Where is Walpole?

Walpole is located on the South Coast Highway:
• 422 km south of Perth
• 119 km west of Albany

What is Walpole like?

Walpole is a small settlement with a population of approximately 450.

In recent years, Walpole has greatly benefited from the international attention it has received regarding the alluring forests that surround it. The town of Nornalup is only a few kilometres away and both are situated on the Walpole and Nornalup inlets.

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.

There are a range of services in Walpole. There is a general store, supermarket, bakery, hotel, telecentre and caravan park.

A little bit of history 

The town derives its name from Walpole Inlet, on which it is located. Walpole Inlet takes its name from the river flowing into it discovered by Captain Thomas Bannister in 1831, and named by Governor Stirling after a Captain Walpole with whom he served on the HMS Warspite in 1808.

Early seafarers were discouraged from close exploration of the area by strong winds and the lack of visible safe anchorage, however sealers and whalers later spoke in glowing terms of sheltered inlets, huge trees and great deep rivers.

These reports brought William Preston and his party to officially explore the Walpole-Nornalup area in 1831. In 1845 a group on Englishmen led by Dr Henry Landor settled on the Deep River. They planned to catch and salt fish for export and to graze cattle and horses.  The venture failed within a year and the men went their separate ways.

Permanent settlement followed in 1910 when Pierre Bellanger took up land beside the Frankland River and the following year an English family, the Thompsons, settled at Deep River.

The remainder of the district was opened for agriculture in 1930 with the introduction of the Nornalup Land Settlement Scheme.

Walpole links

Walpole Visitor Centre
Ph: (08) 98401111

Local Government
Shire of Manjimup