Walpole

I have been very lucky to have been able to travel extensively throughout WA and to this day Walpole takes a special place in my heart. With a 4 and a half hour drive from Perth, Walpole is a small town that certainly bats above its weight when it comes to things for the traveller and angler to do.

For those of us who are old enough to remember the days of driving south through the massive forests with giant trees right next to the road, the last part of the journey into Walpole will feel like a trip to a time long gone. In summer, you can feel the temperature drop as the tree canopy surrounds all with only dappled light making it through. The sort of drive that just put you into the right mood for a relaxing holiday.

Pic. Driving Amongst the Tall Trees

There is also a great number of attraction to keep you busy if relaxing gets too much. The Giant Tingle Tree has been a local attraction for many years. Once used as a jail cell in the early days, many have taken the trip to be able to stand under the hollow at the base of the tree, https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/site/giant-tingle-tree. Access these days is via a boardwalk with seating and a well-maintained path.

Pic. Giant Tingle Tree

Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk is a must do for any visitor. Being able to stand at the top of the forest canopy and see the view around is an amazing experience. http://valleyofthegiants.com.au/_menus/Attraction/Wilderness_Discovery_Centre.php. While the catwalks do move a little, the view is worth it and is a great place to get some great photos.

Pic. Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk

Not forgetting the kids, the Bird and Reptile Park is a great place for the kids to get hands on and feed the birds as well as seeing the dinosaur skeletons on display as well as the reptile enclosures, http://dinosaurworld.com.au/.

Pic. Kids Get to Feed the Hand Reared Birds

A little closer to Denmark there is also the Toffee Factory ( http://www.jjstoffee.com/) and the Bartholomews Meadery ( http://www.honeywine.com.au/)  with the best honey and honey icecream I’ve ever had.

For something a little different, take the drive out to Swarbrick (https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/downloads/parks/swarbrick.pdf). The biggest mirrored wall I’ve ever seen reflects the light and surrounding bush to start this amazing attraction. The walk through is not something you’d expect to see, but well worth the effort and only a short drive from town.

Pic. Mirrored Wall at Swarbrick

In addition to all this there are wineries, cheese factories, bakery, a great pub with some of the coldest beer I have enjoyed and much, much more.

To top all this off, Walpole is one of my favourite estuarine systems in southern WA. Comprising both the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets with the Deep, Frankland and Walpole rivers you have a lot of options when it comes to fishing exploits. The Walpole Inlet can be a shallow system to navigate at times, while the bigger Nornalup Inlet is a deeper system with plenty of structure around like Snake Island, the rocky beach and walls near Coalmine Beach and the channels and rock walls near the mouth of the Nornalup Inlet as to travels out into the ocean. The water here is amazing at times and can be crystal clear, allowing you to see fish, reef and many other aquatic visitors.

Pic. Nornalup Inlet Pelicans

As with the Walpole Inlet, the Walpole and Deep rivers can be shallow in sections, but if you take your time there are a few deeper holes well worth a shot. Expect to be frustrated at times as we’ve had large schools of bream literally surround the boat and not touch anything offered.

The Frankland river is the largest of the 3 and holds good numbers of bream, whiting, skippy as well as crabs and giant herring at certain times of the year. It’s worth traversing the upper reaches of the Frankland to be back in amongst the giant trees that reach right down into the water in sections. Always keep an eye out for submerged logs and, as always, please obey the speed and catch limits.

Pic. Cruising the Frankland River

Pic. Frankland River Views

Pic. Giant Herring From the Frankland River Bridge

Pic. Frankland River Black Bream

In the Inlets you can expect to come across flathead, skippy, herring, bream, tailor, the occasional snapper, whiting (yellowfin and KG), crabs, giant herring, salmon and much more. Keep on the move to find the fish, they won’t always come to you, but if you like to berley up then try the new shredded mulie blocks and tubes.

Pic. Inlet skippy Can Get to 4kg Plus

Pic. Black Bream Appear Almost White in the Clean Water

Pic. On the Flats, Anything Can Attract Fish, Even a Marker

Pic. Plump Inlet Whiting

Pic. Bream Almost Ready for the Net

As always, please stay safe and keep an eye on the weather. This systems is prone to wind chop and it can get very rough making the crossing of the Nornalup Inlet in small craft rough and potentially dangerous. All that aside, there are plenty of places to stay on offer and we haven’t even made it to the beach or offshore fishing yet.

Happy travels and more soon.