Things to do, Walpole
Set on the tranquil waters of Walpole Inlet, Walpole is an idyllic township, offering a wide range of activities for visitors, from swimming, boating, sailing, inlet cruises and fishing to bush walking, scenic drives and climbing.
The Walpole Inlet is a small estuary connected through a narrow channel with the bigger and deeper Nornalup Inlet. It is the only place in Australia’s South West where the Karri forest laps the water’s edge.
The Walpole area is home to Red Tingle trees as well as the Karri trees that dominate the Southern Forests. The Giant Tingle Tree near Hilltop Road is over 450 years old, and measures 24 metres in diameter at its base.
Walpole is surrounded by the 18,000 hectare Walpole/Nornalup National Park , home to the not-to-be-missed Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk . The 600 metre walkway rises 40 metres above the forest floor and is a breathtaking experience with a bird’s eye view of the forest. There is a meandering boardwalk that takes visitors through a grove of veteran tingle trees called the Ancient Empire. This walk will show, at close hand, some of the unique shapes of these giant trees. You can actually walk through the hollowed out butt of one tree.
Also within the National Park, the Conspicuous Cliffs offer one of the best vantage points to view the rugged grandeur of the southern coastline. With its rocky headlands and big swells, the beach here is also a popular spot for fishing and surfing. Bird and animal life abound, and in spring the landscape is transformed into a vivid tapestry of colour with wildflowers.
The Mount Frankland area, 29 kilometres north of Walpole, is an adventurer’s playground with opportunities for white water rafting and spectacular hiking trails offering breathtaking views of the forests. It is a popular spot to rock climb or abseil the 150 metre drop.
The Knoll is a peninsular, which divides Nornalup and Walpole Inlets and is accessible by the one-way sealed Knoll Scenic Drive. This drive follows the perimeter of the Knoll, offering tantalising views of Walpole and Nornalup inlets. A mosaic of vegetation and landform features are found here, including colourful swamp bottlebrush heathland in the flats, coastal blackbutt, peppermint and bullich woodland adjacent to the headlands, and majestic karri and yellow tingle forest growing right down to the inlet.
Twelve kilometres west of Walpole is the turn-off to Mandalay Beach with its spectacular coastline and site of the 1911 shipwreck of the Norwegian barque 'Mandalay' that the beach was named after. This stretch of coastline offers wonderful fishing, great views of Chatham Island and occasionally exposes parts of the Mandalay shipwreck.
The stirring Southern Ocean is a natural wonder to be appreciated from the white sandy Mandalay Beach. Stroll along the boardwalk and read the interpretive information about the wreck which can sometimes be seen in the sand or simply enjoy the moods of the Southern Ocean.
The tall trees and spectacular waterways sit against a backdrop of breathtaking coastal scenery and portrays the essence of Walpole. The diversity of landscape is matched by a range of accommodation that caters for all tastes and includes motel, chalets, cottages, caravan parks, bed and breakfast, backpackers and houseboats.
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Walpole Tree Top Forest Walk
The 'Valley of the Giants' is one of the main tourist draws in the area. Those with a head for heights can get a tree top view on the 'Tree Top Walk' a 40m high walk-way that can accommodate wheelchairs. Most similar canopy walks around the world are constructed using suspension bridge-type structures-not for the faint of heart. The Tree Top Walk, however, is a series of sixty-metre, lightweight steel trusses built on steel pylons to form a secure ramp. Beneath the canopy walk there is a pathway around the Tingle trees for walkers - this is known as the 'Ancient Empire'.
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Tingle Tree
One of the most wonderful photo opportunities is to take a snap walking through one of the massive Tingle Trees that has been eaten out and forms a natural archway.
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Shire of Manjimup Heritage Trail
The Shire of Manjimup Heritage Trail is a living trail that is designed to preserve and celebrate the stories that connect the communities within the Shire. The project will evolve over time and is limited only by the communities' enthusiasm to preserve their heritage and passion for storytelling. The stories begin with early indigenous communities through to today.
The first of the Heritage Trail Icons can been seen in Walpole with the erection of an icon named "Walpole Cream Truck"