Although eucalyptus trees can be found across Australia, the massive Giant Tingle Trees, or Eucalyptus jacksonii, can only be found in Walpole-Nornalup National Park and are therefore very special to see in real life.
I first visited Australia in 2019 and, while I did make it to the west coast, on that trip I visited Perth and then headed northward all the way to Exmouth. I knew that when I planned to return down under with my partner in 2025 to drive "the lap" in our campervan around the entire country, that exploring the southern part of Western Australia was absolutely a must-do. We visited Perth again in 2025, primarily to watch James Blunt in concert, one of the best we've ever been to!
→ Check out my complete guide to visiting Perth!
We headed south out of Perth and visited some beautiful places along the way, including dolphins in Mandurah, the mangroves of Bunbury and a week exploring the Margaret River region. From there, we turned our attention to the southern coast of Western Australia, driving through Pemberton on the way to Walpole-Nornalup National Park.
The Murrum of the Minang people of the Noongar group lived on this land for 30,000 years before any Europeans arrived, calling it Nor-Nor-Nup, translating to "place of the Norne (black snake)".
In 1909, the first Europeans settled permanently in the area which had been named 100 years earlier for Lieutenant William Walpole who served on HMS Warspite. In 1914, then-Minister for Lands and Agriculture named approximately 370 hectares of land around the Frankland River as a reserve which would later become the national park it is today.
We spent two days exploring the national park. Here is my guide:
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Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to Walpole-Nornalup National Park. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Australia is English. In Walpole-Nornalup National Park, the traditional language of the Murrum of the Minang people of the Noongar group is Bibbulmun.
→ Learn more about the language of the Murrum of the Minang people of the Noongar group.
Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.
Data/WiFi: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.
There is no WiFi inside the national park but it can be found at some locations in the towns of Walpole and Nornalup.
Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.
→ Check which visa you need for Australia.
Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. Walpole-Nornalup National Park, on the southwestern coast, offers something different in every season. In spring (September-November), you can see the wildflowers; in summer (December-February), head towards the beaches; in autumn (March-April), you get cool, sunny days for hiking; in winter (June-August), expect rain, which can make the tingle trees look alive.
Length of stay: We spent two days exploring Walpole-Nornalup National Park which gave us a great taste of what there is to do and was the perfect amount of time to visit the park's main highlights.
By flight: The closest major airport is in Perth, a five-hour drive north. Most visitors to Walpole-Nornalup National Park will arrive in Perth if coming by air.
→ Check out my complete guide to visiting Perth!
There is also a smaller regional airport in Albany which connects to Perth and other destinations across Western Australia. This airport is about an hour's drive from Walpole-Nornalup National Park.
By car: If you're driving around the country as we are in our campervan, then the easiest way to get to Walpole-Nornalup National Park is with your own wheels. This gives you the freedom to explore the national park at your own pace, stopping whenever and wherever you like.
→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Perth or Albany.
You might want to start in Perth as your base for renting a campervan to explore Australia.
→ Rent a campervan in Perth with Apollo, Camplify, Indie or Juicy.
By bus: Transwa runs a bus between Albany and Bunbury with a stop in Walpole.
Walpole-Nornalup National Park is located in southern Western Australia, about halfway between Pemberton and Albany.
Of course, the easiest way to explore is with your own wheels. We are traveling around the entire country in our campervan for a year and it gives so much freedom to get around.
→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Perth or Albany.
If you don't have a vehicle, WOW Wilderness runs guided tours on foot, by bike, by raft or by cruise through Walpole's wilderness.
→ Check out guided tour options to visit Walpole-Nornalup National Park.
You can also explore the national park by mountain bike, following the Epic Tale route which stretches between the town of Walpole and the Valley of the Giants treetop walk.
Hotel: Not traveling by campervan? Visiting from nearby Perth or Albany? Driving in a car? Whatever your reason for needing a place to stay, there are some great accommodation options in Walpole-Nornalup National Park.
→ Check out places to stay to suit your budget and accommodation type.
Camping: We are driving "the lap" around Australia, exploring the country in our campervan. As with the rest of Australia, Western Australia permits freedom camping on designated sites. These sites can vary greatly; some offer a variety of facilities such as toilets, trash bins, picnic tables, outdoor cooking stations and others have none of this and might simply be a pull-out on the side of the road.
The best way to find legal freedom camping spots is to use an app. We use Wikicamps Australia, a cheap app that has every single amenity listed (both free and paid) that you might need on the road. This includes things like where to fill up fresh water, where to dump grey water, where to empty toilets, where to stay, gas stations, information points and also has suggestions for things to do as you go.
→ Download the Wikicamps Australia app.
There are a few spots for freedom camping in Walpole-Nornalup National Park, including Walpole Rest Area. There are also a number of paid options. We were traveling from Pemberton and so stayed in Mount Frankland. It was just a pull out on the side of the road but it was quiet and served us well for a stopover.
On our first visit to Walpole-Nornalup National Park, we visited the famous Giant Tingle Tree, stopped to check out a viewpoint and enjoyed the gorgeous beach at Conspicuous Cliffs.
We plan to come back again when we're in Western Australia next to see more of this gorgeous national park and do the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk!
Take in the view from Hilltop Lookout
Just east of Walpole town is Hilltop Road which leads to the Giant Tingle Tree. Along the way, take a moment to stop at the Hilltop Lookout with views over the Frankland River to Nornalup Inlet and beyond to the Southern Ocean.
Walk to see the Giant Tingle Tree
The Giant Tingle Tree is the crowning jewel of Walpole-Nornalup National Park. Giant Tingle Trees are a type of eucalyptus tree only found in this national park which are known for being tall, wide and old. They can grow up to 75 metres tall and have a base circumference over 20 metres. This tree is extra special as it is thought to be the oldest eucalyptus tree in the whole world at over 400 years old.
The Giant Tingle Tree of Walpole-Nornalup National Park can be reached by a short, easy 1.3km loop hike through the forest.
Walking through the Giant Tingle Tree
The world's oldest eucalyptus tree
Enjoy the beach at Conspicuous Cliff
Conspicuous Cliff is a gorgeous stretch of beach and we didn't see a single other person on our visit there. Gorgeous wooden steps lead down through the dunes - watch out for snakes! - ending at a white stretch of sand with waves crashing in on the shore.
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
