Above and below the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge

Tall Trees & Tiny Wildflowers

You don’t need to travel far to find untouched stands of tuart, karri, marri, jarrah and peppermint forests with fabulous trails for hiking and mountain biking adventures. The largest stand of tuart trees in the world can be found at the northern entrance to Busselton, whereas further south you’ll find towering karri trees in the breathtakingly beautiful Boranup Forest.

Gaze up into the heights of these grandiose stands of trees, but be sure to look down at the forest floor as well… With an abundance of endemic species of flora including rare, ornate orchids and many other colourful wildflowers, this is one of just 34 internationally recognised biodiversity hotspots.

Throughout the region, mature peppermint trees are home to critically endangered Western Ringtail Possums and many other species of fauna.

The high ropes course at Forest Adventures offers both an adrenaline rush and an exquisite bird’s eye view of the majestic Ludlow Tuart Forest, as thrill-seekers climb trees and soar between them on a series of exhilarating flying foxes.

Ornate Caves

Visitors are invited to delve into ornately decorated depths of some of the region’s spectacular limestone caves.

The nearest show cave to Saltwater, is Yallingup’s Ngilgi Cave, which is majestically adorned with ancient, awe-inspiring formations.

Ngilgi Cave’s amphitheatre is well-known for awesome natural acoustics. In the early 1900s Australian opera star, Dame Nellie Melba famously had her grand piano lowered into the amphitheatre to perform in this stunningly beautiful location.

The Ancient Lands above ground experience at Ngilgi Cave is the perfect place to learn about the deep cultural significance of this area to the Wadandi Saltwater people. Learn more about Aboriginal culture on a guided tour with local a local Wadandi custodian. Embark on a bush walk, enjoy a didgeridoo performance in Ngilgi Cave’s amphitheatre, learn traditional fire lighting techniques and gain an insight into Indigenous plants, foods and medicines of the six Noongar seasons.

Further south along Caves Road, there are another three striking show caves to explore – Mammoth, Lake and Jewel Caves.