The Gap and Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge Kwokka3 / CC BY-SA 4.0

The southern coast of Western Australia is battered by wild seas, over millions of years the pounding of the waves has broken up the granite coastline and created spectacular formations like the Gap and Natural Bridge in Torndirrup National Park.

As the name suggests, the Gap is a gap in the granite cliffs. On days with high swells, the water rushes into the narrow chasm and can sometimes reach over the top, spraying nearby observers. Recently a new viewing platform was installed, allowing people to look directly down into the chasm.

The Natural Bridge is a short walk away. There the ocean rushes beneath a solid-looking arch of granite, splashing against the cliff walls. On sunny days rainbows form in the spray - the area is known as the Rainbow Coast.

The national park is also home to the picturesque Jimmy Newhill’s Harbour, Salmon Holes, and Bald Head. The coastline is spectacular but also deadly with king waves and high swells sweeping many careless people off the rocks, often to their deaths.

Know Before You Go

The Gap and Natural Bridge are a short drive from the center of the town of Albany. There is a fee to enter the national park. Heed the warning signs. Do NOT walk out onto the Natural Bridge. King waves and swells have swept many people off the rocks, often resulting in death.