Our drive today is into Walpole to the tourist information centre to get some maps and plan out where we are going.
The valley of the giants in on our agenda, the tree top walk
Walpole is very small and has a sister town Nornalup a couple of kilometres east. They both sit on a double inlet. A smaller inlet narrowing into a larger inlet which enters the southern ocean.
The entrance to the Tree Top Walk
Some nice carved artwork on the path way to the entrance.
Here is a little comparison with not a particularly large tingle tree near the walkway buildings. Tingle Trees are red gum – this is the name for them in these parts.
One of the strange things is that they hollow out at the base, but yet continue to grow. Some of the base “caves” are large enough to put a car in. The tram driver told us that one tree that they used to visit held 37 people inside.
At the discovery centre they had a film showing the designer speaking about the planning process etc. In it, he discusses their thought process in the design – considering the “dignity” of the trees and where the tree top walk would go, making sure that the planets were aligned (only kidding) but you get the idea so you can imagine our surprise and amusement to find attached to these trees on another part of the walk – large cream metal loud speakers and I mean very large speakers - any dignity these trees had, went straight out the door……. so that thought process did not follow through to the entire site.
Above is the high point of the tree top walk and we still have trees towering above us.
The walkway peaks at 40 metres above the ground and is 600 metres in length.
The spans are quite long and there is a lot of movement from people walking and the wind. It is a bit like being on a ship in high seas.
The allowance is 20 on the spans and 10 on the piers, so you need to count as well.
It is a circular one way walk, so you can go around as often as you like. It is a great way to see the giant trees from another perspective.
Towards the end of the walk and the path back to the discovery centre.
This is well done. The walk way leads you back to the discovery centre by a back door or you can continue on another walk called the Ancient Empire and it meanders amongst the veteran tingle trees.
Enter another world.
Way up high Slipper Orchids were flowering. The colour was a deep burgundy.
There were lots of trees with hidey holes for all the big and little kids.
Everyone visiting was enthralled and you could see that – all nature based, fresh air and the outdoors.
Our next port of call was Peaceful Bay.
Well, it wasn’t today – the wind was fairly gusting. White caps everywhere, boats being tossed about. It has lovely white sand and clear turquoise water and would be a great beach location on a calm day.
The view both ways at the beach. We were quite high above the beach and even got sand in our eyes the short time we walked out there to take the photos.
We then drove further back along the coast towards to Walpole, calling into Conspicuous Cliff Beach
This is the climb to the cliff top. Getting into shape for the tree climb, we are going to do later this week. Work those leg muscles :)
This is our track marker – omen? No, after all the tracks and walks, we still have not seen a snake on a track yet. Still looking....
Those steps were only the start – still more to do
This beach was a lot more protected. Nice path, made walking up hill a lot easier.
The other end of the beach. It’s quite a hike to get from the car park down to the beach, but the locals are obviously used to it as most access to their beaches involves a trek.
We had been told that Coalmine Caravan Park and beach were really great, however none of it appealed to us. The caravan park is tucked in solid bush cowering from the winds and the beach front is open to the elements. We are glad that we decided to camp at Crystal Springs and not camp there. We did the loop drive around the two inlets.
Walpole is on the smaller inlet called Walpole Inlet and Nornalup is the larger Inlet. Coalmine Beach is in Nornalup Inlet.
Below is a photo of the Channels where Walpole Inlet flows into Nornalup Inlet.
Walpole Inlet was much calmer and the caravan park on this inlet (Rest Point Caravan Park) had a lovely view of the inlet. What we have noticed is that the entire area around here is heavily forested to the water line and you do not get any view driving around. You have to drive down tracks to a point to see anything. It is nothing like our coastal drives on the east coast.
It shows where Nornalup Inlet enters the Southern Ocean. Both the inlets have very narrow passage.
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