Australia So Much to See

Sawpit

This is one of four sawpits which were discovered near Rest Point.  Believed to date back to the 1860s it is evidence of some of the earliest European settlement in the Walpole area.  One man stood in the pit under a Karri log and one on top of the log to work the saw.  A saw blade can be seen protruding under the log to demonstrate. 

Nearby is Sandy Beach where I went for a swim after taking the forest walk around the West Knoll in the background. 

In and around Walpole

A hilly peninsular between the Walpole and Nornalup inlets, the Knoll has a pleasant short drive. 

Here we are looking across the Walpole Inlet to the small township.  

To reach The Knoll we pass Coalmine Beach

At left, forest alongside the vehicle access track into Sandy Beach. 

Short forest drives around Walpole

Looking across to the Ocean from the Hilltop Lookout

Hilltop Drive through Tingle trees to the Frankland River

The Frankland River which flows into the Nornalup Inlet

The majesty of a Karri Tree

Walpole and surrounding areas in the South West of WA

There are three types; Red Tingle (Eucalyptus jacksonii), Yellow Tingle (Eucalyptus guilfoylei) and Rates Tingle (Eucalyptus brevistylis). They only grow in a restricted area around Walpole between the Deep River and the Bow River in an area of only approximately 6,000 hectares. 

Red Tingle trees have very large trunks and can be up to twenty metres in circumference and can grow to 75 metres in height.   They are named after their distinctive red wood.  Red Tingle trees can grow for over 400 years.  They require a minimum annual rainfall of 1,200 millimetres.

Yellow Tingle trees grow to around 35 metres height. The name is from the straight grained, dense and durable yellow timber.   

Rates Tingle trees can grow to sixty metres.  The species is named after John Rate who was a district forester from Walpole. He discovered a third species of tingle tree, which was named after him. He was killed in the forest by a falling karri limb in 1969. A lookout five kilometres west of Walpole on the South West Highway is dedicated to John Rates.  The lookout offers superb views of the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park.

See details of the drives and picnic areas in the Walpole Nornalup National Park 

A little way inland from Walpole, Mount Frankland is another of the fire lookouts.  On the way in the road crosses the Deep River at Fernhook Falls with very little water flowing in summer.  We visited Mount Frankland on an earlier trip, in 2005. Camping is no longer allowed at Mount Frankland.

The 360º views from the top included inland and towards the coast with a directional dial pointing out all the features.  From the top there are vistas in all directions, with a directional sign.  

The fire look out man was around our age, and I commented how fit he must be doing the climb every day – he replied, no, you just get used to the pain.