Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Provide a Wealth of Opportunities for Canoeing, Boating, Recreational Fishing and Other Water-Based Activities

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Information guide Information

Current as March 2012 March as Current

wonders VHF Distress, work and call Ch 21 Ch call and work Distress, VHF

Radio frequency: Radio

submerged WA’s

Mobile 0427 770 232 770 0427 Mobile

parks… Marine

1527 9840 (08) Ph

(VMR 619) (VMR

Rescue and Search Sea Walpole

WA Marine Service call 1900 926 150 926 1900 call Service Marine WA

www.bom.gov.au/weather/wa/forecasts

Bureau of Meteorology of Bureau

email: [email protected] email:

Fax (08) 98401355 (08) Fax

Ph (08) 9840 1111 9840 (08) Ph

PO Box 196 Box PO

Walpole WA 6398 WA Walpole

South Coast Highway Coast South

Walpole-Nornalup Visitor Centre Visitor Walpole-Nornalup

www.fish.wa.gov.au

Fax (08) 9845 7457 9845 (08) Fax

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Ph (08) 9845 7400 9845 (08) Ph

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Albany WA 6330 WA Albany r p a

70-74 Frederick St Frederick 70-74

Marine Park Marine

Suite 7, Frederick House Frederick 7, Suite Department of Fisheries regional office regional Fisheries of Department

Nornalup Inlets Nornalup

www.dec.wa.gov.au Fax (08) 9840 1251 9840 (08) Fax

Walpole and Walpole Ph (08) 9840 0400 9840 (08) Ph

Walpole WA 6398 WA Walpole

South Coast Highway Coast South

Department of Environment and Conservation Conservation and Environment of Department More information More

Enjoying the marine park The untouched nature, wildlife and scenic quality of the Walpole and Nornalup inlets provide a wealth of opportunities for canoeing, boating, recreational fishing and other water-based activities. A major attraction of the inlet system is the perception of naturalness and remoteness that can be experienced, particularly in parts of the Nornalup Inlet and the Frankland and Deep rivers. Nature-based tourism charters from Walpole are available so people can get up close to the wildlife and experience the marine park’s stunning scenery. Tall karri forest meets the sea at the Walpole and Nornalup The open inlet mouth, the mixing of the fresh river and The entire Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park is Inlets Marine Park. salty ocean waters, healthy riparian vegetation, river deltas zoned for recreation, and recreational fishing is therefore and two large inlets result in diverse marine habitats and a permitted in all areas. While the marine park has high When William Nairne Clark and his party rowed into high diversity of marine fauna and flora including a great conservation values, its highly dynamic and variable Nornalup Inlet—and up the Deep and Frankland rivers—in range of fish species. Black bream, whiting and herring estuarine nature and its simple basin structure means that 1841, he recorded ‘lofty wooded hills, with tall eucalypt are just a few of at least 40 fish species that have been sanctuary (no take) zones have not been designated. trees growing close to the water’s edge, and crowning the recorded here. The marine park serves as an important summits of these high hills, thus casting a deep gloom over nursery area for many fish species including juvenile pink The marine park supports excellent recreational fishing the water and making the scenery the most romantic I ever snapper. Sharks and rays which are less common in other opportunities for a number of fish species. Check first with witnessed in other quarters of the globe’. estuaries are also found in the marine park. New Zealand the Department of Fisheries to find out about bag limits, The Walpole and Nornalup inlets lie about 450 kilometres fur seals and dolphins also use the inlets and have been minimum sizes and any licences that may be needed. south of Perth on WA’s south coast. The town of Walpole seen in the Frankland River as far up as Nornalup. is adjacent to the shallow (mostly about a metre deep) Black swans, ducks, swamphens, cormorants, herons, 100-hectare Walpole Inlet, which is fed by the freshwater egrets, oyster catchers, plovers and pelicans are all Walpole River. The larger (1,300-hectare) and deeper commonly seen in the marine park. The sand flats at the (up to five metres) Nornalup Inlet is fed by the freshwater mouth of the Nornalup Inlet are an especially important Deep River and the saltier Frankland River. The marine roosting habitat for migratory shorebirds such as stints, park encompasses the Walpole and Nornalup inlets great knots and sand pipers. Many of these migratory and the tidal parts of the Frankland, Deep and Walpole rivers. shorebirds travel vast distances from their breeding The estuaries are joined by a natural one-kilometre-long and grounds in Siberia and Alaska to come to the marine two-metre-deep channel, bordered by steep granite hills and park to rest and recuperate before beginning their return rocky shores. These are known locally as ‘The Knolls’ and are journey. It is therefore very important not to cause any clothed with dense karri forest. unnecessary disturbance to these birds whilst they rest. Ospreys and white-bellied-sea-eagles also live and fish in The Walpole and Nornalup inlets is a permanently open the marine park. estuarine system—one of very few in the south-west—that experiences marine-like conditions for most of the year. We need marine parks for the same reasons we have Seagrasses, algae, a diverse array of shellfish and other national parks on the land. Together, they protect animals live in the estuary floor. Some prawn species, the our precious plants and animals, above and below the blue swimmer crab and mud burrowing crab are also found waterline. in the inlets. RD H Monastery T W R alp O Landing o N LPOLE Walpole-Nornalup l Mt Frankland South e WA National Park Walpole National Park k WY ee H Cr R SOUTH R ive E S r T r RD River ie ll o ERN C P WEST O G P LT U OI Walpole Inlet IL L N L T H Y

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Legend Highway Barbecue (gas) in shelter Saddle Island Sealed road Boat ramp Unsealed road Caravan park BibbulmunTrack Canoeing Coalmine Beach Heritage Trail Fishing Walktrail Lookout Boating prohibited area Picnic area Ski zone area Toilets Perth National park Walktrail Marine park recreation zone Water skiing 0 12 Marine park extent kilometres Proposed State forest

Caring for the marine environment • Fish for the future. Observe size, bag and possession limits. See Recreational Fishing Guide: South Coast Region for details. Available from the Department of Fisheries. • Quickly return undersize and unwanted fish to the water. Use wet hands or a wet cloth when handling fish and avoid placing on hot, dry surfaces. • Dispose of litter thoughtfully, especially plastics and fishing line. • Anchor in sand or mud to protect seagrass habitats. • Stay within the speed limits when boating in Walpole Inlet and in the Deep, Walpole and Frankland rivers. Protecting WA’s marine areas • Please go slow near shorelines to prevent shoreline Western Australia’s marine areas are globally significant. Western erosion, disturbance to Australia’s coastal waters are considered to be among the least waterbirds and disturbance to disturbed in the world. other marine park users. The Western Australian coast boasts a big area of biogeographic • Stay on tracks when accessing overlap, between the tropical north (north of North West Cape) the marine park to protect and the temperate south (east of Cape Leeuwin), where tropical fragile estuarine vegetation. and temperate species co-exist. The Indian Ocean is also the only ocean in the world that has an eastern boundary current (the • Net fishing and spearfishing Leeuwin Current) that transports warm waters from the equator (including hand spears) is to the southern coast of a continent. prohibited in the marine park. Our coastal waters are valued by Western Australians. The wide range of environmental, cultural, commercial and recreational values they offer generate employment and revenue and provide people with a source of pleasure and recreation. The Government of Western Australia is committed to conserving our marine environment and the sustainable use of our natural resources. A major component of the state government’s marine conservation and management strategy is the establishment of a state-wide system of marine parks and reserves. Approximately 1,538,294 hectares of state waters are currently included in marine parks and reserves. This equates to about 12 per cent of state waters, of which 2.4 per cent is in sanctuary (‘no take’) areas. The conservation and sustainable use of Western Australia’s marine environment is everyone’s responsibility. By working together to reduce human impacts on the marine environment we can pass it on to future generations in a similar condition to what it is in today.