Walpole-Nornalup National Park, Walpole, Australia, encloses forests of giant trees, deserted inlets and beaches, all in one area. This corner of Western Australia is definitely a nature lover’s Paradise. For this reason, this fascinating park is a unique place that you must put on your list of places to visit.
Activity/Place Highlights
Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk
This is a fabulous tour from Perth, especially for nature lovers. Admire the scenery as you trek through Western Australia’s southwest, and walk through its treetop walkway, towering the old-growth forest.
Going through this canopy walk allows to admire rare tingle trees like the karri, jarrah and marri. The smell of eucalyptus fills the air around you, so take a deep breath and enjoy this delicious scent! In addition, the Valley of the Giants tour offers hotel pickup and drop-off from centrally located hotels in Perth.
3 Day Margaret River Tour
On this all-inclusive 3-day tour from Perth you’ll get a real taste of what the South West of Western Australia has on offer. Be connected with nature as you discover the pristine wilderness of the region and sample delicious local produce.
Get a different perspective of Margaret River on a two-hour canoe experience and head underground to explore the mesmerizing Ngilgi Cave. Walk among colossal Red Tingle trees in Walpole and see spectacular coastlines such as Greens Pool, Elephant Rocks, and The Gap. Our local guide will share their knowledge and passion for this extraordinary region with you and take you off the beaten track to discover some hidden gems.
Walpole Wilderness to the Highlights of Denmark
A full day tour exploring the amazing south coast from the Walpole Wilderness exploring the Mount Frankland Wilderness Lookout, to the Swarbrick Art Trail and Giant Tingle in the karri forest to walking through the Valley of The Giants and Ancient Forest, admiring rugged Conspicuous Cliffs and Greens Pool, marvelling at the unique Elephant Rocks and sampling fine wine, cheese, honey and chocolates.
How to get there
Walpole is on the South Western Highway, 75 miles (120 km) west of Albany. Here is the nearest airport: Albany Regional Airport (ALH). The Wow Wilderness EcoCruises leave from Walpole jetty; you need to book in advance.
When to go
September through November (spring) is the time for wildflowers; in January (high summer) the red-flowering gums called ficifolia to add splashes of bright color to the grey-green bush. All year, bird calls are everywhere-from honeyeaters, parrots, fly batches-and it is easy to spot gray kangaroos and bandicoots.
How long
Two days are enough to visit the most attractive places in this enthralling park.
Opening and Closing Hours
Monday to Friday: 9:00 a. m. – 5:00 p. m.
Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 a. m. – 4:00 p. m.
Planning
The $7.00 park fee allows the visitor to enjoy the sights and sounds of the forest, waterways, beaches and rugged coastal areas, towering trees, and scrub. Since is a natural place, it does not require to book in advance.
Inside Information
Walpole offers accommodations and cafés, an herb farm, and a parrot jungle. It is a popular destination for canoeing, fishing, and bushwalking. Some walks, such as the Coalmine Beach Heritage Trail (1,8 miles/3km), start in the town. For serious walkers, the Bibbulum Track-at almost 600 miles 1.000km) the longest walking trail in Western Australia-passes through the town.
History
The inlet, in turn, is named for the Walpole River, discovered in 1831 by Captain Thomas Bannister, and named by Governor Stirling for Captain W. Walpole, with whom he had served aboard HMS Warspite in 1808.
The first European settlers to arrive in the area were Pierre Bellanger and his family in 1909. They traveled aboard the Grace Darling from Albany to take up 4,000 acres (16 km2) of land.
Land in the Walpole area was reserved for a national park in 1910, and the area subsequently became a popular holiday destination. Major development began to occur in the 1930s as part of the land settlement scheme. The railway reached Nornalup in 1929, and the Walpole townsite was gazetted in 1933.
Websites
Other nearby attractions
Walpole Town
Last but not least, let’s see what Walpole Town has to offer. In terms of facilities, it has an IGA, a couple of petrol stations, the Walpole-Nornalup Visitor Centre, all along the highway.
Coalmine Beach
For swimming with children, it’s probably best to visit Coalmine Beach, just south of town. It’s an inlet beach, not very exciting in terms of waves, but is safe exactly because of that.
Mt Frankland
Mt. Frankland National Park is located north of Walpole and can be reached via North Walpole Road. It is perhaps not as spectacular as many other national parks in WA, but Mt Frankland has a good short hike suitable for all ages (except very young toddlers), and that’s definitely a plus for a family holiday.
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