Australia National Parks - WA Esperance

West Australia Esperance - Cape Le Grand National Park

Wild coastal scenery, rugged granite peaks, and sweeping heathlands characterise Cape Le Grand National Park. Popular features in the park include attractive bays with wide sandy beaches set between rocky headlands.

Inland, the park protects an undulating heath-covered sandplain, interspersed with swamps and freshwater pools. In the south-west corner of the park, massive rock outcrops of granite and gneiss form an impressive chain of peaks including Mt Le Grand (345 m), Frenchman Peak (262 m) and Mississippi Hill (180 m).

The peaks of the park's south-west corner are the result of erosion and movements in the Earth's crust over the past 600 million years. During the Eocene period, some 40 million years ago, sea levels were at least 300 metres above their present level and these peaks would have been largely submerged. The caves and tunnels found in the peaks are thought to have been either formed or enlarged by wave action and underwater currents.

Location

30 km south-east of Esperance, 50 km by road. Approach via Fisheries Road, Merivale Road and Cape Le Grand Road. The route is well signposted from Fisheries Road.

Further Information

Webpage: Cape Le Grand National Park

CALM (WA Dept of Conservation and Land Management)
17 Dick Perry Avenue
Western Precint Technology Park
KENSINGTON WA 6151
Phone: (08) 9442 0300