The very best things to do in Walpole, Western Australia

The best things to do in Walpole, WA, include spotting quokkas, tackling the treetop walk at the Valley of the Giants and going on the Wow Wilderness Eco Cruise.

5 best things to do in Walpole, WA

The best things to do in Walpole are:

Visit the Giant Tingle Tree.
Spot quokkas in Walpole-Nornalup National Park.
Tackle the treetop walk at the Valley of the Giants.
See the Southern Ocean at Conspicuous Beach.
Combine nature and history on the Wow Wilderness Eco Cruise.

Where is Walpole, Western Australia?

Walpole is a small town on the south coast of Western Australia. Many visitors will come here on a road trip around the South West from Perth to Albany via Margaret River.

Things to do in Walpole: Walpole-Nornalup National Park

Walpole is an outdoorsy place, surrounded by the vast Walpole Wilderness Area. This is all about forest, national parks and nature reserves, and there’s a heavy focus on trees.

The particular tree Walpole is famous for is the red tingle tree, which is endemic to this small corner of WA.

A particularly enormous example is the Giant Tingle Tree in Walpole-Nornalup National Park. You’ll find it at the end of Hilltop Road, shortly after the Hilltop Lookout. The latter is worth pulling over at for views of the wilderness area.

Quokkas in Walpole, Western Australia

The Walpole-Nornalup National Park is also one of the few places where you can see quokkas. Many travellers believe you can only see quokkas on Rottnest Island near Perth, but that’s not quite true. A small population has grown, largely undisturbed, in the tingle forests around Walpole.

Things to do in Walpole, WA: Valley of the Giants

The best showcase of Walpole’s giant trees is at the Valley of the Giants, however. Here, there’s a ground level walking trail through the forest. But more importantly, there’s an elevated tree top walk that takes you high up into the canopy.

The Valley of the Giants treetop walk near Walpole, Western Australia. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

Walpole beaches

There are several beaches around Walpole, but it is not really a beach destination. Many of the beaches are hard to access by land. Your best bet is Conspicuous Beach to the south-east of town. Expect crashing Southern Ocean waves and no surf lifesaver patrols, however.

The best thing to do in Walpole: Wow Wilderness Eco Cruise

The best thing to do in Walpole, however, is the Wow Wilderness Eco Cruise. This cruise of the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets combines a wealth of natural knowledge with rapid-fire, expertly woven historical stories. It’s hugely entertaining and far more memorable than the average boat tour.