Nornalup

History

The name derives from the local indigenous language, and means . It is composed of , meaning (that is, tiger snake); and , meaning . The area attracts considerable numbers of tiger snakes due to its proximity to the river and wetlands, though fewer now than in the past. Anecdotal evidence from early settlers mentions uncomfortably large numbers of these highly venomous and aggressive reptiles, particularly during spring and early summer. From 1929 to the official closure of the line in 1957, Nornalup was the western terminus of the Elleker to Nornalup railway line. Nornalup was the original name of Walpole, which led to some confusion as the townsite and the terminus of the railway line were a considerable distance apart. In 1934, Walpole received its current name. The current gazetted townsite of Nornalup is in the west of the locality, just north-west of where the South Coast Highway crosses the Frankland River.