Walpole Nornalup National Park: 10 Amazing Spots To Explore

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Walpole Nornalup National Park is in the Southwestern region of great Western Australia. Perth lies 355 km to the south of this spot.

It is famous among people for its towering karri and tingle trees. Red tingle trees are unique to the fantastic Walpole area.

This park is part of the larger Walpole Wilderness Area. The authority established this area in 2004. It is famous as an international biodiversity hotspot now.

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History

The traditional owners of the area are the Murrum of the Minang people. They are part of the larger Noongar group. The Minang people have inhabited the region for over 30,000 years.

They named the park after the nearby town of Walpole. The town honors William Walpole. He served alongside James Stirling on HMS Warspite in 1809.

The Noongar people know the area as Nor-Nor-Nup, meaning the place of the black snake. Nornalup anglicized it. The explorer William Nairne Clark visited the region in 1841.

He sailed up the Frankland River. In 1877, botanist and explorer Ferdinand von Mueller explored the area. The Bellanger family were the first European settlers to arrive in the area in 1910.

This family settled alongside the Frankland River and built a homestead in 1914. The Minister of Lands and Agriculture, James Mitchell, visited this historically significant area.

The minister was so impressed with the beauty of this spot. He set this spot aside 370 ha for conservation as an A-class reserve.

In 1912, the authorities declared another part west of the Irwin Inlet as a reserve. Later, they incorporated it into the park. In 2008–2009, the park received 158,167 visitors.

More Information About Walpole Nornalup National Park

The Valley of the Giants is a mentionable tourist draw. Those brave enough can take the Tree Top Walk, a 40 m high walkway that accommodates wheelchairs.

This canopy walk is different from similar ones without question. It is a series of sixty-meter-long, lightweight steel trusses.

There is a pathway around the tingle trees known as the ancient Empire Beneath the Walk. At Conspicuous Beach, you can see migrating whales and dolphins.

The fantastic tingle tree has evolved to cope with bushfires. It can also withstand low-level fires. It controls the risk of bushfires by limiting the amount of dry leaf litter on the ground.

The amazing tingles can look burned inside, but they continue to survive. They grow from just under the outer bark layer, without any doubt.

They feature swamp paperbark and a red flowering gum native to the region. Conspicuous Cliff is one of the few spots on the coast reachable in the national park.

This magnificent area also includes the Walpole-Nornalup Inlets. The Deep and Frankland rivers feed them, without any doubt. Bibbulmun Track winds through this area to the coast.

10 Beautiful Spots to Explore in Walpole-Nornalup National Park

The Walpole-Nornalup National Park has fascinating sites. These sites offer a great experience to the visitors. It is possible to enjoy a good time in Walpole Park.

Place	Description
John Rate Lookout	This spot became famous as John Rate Lookout in honor of District Forester John Rate. In the early 1950s, this man discovered a third species of tingle tree, now known as the Rate’s tingle. This spot provides a welcome break from traveling. It is on the South West Highway or the Bibbulmun Track. You can have a cuppa or a picnic here.
The Channels	The fantastic narrow channel connecting the two inlets is about 200m wide. It is almost a kilometer long and about two meters deep. Visitors to this site can fish in the channel, although it has a rocky bottom. You can picnic at the picnic area between Walpole and Nornalup inlets. It is a perfect place for a picnic lunch close to town. There are attractive views between paperbarks. The area is near The Knolls Scenic Drive. It is a 5km circular drive around the peninsula between the inlets. The fantastic drive starts on the northern side of the Nornalup Inlet. It ends on the south-eastern side of the Walpole Inlet. It is all within the Walpole-Nornalup National Park. Two fishing spots marked on the drive are worth a look.
Monastery Landing	Visitors can enjoy a picnic in serene surroundings at the historic Monastery Landing. Canoe hire is available for them at Nornalup. They can launch their vessel at the boat ramp by the bridge.
Sandy Beach	Just around the corner from Walpole, you can find Sandy Beach. The location of this beach is on the Nornalup Inlet. It is a nice picnic spot, great for fishing, and the bay is a safe spot for children to swim. It is a fantastic spot for a family day out in South Australia. Visitors can also trek along the Sandy Beach to Rest Point Trail here. It is a 1.5km ideal trail that follows the inlet through the Tingle and Karri forests.
Mount Clare	If you enjoy a gentle walk in the spectacular tingle and karri forest, try the Mount Clare Summit Trail. Bushwalking enthusiasts will find the Deep River Loop walk pleasant. They will also enjoy the Shedley Drive Loop.
Conspicuous Cliff	The place, named after its spectacular limestone cliffs, delights photographers. The large surf pounds the shore of this pristine beach. The walk trails and lookouts provide spectacular views. Visitors can also witness the antics of migrating whales in winter and spring. They should take time and appreciate the fabulous coastal heathland. It features swamp paperbark and the red flowering gum. The parking area is 200m away. There is a picnic shelter and an accessible lookout platform. There is a fantastic boardwalk and stairs down to the beach. You can fish for salmon and feel the sand between your toes while combing the beach for shells.
Coalmine Beach	Coalmine Beach is the name of a popular swimming location for families. It is also famous among people for fishing along the inlet edges.
Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk	The Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk has international recognition. It showcases nature, so it is a tourist attraction. Its heart is where the location of Walpole Wilderness, between Denmark and Walpole.
Irwin Inlet Picnic Area	It is the name of a tranquil spot to take a break from travels and enjoy a picnic by the water. The sand spit at the mouth of the inlet is famous with fishermen from Peaceful Bay. They reach it by driving their four-wheel drive vehicles along the fantastic beach.
Rest Point Saw Pit	The digging time of the heritage Rest Point Saw Pit was between 1860 and 1865. The early settlers used many of these saw pits. Two men used a long, two-handled saw to cut the lumber. One man stood above the timber and the other below.