PADDLING WA’S SOUTH WEST INLETS
Along the southernmost coastline of Western Australia’s South West lies a string of beautiful inlets, three of which are particularly special for kayakers: Nornulup, Walpole and Broke Inlets. Fed by dark, slow rivers flowing out of old growth forests, these inlets are quiet and inspiring. Here you can paddle down bubbling waterways while breathing in the scent of eucalyptus, and then stretch across wide waterways that lead to challenging coastlines. And after paddling the serene waters, you can camp among grass-covered golden dunes near the inlets’ mouths, where they enter the sea along a spectacular wild, lonely and windswept coastline. It’s unspoilt and remote; Hush Hush Beach and Lost Beach are aptly named. Much of the area is protected wilderness, only accessible on foot or by boat. Nornalup, Walpole and Broke Inlets aren’t the only attractions. Nearby Wilson and Irwin Inlets offer great paddling, too. And two of Australia’s most famed long distance tracks pass nearby—the 963km Bibbulmun Track for walkers and the 1,000km Munda Biddi Track for mountain bikers. Far shorter in length, but nonetheless memorable, is the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk—the path is suspended 40m high in the canopy of ancient red tingle forest.
HISTORY
According to the Murrum People, Nornalup means ‘place of the black snake’. The Murrum used the Walpole–Nornalup area for hunting, fishing and camping, and the remains of stone fish traps still lie around the inlets. Although the oldest archeological evidence dates back 6,000 years, it’s believed the region has been occupied far longer,
