Koorabup (Denmark) Rivermouth

The Kwoorabup (Denmark) river meets the Wilson Inlet at this picturesque point. The river here is a stunning waterway lined with tall karri trees and thickets of mature paperbarks.

Such a bountiful place was important for the Menang and Pibbulmun people of the Noongar nation, with a ceremonial site close to the traffic bridge known to have been used by Noongar people for over 10,000 years as a place of dance, song, marriage preparation, initiation and food gathering.

Due to clearing in the upper catchment of the river, the water became saline, like most rivers in Western Australia. But under the State Government’s 1996 Salinity Action Plan the Denmark catchment was designated a recovery catchment. 

Throughout the catchment there were private tree plantations established, as well as revegetation and fencing of some ecologically sensitive areas. Thanks to these actions salinity levels in the upper catchment have reduced significantly. in fact, Denmark River is the only river in Australia to recover from rising salinity. Find out more here.

The Nullaki, renamed Wilson Inlet, was formed 6000 to 8000 years ago sea levels rose and flooded an ancient river valley. All around the inlet are signs of long habitation by Noongar people, with fish tracks, ochre excavation sites, gnamma and campsites. 

Currently, the inlet is a shallow, seasonally open estuary at the mouth at Ocean Beach. It is a spectacular large waterway that stretches eastwards back towards Albany.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and the community based Wilson Inlet Catchment Commitee are actively monitoring and managing nutrient inputs into the estuary. 

There are many walking options here, on either side of the river on the Mokare trail, as well as along the edge of the inlet on the Denmark to Nornalup Heritage Rail Trail.