

⚓Today, you can step back in time and uncover these remarkable stories of life at the cape on a guided lighthouse tour or through the fascinating displays at the lighthouse museum.

12/06/2026

Meet Ellie! 👋

Ellie is one of the friendly faces you'll meet when you head to a Capes Foundation experience. As Assistant Site Manager across Jewel, Lake and Mammoth Caves, and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, she loves creating memorable experiences for visitors from around the world every day.

When she’s not at work, you’ll often find Ellie exploring the Margaret River region, with the Conto cliff tops along the Cape to Cape Track being one of her favourite places to walk and take in the ocean views. 🌊

If you see Ellie around, be sure to say hello!

12/06/2026

Our team over at Capes Raptor Centre aren't just great at Bird of Prey Encounters... they are great on camera too!

Welcome to our very first segment of Rob’s Random Facts here at CRC.

Today we are hanging out with one of our resident Wedge-tailed Eagles 🦅 Mr Grace, to learn more about wedgies’ diets. Wedge-tailed Eagles have one of the broadest diets of any eagle in the world. They’re amazing natural pest control, which is especially important for wildlife balance on an island like Australia!

03/06/2026

Did you know that a thermal imaging camera at Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is helping researchers track the annual whale migration? 🐋

Each year, humpback and southern right whales travel from icy Antarctica to warmer waters, cruising along the South West coast.

Augusta plays a special role in this journey as the sheltered waters of Flinders Bay provide a place for whales to rest and nurture their calves, making it one of the best places to spot them between April and August. They can even be spotted from the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse balcony! 💡

To learn more about whale movements and behaviour, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has installed a thermal imaging camera at the lighthouse. The camera is trialling a new way to monitor whale numbers and migration patterns, helping to inform future conservation efforts.

The first whales were detected by the camera on 1 April, marking the start of another incredible migration season.

If you're visiting this winter, keep your eyes on the horizon - you might just witness a humpback breaching, tail slapping or waving a giant pectoral fin as it passes by. 🌊

🔗 Find out more about whale research by listening to the Capes Conversations podcast - visit mrbta.com/podcast

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02/06/2026

Did you know Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse is still a working lighthouse? 💡

More than 120 years after it was first lit, the lighthouse continues to play an important role as a navigational aid, helping vessels safely navigate the coastline 🌊

Even more impressive, the lighthouse still uses its original lens. Combined with the modern light, it sends a beam up to 46 kilometres out to sea, continuing the job it was built to do in 1904.

⚓Today, the lighthouse is managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority - AMSA, ensuring this historic landmark remains an active part of Australia's maritime safety network.