Hamelin Bay

Hamelin Bay

Hamelin Bay lies on the southwest coast of Western Australia, between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste. It is named after French explorer Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin, who sailed through the area around the beginning of the 19th century. The Cape to Cape Track runs along the coast to the west of the town, making Hamelin Bay one of the few settlements along the track. This long-distance walking trail is located in the south-west of Western Australia, 250 kilometers south of Perth. It runs the entire length of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, which forms the backbone of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. It begins and ends at the lighthouses at the top of Cape Naturaliste and Leeuwin Peak. The trail stretches 123 kilometers along the coast, through protected forests and pristine beaches. Navigation in Hamelin Bay was extremely difficult due to the reefs and rocks nearby. Hamelin Bay was notorious for shipwrecks due to bad weather. It was also a dangerous place to anchor or dock. The Western Australian Museum's wreck database contains a number of ships that sank in or near Hamelin Bay. The anchor from one of these wrecks has been found and is now in the Hamelin Bay beach car park. The Margaret River Cape to Cape Track is full of wildlife, but the stingrays of Hamelin Bay are certainly one of the most spectacular sights.