| Type: | other |
| Cape Naturaliste | |
| State: | wa |
| Relief: | yes |
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 National Park, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and the Cape to Cape hiking track were named after this location.
The nearest settlement is Bunker Baya community that evolved from holiday shacks to very expensive housing for wealthy residents as well as featuring a popular beach resort. Further east, across the Bay, is Dunsborough, a much older settlement. Busselton is located still further east from there.
The first peoples in Cape Naturaliste were the Wardandi Aboriginal people, who called it Kwirreejeenungup, meaning 'the place with the beautiful view'.[1] In 1801, the French navigator Nicolas Baudin stopped here on 30 May during his exploration of Australia. The French were mapping the coast of New Holland. Baudin named the bay they found Geographe Bay, after his flagship, Géographe. Later, the cape was named after the expedition's second ship, Naturaliste.[2]
Cape Naturaliste has a warm-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb, with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters).