Cervantes takes the name from an American whaling ship that was wrecked off the coast in 1844. Anchored off Thirsty Point, the promontory which lies to the west of the town and separates Nambung Bay (to the south) from Ronsard Bay in the north, a gale blew up and the ship was blown ashore on an island to the south of the point. Although the ship was not badly damaged, it proved to difficult to repair and all the ship’s contents were sold. The island was named Cervantes and, in 1963, the name was given to the small township on the mainland.

Of particular interest to visitors is the Nambung National Park where the world famous Pinnacles are located. Access is via a dirt road for about 27 km through coastal scrubland. You can stop off to explore the huge white sand dunes and white beaches separating the road from the coast. There are turnoffs to Kangaroo Point and Hangover Bay on the way to the Pinnacle Desert. When you arrive at the desert, you will be confronted by thousands of limestone pillars, ranging from a few centimetres high to those which rise to over four metres. The Pinnacles area is carefully managed with only a one way road system through the area.

For Cervantes accommodation click here. For up-to-date information visit the local tourism visitor centre.