Have you ever revisited a place from your past with a new perspective, discovering its magic as if for the first time? That’s precisely what happened to me at the Tree Top Walk in Walpole, Western Australia, where I visited several times when my children were young.
Before, I focused more on keeping the kids engaged with exclamations like “Look at these gigantic trees” and “Wow—look, we’re walking in the treetops.”
I’m ashamed to admit my interest in the history of the tingle trees and the surrounding flora and fauna was minimal.
I knew they were ancient, but that was about it.
It’s surprising how your interests and focus can change as you mature. On our recent visit, I found myself eager to absorb every detail, marvelling at the unique trees on WA’s south coast that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.
Join us for a captivating exploration of the treetops in Walpole. Although in the Denmark district, the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk is nearer to Walpole, known for its iconic tingle forests.
Armed with fresh eyes and an insatiable curiosity, I’m sharing our insider tips, essential information, and a gallery of images from our journey through the majestic tingle forests and the Ancient Empire Walk of Walpole.
Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk: In a Nutshell
In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary of all the basic info you’ll need to know when visiting the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk.
- Treetop Walk: A 600m journey along a raised platform, soaring 40m above the ground. Entry fee applies.
- Ancient Empire Walk: Free to enjoy, this 650m trail, with a 500 metre loop which is primarily accessible by pushchairs and wheelchairs.
- Tickets: Purchase at the entrance, online, or at the Walpole-Nornalup Visitor Centre.
- Duration: Ideally, allocate at least two hours; we spent three hours there, including the free guided tour.
- Free Guided Tour: Offered twice daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., except during school holidays.
- Location: Part of the Walpole Wilderness Discovery Centre, in the Walpole-Nornalup National Park.
Read on for more details on what to expect and how to make the most of your visit to this place that takes ‘forest bathing’ to a whole new level – literally!
Tree Top Walk Video
Here’s a video taster of our tree top walk:
Captivated by the stunning landscapes of Walpole? Perfect your travel snaps with our road trip photography tips, ensuring you capture the magic of the Tree Top Walk and beyond.
Planning a Trip to Western Australia?
- 🚗 Hiring a car? We recommend getting a quote from DiscoverCars
- 🚐 Hiring a campervan? We recommend Motorhome Republic
- ⛑ Arranged your travel insurance? Compare quotes from World Nomads & Safetywing
- 🪪 Order your International Driver’s Licence online here
- 🏩 Booked your accommodation? We use Booking.com to find the best deals
- 🐾 Is someone pet-sitting for you? 🐾 We use and love TrustedHousesitters
- (Get 25% off at checkout for new memberships with our discount code: LIFEJOURNEY25)
Walking the Tree Top Walk
Arriving at 9 a.m., right as the Tree Top Walk opened, we found ourselves in the serene company of nature, nearly having the walk to ourselves.
Your ticket’s flexibility means you can exit and re-enter at will for the day—perfect for grabbing a picnic from your car or a coffee from the van parked in Car Park One.
💡Local Tip: Arrive early to beat the crowds. Trust us, it’s worth the early start for a more tranquil experience. The walkways bounce more when other people are on them, so anyone afraid of heights will prefer the treetop walk when it’s less busy.
Amongst the Tingle Canopy
Our first stop was the iconic Tree Top Walk, the attraction’s crown jewel. Walking up into the canopy of the trees really puts their size into perspective.
Walpole is home to three types of tingle trees, the red tingle being the most common and tallest in the Valley of the Giants. The red Tingles can reach 75m high, and the yellow tingles can reach 45 metres high.
Though you won’t find the tallest tingle tree in the Valley of the Giants, that big boy, the Giant Tingle Tree, is closer to Walpole and another attraction in its own right.
Tingle trees can continue growing even when faced with internal burns or pest infestations because they have a unique buttressed trunk (shaped like a skirt rather than straight) and a resilient fibrous root system.
This fact explains why many of them have arched hollows at their base.
After an initial 30-minute stroll on the tree-top walk, we ventured onto the Ancient Empire walk, only to return for a second walk in the forest canopy after our guided tour.
It was much busier then, highlighting the need to arrive early for a more peaceful and less ‘bumpy’ journey through the treetops.
It’s great to walk along the treetop as often as you like.
Walking the Ancient Empire Walk
The Ancient Empire Walk is free, making it an ideal choice if you are a budget-conscious traveller. The entrance is just to the left of the ticket office for the Tree Top Walk.
This accessible loop leads you through the majestic red tingle trees forest at ground level, allowing you to appreciate these giants from a different perspective.
Along the walk, you’ll come upon the oldest living tingle in the world—Grandma Tingle. She has stood in this forest for 400 years! Her gnarled trunk, which almost resembles a face, makes this red tingle a particularly special sight.
Accessibility: Wheelchairs and pushchairs can easily access the 500 m Ancient Empire loop. An additional 150 metres have steps, but these are in addition to the loop – not part of it.
Free Guided Walk at Valley of the Giants
- Schedule: It is available at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily. (Note: To manage higher visitor numbers, it is not available during school holidays.)
- Meeting Point: It starts at the entrance. It’s easy to find, so you won’t miss out on this enriching experience.
- No Ticket Required: Enjoy this guided walk without a Tree Top Walk ticket—a perfect addition for all visitors.
- Duration: It lasts 30-45 minutes and offers a comprehensive yet brief exploration of the forest’s highlights.
During the guided walk, you can learn more about the Tingle trees and the other native plants and animals in the area. The talk is free, and you don’t have to have bought tickets for the tree-top walk.
Our guide, Lizzie, led us to the Bibbulmun Track near Carpark Two. You could park here and walk along the Bibbulmun Track to experience more of the forest.
💡Extra Info: The Bibbulmun Track is a 1000 km trail from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia. You can walk short parts of the trail or complete the whole trail.
Lizzie mentioned that the Tree Top Walk sees up to 1500 visitors daily during the Summer Holidays, so the free talks are paused during this peak period.
However, if it’s not school holidays, this is an excellent opportunity to learn more about these incredible Western Australian trees.
Interesting Detail: The forest is also home to karri sheoak trees, identifiable by their cork-like bark and needle-like leaves. Traditionally, Indigenous women would give birth under these trees as they believed the dry pine needles deterred snakes.
Wildlife at the Valley of The Giants
While in the Valley of the Giants, look for the wildlife that calls this ancient forest home.
Birds will be flitting around in the understory and canopies. White-breasted robins, grey fantails, rufous treecreepers, and purple-crowned lorikeets may be seen. You’ll also likely see fairy wrens; we saw lots, which I will tell you more about below.
The Atlas of Living Australia has an extensive database for those interested in the variety of animals, birds, and plants you might encounter in the Valley of the Giants.
Fairy Wrens
We’d spent a lot of time on the Ancient Empire Walk trying to capture the bright blue fairy wrens, but they are speedy little things and were challenging to photograph as they flitted around the forest floor’s undergrowth.
However, we realised we could have saved much time trying to snap these gorgeous little things when we popped out to the car to grab a snack before our guided walk.
There were heaps of fairy wrens on the pavement by the car park. They were busy collecting crumbs visitors had inadvertently dropped from their takeaway cookies and coffee.
Quokkas
Here’s a fact that surprised us: Quokkas aren’t just found on Rottnest Island!
Living in Perth for nearly three decades, I was under the impression that Rottnest was the sole habitat for these cute critters. Rottnest was named ‘Rats Nest’ by 17th-century Dutch explorers due to the quokkas’ mistaken identity as giant rats.
However, although Rottnest has the world’s largest quokka population, a few colonies live in the southwest of mainland Western Australia.
One of those quokka colonies lives amongst the forest floor in the Valley of the Giants. Unlike their Rottnest cousins, these mainland quokkas are notably shy and nocturnal, making sightings rare but not impossible.
As rare as a quokka sighting is in the southwest mainland, we were lucky to see one in the daytime along the path at Coalmine Beach Heritage Trail in Walpole.
All About the Tree Top Walk
The Valley of the Giants is in Walpole-Nornalup National Park, and it’s one of the three foremost attractions of the Walpole Wilderness Discovery Centre. The other two are the Swarbrick Art Loop and the Mount Frankland South National Park.
Tree Top Walk Essential Details
- Opening Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, excluding Christmas Day and extreme wind or lightning conditions for safety.
- Admission: Adults $21, with concessions available (March 2024). For a detailed price list, [see prices here ]
- Ticket Purchase: Available online, at the park entrance, or at the Walpole-Nornalup Visitor Centre for convenience.
The Tree Top Walk Architectural Design
The design of the walk was inspired by local plants, sword grass and tassel flowers. The bridge’s steel trusses resemble the spiky sword grass, and the pylons represent the pointed spiral of leaves of the tassel flower.
The platform does sway slightly, but this is felt more when other people walk along the bridges than when the wind blows.
As someone who doesn’t particularly like heights, I remember that this made me uncomfortable when I was younger.
However, I must have become desensitised through our travels as I was absolutely fine with walking along the walkways recently. Conquering my fear at Kjeragbolten, where I stood on a boulder wedged between two cliffs 1000 meters above a Norwegian fjord, might have helped put these other heights into perspective.
Gift Shop
There is a gift shop at the entrance for those looking for souvenirs. We don’t usually buy anything as we travel light, but a T-shirt caught my eye, and it was just near my birthday, so I must admit to treating myself!
Coffee Van
There is a resident coffee van in the carpark where you can buy refreshments. When we visited, a local bandicoot (quenda) had been spotted several afternoons tidying up the crumbs in the vicinity.
Art Sculpture Near the Entrance
There is a piece of art made from wood in the carpark with animals carved into it. It’s a lovely idea, but it resembled something that I’m sure it wasn’t intended to. And once I had that in my head — I couldn’t unsee it!
I don’t know. What do you think?
Visitor Tips for the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk
- Beat the Crowds: Arriving early ensures a more peaceful experience. The more people on the walkways, the more it moves.
- Best Time to Visit: Opt for a visit outside peak season and school holidays.
- Respect the Rules:
- Pets: The unique ecosystem of the Valley of the Giants means pets must stay home to protect the native wildlife.
- Drones: Drones are not permitted within the park.
- Learn More: Visit the Valley of the Giants’ website to learn more. This can help you plan your visit more effectively and uncover seasonal activities or updates.
Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk Reviews: A Summary
Curious about others’ experiences, I delved into TripAdvisor reviews to gather other visitors’ impressions of the Tree Top Walk in Walpole.
I’ve summarised them below:
Stunning Views and Accessibility
Many visitors, including Catherine W and Helen GS, were captivated by the Tree Top Walk’s breathtaking vistas and accessibility. Even those apprehensive about heights, like 425pds, found the structure’s sturdiness and the panoramic views incredibly rewarding. Catherine shares, “Even in the rain, this walk and the Empire Walk was terrific.”
Comfort for the Heights-Averse
The walkways’ gentle sway was noted but not found alarming, offering reassurance to those wary of heights. For instance, Bronwyn T appreciated the mild movement, while Maree T, not typically comfortable with heights, felt secure throughout her visit.
Educational Richness
The walk is lauded for its educational offerings. Sealb0y commended the knowledgeable staff and suggested aligning visits with the free tours for an enhanced learning experience. Apolonia70 admired the thoughtful design of the walkways, which aim to protect the forest’s delicate ecosystem.
Wildlife and Flora
The presence of local wildlife, such as the blue fairy wrens, enchanted visitors. The unique flora, particularly the distinct buttress root system of the Tingle Trees, was a point of interest and appreciation among visitors.
Practical Visitor Tips
Past visitors’ advice included being prepared for the walkways’ slight sway, which is not cause for concern. Many recommend the ground-level Ancient Empire walk for those wishing to explore the giant trees up close.
Value and Amenities
Reviewers found the admission cost reasonable for the experience provided. Family tickets were priced, and senior tickets were considered fair. The convenience of on-site amenities, like a refreshment food truck, added to the overall positive experience.
These insights highlight why the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk is so famous. The positive feedback across various visitor experiences solidifies its status as a must-visit in Walpole.
Other Places to Visit in the Walpole Wilderness Area
Walpole is one of our favourite places to visit in the southwest of Western Australia.
Here are a few attractions in and around Walpole that are worth visiting, especially if you love being out in nature.
Swarbrick Art Trail
After visiting the Valley of the Giants treetop walk, we drove to the Swabrick Art Trail, a great spot to contemplate our effect on nature.
The wall of perception contains many quotes from over the years—from settlers clearing the land and conquering nature to those who realised that we were destroying something of immense importance by clearing the forests.
It’s a timely reminder of how we treat our world. Interestingly, the logging of old-growth forests has been banned since the beginning of 2024.
In my opinion, this is a great decision that will protect this incredible environment.
If you are interested in art or the fragility of nature and our impact on it, the Swarbrick Art Trail is worth a visit. You can read about our visit to Swarbrick here and how this was so poignant to my heart.
If you enjoy this type of activity, make sure to visit the Understory Nature and Art Trail in Northcliffe, which is about an hour and 20 minutes drive from Walpole. It’s not free, like Swarbrick, but has over 70 installations and is a community-lead project, again born from the desire to protect the southern forests.
Giant Tingle Tree
Explore the majesty of the Giant Tingle Tree, one of the largest and oldest living eucalypts. This remarkable natural landmark is a short drive from the Valley of the Giants and provides a unique glimpse into the ancient forest’s heart. Don’t miss our detailed Giant Tingle Tree Walpole guide for a deeper dive into the region’s natural wonders.
Conspicuous Cliff
Visit Conspicuous Cliff for panoramic views of the Southern Ocean and a chance to spot whales during migration season. The area offers beach access, bushwalking, and birdwatching opportunities. Learn more about this stunning location in our post on Conspicuous Cliff Walpole.
Circular Pool
A serene freshwater pool on the Frankland River, Circular Pool is encircled by lush forest. It’s an excellent spot for a peaceful picnic and enjoying the soothing sounds of nature. Discover more about this tranquil retreat in our exploration of Circular Pool Walpole.
Coalmine Beach Heritage Trail
Enjoy local history and natural beauty along the Coalmine Beach Heritage Trail. This scenic route offers insights into the area’s past and present, with lovely views. Find out why this trail captivated us in our journey along the Coalmine Beach Heritage Trail Walpole.
WOW Wilderness Ecocruise
Experience the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets from the water with the WOW Wilderness Ecocruise. This eco-friendly cruise provides an up-close look at the area’s diverse ecosystems and wildlife. For an unforgettable adventure, read our experience on the WOW Ecocruise Walpole.
Are you wondering how we turn our travel dreams into reality? Don’t miss our essential guide on planning a road trip. It’s packed with tips and insights to ensure your adventures are extraordinary.
FAQ Section
How much is the tree top walk in Walpole?
The tree-top walk costs $21.00 for an adult (2024 Prices), and tickets can be bought at the entrance, online, or at the Walpole-Nornalup Visitor Centre.
What are the giant tree top walk Walpole opening hours?
The Tree Top Walk in Walpole is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Christmas Day and in extreme weather conditions).
What is the Valley of the Giants tree top walk distance?
The Tree Top Walk is 600 metres long, with its highest point being 40 metres above the ground. The Ancient Empire Walk in the understory of the Tingle trees is 650 metres long.
How long does the tree top walk take?
It takes about 15/20 minutes to walk the 600-metre walk, but you can take as long as you like.
How Much Time to Spend at Tree Top Walk?
We spent three hours at the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. Our visit included walking through the forest canopy on the raised platform twice, the Ancient Empires Walk, and the free guided tour, which lasted around 45 minutes. You could spend less time. The minimum amount of time I’d recommend spending there would be an hour.
Are dogs allowed at Valley of the Giants tree top walk?
Dogs are not allowed at the Tree Top Walk because it is part of the Walpole-Nornalup National Park.
A Walk Among the Giants … That’s a Wrap
And there you have it—our comprehensive stroll through the Tree Top Walk in Walpole.
If you’ve stuck with me this far, congratulations! You’ve navigated through treetops, dodged imaginary quokkas (remember, they’re shy), and hopefully, you haven’t gotten too dizzy from all the virtual swaying.
As we wrap this up, I hope you’ve gathered tips, insights, and a sprinkle of enthusiasm to visit these giants yourself.
If you’ve learned anything from our journey, it’s that there’s more to Walpole than tall trees and stunning views.
It’s about embracing the adventure in nature, even if it means getting up earlier than usual or facing the mysteries of art you can’t unsee.
While you’re exploring Walpole’s Tree Top Walk’s stunning natural beauty, consider extending your adventure through Western Australia with a road trip that showcases the region’s diverse landscapes.
A fantastic destination to consider next is Wave Rock near Hyden. This iconic natural rock formation resembles a giant wave about to break, offering a unique photographic opportunity and a range of engaging activities.
Discover the Best Things to Do at Wave Rock, where you can explore Aboriginal heritage, admire ancient rock formations, and even encounter local wildlife in a serene outback setting.
For those feeling adventurous, the Perth to Wave Rock Road Trip provides an excellent itinerary. This journey takes you through charming country towns and stunning landscapes, making it a perfect extension to your travels from the lush forests of Walpole to the expansive vistas of Wave Rock.
Whether you’re a nature lover, a photography enthusiast, or simply searching for your next great adventure, combining these destinations will enrich your experience of Western Australia’s extraordinary variety and beauty.
Exploring Walpole with your significant other? Our guide to road trip tips when travelling together will enhance your journey, making every moment among the giants even more memorable.
Ready to embark on your Tree Top Walk adventure?
Share your excitement with us in the comments, or tag us on your social media journey!
As always, ask us anything we can help you with.
Acknowledgement of Country
In every adventure we embark upon and every landscape we cherish, it’s crucial to recognize the original custodians of these lands.
We extend our respects to the Menang People, the traditional landowners of Walpole-Nornalup National Park.
Their enduring connection to the country, rich cultural heritage, and practices are fundamental to preserving and understanding this magnificent natural area.
We stand in solidarity and respect for their Elders past, present, and emerging, and acknowledge their stewardship of these lands throughout generations.
Planning your travels?
These are the travel resources we recommend and use when planning our trips.
- 🚘 Car Hire: We use DiscoverCars.com
- Motorhome/Campervan Rental: We highly recommend the Motorhome Republic
- 🛏 Book Accommodation: We use Booking.com to find accommodation that suits our budget
- 🐶 Pet Sitting/Pet Sitters: Check Out TrustedHousesitters here (Use our Discount code: LIFEJOURNEY25 for 25% off. )
- Activities and Experiences: Get Your Guide and Viator
- Travel Insurance: Safetywing or World Nomads
- 🥾 Travel Gear and Accessories: Check out our top picks here — Lifejourney4two page on Amazon
For a more thorough list, visit our Travel Resources page here.
