An online visitor's guide to Western Australia's parks, reserves and other recreation areas.
Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park 
Boat at sunset Photo courtesy of Gary Muir
Location:
Introduction:
Connected inlets surrounded by majestic forest
Of the many inlets along the south coast of Western Australia, none are more beautiful or more biologically diverse than the magnificent Walpole and Nornalup inlets. It is Western Australia's newest marine park, having been created on 8 May 2009.
About
Discover Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park (3.54 MB)
Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park - Frequently asked questions (3.68 MB)
The Walpole and Nornalup Inlets lie about 450 kilometres south of Perth on WA's south coast. The town of Walpole is adjacent to the shallow (mostly about a metre deep) 100-hectare Walpole Inlet, fed by the freshwater Deep River and the saltier Frankland River. The larger (1300-hectare) and deeper (up to five metres) Nornalup Inlet is fed by the freshwater Walpole River. The marine park takes in the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets and the tidal parts of the Frankland, Deep and Walpole rivers.
Fees
There are no park fees.
What's special
Tall karri forest meets the sea at the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park. The estuaries are joined by a natural one-kilometre long and two-metre deep channel, bordered by steep granite hills and rocky shores. These are known locally as ‘The Knolls' and are clothed with dense karri forest. The Walpole and Nornalup inlets is a permanently open estuarine system-one of very few in the south-west-that experiences marine-like conditions for most of the year.
Getting there and getting around
You don't need a boat to enjoy Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park, with good access by car or foot to various beauty spots, swimming areas, and shore fishing locations and privately operated ecocruises available.
People also use private boats to kayak or fish in the inlets and rivers, with boat access to the marine park via ramps at Rest Point, Coalmine Beach, the Deep River mouth and the Walpole town jetty.
Enjoying the park
The untouched nature, wildlife and scenic quality of the Walpole and Nornalup inlets provide a wealth of opportunities for canoeing, boating, windsurfing and other water-based activities. A major attraction of the inlet system is its remote wilderness feel, particularly in parts of the Nornalup Inlet and the Frankland and Deep rivers.
The marine park supports excellent recreational fishing opportunities but make sure you first check the latest size, season and bag limits with the Department of Fisheries (www.fish.wa.gov.au) and obtain any licenses that may be needed.
Facilities
There are boat ramps at Rest Point, Coalmine Beach and on the Deep River, a jetty at Walpole and interpretive signage about the marine park at the town jetty.
Picnic tables and barbecues are provided along the shores of the marine park at Coalmine Beach, The Channels, Sandy Beach and near the mouth of the Deep River. There is a lookout at The Knolls and the Bibbulmun Track abuts the edge of the marine park for a short distance.
Camping and accommodation
There are privately operated caravan parks on the shores of the marine park at Rest Point and Coalmine Beach and a range of accommodation options in the town of Walpole (see Tourism Information Links below).
Staying safe
Please stay within the 8 knot speed limit when boating in Walpole Inlet and in the Deep, Walpole and Frankland rivers.
Looking after the park
. Fish for the future. Observe size, bag and possession limits. See 'Recreational Fishing Guide:South Coast Region' for details (available from the Department of Fisheries).
. Quickly return undersize and unwanted fish to the water. Use wet hands or a wet cloth when handling fish and avoid placing on hot, dry surfaces.
. Dispose of litter thoughtfully, especially plastics and fishing line.
. Anchor in sand to protect seagrass communities.
. Go slow near shorelines to prevent shoreline erosion, disturbance to waterbirds and disturbances to other marine park users.
. Stay on tracks when accessing the marine park to protect fragile estuarine vegetation.
Natural environment
Seagrasses, seaweeds, a diverse array of shellfish and other animals live in the estuary floor. Some prawn species, the blue swimmer crab and mud burrowing crab are also found in the inlets. The open inlet mouth, the mixing of fresh and salt river waters, river deltas and two large inlets result in diverse marine habitats and a great range of fish species. Black bream, whiting, trevally, herring, juvenile Western Australian salmon and even pink snapper are just a few of at least 40 fish species that have been recorded here, including larger fish species such as sharks, which are uncommon in other estuaries.
Black swans, ducks, grebes, swamphens, moorhens, coots, cormorants, herons, egrets, ibises, pelicans, whimbrels, sandpipers, stints, oystercatchers and plovers-among other birds-all use the marine park. Gulls and terns are abundant, and shearwaters, gannets and albatrosses may also be observed. Ospreys and white-bellied sea-eagles ply the inlet waters for fish. Migratory shorebirds utilise the tidal delta flats.
Culture and history
The Minang people originally occupied the area from Albany north to the Stirling Range, and west to the Shannon River and Broke Inlet. They built fish traps in the estuaries and called the area Nornalup, meaning "place of the tiger snakes".
Sealers and whalers in the early 1800s 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 1837. Four years later William Nairn Clark and his party rowed into Nornalup and described the areas around the Deep River and the Frankland River. According to his diaries: "The sail up was truly delightful. The river actually appeared to be embosomed amongst lofty wooded hills, with tall eucalypt trees close to the water's edge, and crowning the summits of these high hills thus casting a deep gloom over the water and making the scenery the most romantic I ever witnessed in the other quarters of the globe."
In 1845, a group of Englishmen, led by Henry Landor settled on the Deep River. They planned to catch and salt fish for export and to graze cattle and horses. Within a year the venture failed. Permanent settlement began in 1910 when Frenchman Pierre Bellanger and his family took up land beside the Frankland River.
Guided activities
Privately operated ecocruises from Walpole allow visitors to get up close to the wildlife, experience the marine park's stunning scenery and learn about its history.
Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park Management Plan (2009-19) (2.2MB)
Walpole and Nornalup Marine Park Indicative Management Plan - Analysis of Public Submissions (370.51kB)
Gallery
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Boat at sunset Photo courtesy of Gary Muir -
Australian pelican -
Windsurfing. Photo courtesy of Gary Muir -
Kayaking. Photo courtesy of Gary Muir -
Sunset over the inlet -
One of the rivers in the park. Photo - Gary Muir -
The channel between Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Photo courtesy of Gary Muir -
The inlet mouth from Salmon Camp Beach -
Swimmers. Photo courtesy of Gary Muir -
The channel between Walpole and Nornalup inlets
More Information
Region: Southern ForestWhere is it: About 450 kilometres south of Perth on WA's south coast.
Travelling time: 5 hours from Perth
What to see and do: Canoeing, boating, water sports, nature appreciation and recreational fishing. Guided daily wilderness eco-cruises on the marine park operate from Walpole.
Extra facilities:
Search by 'Experience': Sun sea and Surf
EveryTrail: Guide available: http://www.everytrail.com/guide/walpole-and-nornalup-inlets-marine-park
