Cape Conran Nature Trail

Cape Conran Nature Trail

Cape Conran Coastal Park

Length: 3 kilometre
Walk: 1 hour one way
Track: good
Grade: flat
Start: Sailors Grave car park
Finish: West Cape car park
Nearby: Orbost
Permits/bookings: None required.

Sailors Grave Beach, named in honour of the victims of shipwrecks long ago on nearby Beware Reef, marks the beginning of this short but stimulating walk. (The wooden crosses that once marked their graves have since vanished.)Follow the trail to the top of the headland, where excellent views take in Point Hicks and Mt Everard to the east, Mt Bemm to the north-east and Mt Raymond to the north-west. Continue along the clifftop, deviating slightly inland to Botany Bowl and Sunset Peak. Or you can take the track down to the pebble beach at secluded Cowrie Bay. To rejoin the main trail, you can rock hop from here to Joiners Channel.
Living up to its name, the nature trail passes through changing vegetation, including coastal heath and woodlands of banksia. Along the way look out for the area’s wildlife, including its wombats, wallabies, sea birds, ground parrots and the rare smokey mouse.