Cape Range National Park

50,000ha.

An extensive area of grazing land round Cape Range was declared a national park in 1964. The park extends for 50km along the coast between Coral Bay and Exmouth. An even larger area on the Coral Coast is included in Ningaloo Marine Park.

Inland from the rugged limestone cliffs of Cape Range are arid coastal plains and traveling dunes.

Rainfall over the year is low, but occasional cyclones bring heavy rain and the depressions in the riverbeds fill up. Mandu Creek and Yardie Creek are good places for bird watching. The main attractions of the park are the anglers' camps which have been set up on the track which runs the whole length of the park along the coast.

Long cross-country walks are not to be recommended, but there are safe short trails up to the crest of the hills, from which there are good views of the canyons to the east and Exmouth Gulf.

From the road which runs along the gulf from Coral Bay to Learmonth and Exmouth two tracks (Charles Knife Road and Shothole Canyon Road) run through the national park to the Thomas Carter Lookout and the Lightfoot Trail, a circuit through the park.

There is a visitor center at Milyering, with an exhibition, video films and conducted visits.