Destination Profile - Walpole, The Valley of the Giants, Western Australia
Walpole-Nornalup National Park occupies a unique high-rainfall corner of Western Australia. It contains nearly 20,000 hectares of diverse vegetation and landforms, from towering karri and tingle forests to coastal heath and wetlands. The park surrounds the towns of Walpole, Nornalup and Peaceful Bay. Walpole-Nornalup National Park contains many pristine forests and a wilderness area with little evidence of human activity. The rugged coastline, peaceful inlets and rivers are a major feature of the park's beauty. But the park is probably best known for the huge buttressed red tingle trees, which are endemic to the Walpole area.
In Walpole the karri forest meets the ocean. Some of these wonderful trees grow right down to the water's edge in and around the inlet. These massive eucalypts demonstrate how the "Valley of the Giants" earned its name. These magnificent giants can reach heights of up to 60-70 metres. The tingle trees are not only tall, but are one of the largest girthed trees in the world, frequently growing in excess of 20m in circumference.
The Valley of the Giants site includes a boardwalk through a grove of veteran tingle trees known as the Ancient Empire. This area contains the 'Giants' for which the forest was named. Some of the trees in the Ancient Empire are up to 16 metres in circumference at the base.
The boardwalk meanders around and sometimes through the old trees. It is a peaceful experience with quiet spots to sit and reflect on the special nature of the tingle forest.
As well as giving visitors a different perspective on the shapes, sounds and movement of the forest, the boardwalk is designed to protect the tingle trees from the damaging impact of large numbers of visitors. It is thought that before this measure was taken, some trees were in rapid decline as a result of compaction of the soil around their root systems caused by vehicles and humans.
This destination is part of the Western Wedge Safari Australian Adventure.
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