DENMARK

HEMA Map reference 74/K5

34° 57' 32" S 117° 21' 19" E

Statistics

Caravan Park

 Services

Attractions

Wilson Inlet, Denmark  River, Green’s Pool, Parry Inlet, Monkey Rock Lookout, Ocean Beach, Light’s Beach, Vineyards, Parrys Beach, Conspicuous Cliff, William Bay NP, Cheese Factory.

Buildings of note

Unknown

Calendar of events

January: Markets. April: Easter markets. September: Olive oil festival. December: Market day.

Denmark River

Carving

Denmark River

Wilson Inlet

Description

Originally known as Koorabup (place of the black swan) the town was later named after Dr. Alexander Denmark in 1839. The town is located at the foot of Mt Shadforth beside the Denmark River.

The area was first sighted in 1627 by the Dutch ship Gulden Zeepaerd. Europeans, led by surgeon Thomas Wilson, visited the area in 1829. Wilson had passed the Denmark coast many times as he oversaw the health of convicts in transport ships heading for Tasmania.

Wilson's exploration of the area happened almost by accident, as the ship he was returning to England, it was wrecked in the Torres Strait. Wilson and the other survivors were rescued by the brig Amity and brought to Fremantle. From there he boarded the Governor Phillips which was bound for Sydney. The ship ran aground in King George Sound and was in the area for about three weeks. It was during this enforced stay that Wilson, with others came ashore and explored the area.

Following Wilson's reports about the area it was explored again, first by Captain Barker and then later by Captain Bannister in 1831. Bannister named William Bay, Edward Point and Parry Inlet after Captain William Edward Parry, an Artic explorer whom he admired.

Near the turn of the century a timber mill was established to provide sleepers for the Great Southern Railway. It was set up by Charles and Edwin Millar and operations started near the beginning of 1896. Demand for timber was such that the mills even operated at night by the light of kerosene lamps. Up to 25,000 super feet of timber were produced daily. Some of the local karri timber was even exported to London for use as road paving. Soon orders for timber were coming in from all over the world and by 1900 there were three mills producing some 90,000 super feet of timber a day.
 

A railway linked the town to Albany and the timber company built 45 miles of tramways to transport timber.

The Millars tried to keep Denmark a 'dry' town with a ban on alcohol except on special occasions. This led to an illicit trade where whisky bought in Albany for five shillings a bottle was sold in Denmark at a 400% mark-up.

Good quality milling timber quickly ran out after only ten years. Once the mills closed in 1905 very few people remained in the area. By 1906 the town was abandoned except for a caretaker (Mr. Thompson) who was employed to keep an eye on the campany's property.

The government purchased the remaining buildings for 50,000 pounds (one source says that the company wanted 100,000 then dropped the price to 50,000 but the Government only wanted to pay 40,000 and negotiations lapsed) and the town struggled on for many years. It was another group settlement town after World War I, but success did not arrive for the area until after World War II.
 

Much of the infrastructure and buildings in the area was destroyed by a huge bush fire in 1937 but thankfully there was no loss of life.

The railway ceased to operate in 1957 and it was not until the area became a popular tourist destination during the summer months that any real increase in population was evident.

Wilson Inlet and the nearby coast offer visitors swimming, fishing, surfing and terrific photo opportunities. The town lies across the Denmark River, and carefully maintained parks lend the town an ideal setting. It is one of the most beautiful towns on the south coast.

One of the town's more unusual attractions is a bandstand located on the river bank with the seating for listeners on the opposite side of the river. The acoustics of the bandstand are set up so that the quality of sound which travels across the river is excellent.

The coastal scenery around Denmark is what attracts most people to the area. The waterfall at Madfish Bay, Green's Pool and Ocean Beach just outside the town are three of the many magnificent spectacles which await the visitor.

Ocean Beach

Review : Penrose Cottage, Mt. Lindsay Road. (Feb 2012)

Penrose cottage is located on a farm about 12 kilometres north of Denmark town. It is reached by taking Scotsdale Tourist Drive and turning left into the unsealed (but well maintained) Mt. Lindsay Road. The cottage is well signposted and easy to find on the left hand side of the road as you head north.

Penrose Cottage sleeps six people and is very reasonably priced, especially considering the fact that you have it exclusively to yourself. There are three bedrooms, (two queen and two single beds). The cottage comes complete with everything you will need for either a few nights or a couple of weeks stay. At the end of the day when you have been exploring the area you can come back and relax, watch a DVD, listen to music, have a BBQ and play with Flossy, the 'wonder dog' who is always eager to teach new guests how to throw a stick or ball.

We enjoyed our stay there very much and happily recommend Penrose to anyone who is thinking of staying in the Denmark area. To book or find out more about the cottage click here.

(Please note: We do not take any kind of payment for the reviews we write. All our reviews are independent and contain entirely our own views.)

World's largest barometer. NO LONGER RESIDES IN DENMARK

Thanks to Bert Bolle Denmark was home to the largest barometer ever constructed. Bert and his wife emigrated from the Netherlands where Bert ran a barometer museum for 12 years. He built the world's largest barometer and displayed it in his museum but when he moved to Australia he didn't want to leave his creation behind.

The barometer was incorporated in the new Visitor Centre (built in 2007) where a special tower was constructed to hold it. Sadly it appears that greed led Mr. Bolle to request the return of the barometer and he is currently seeking a new location for the barometer which he wants made freely available to all.

Read Mr. Bolle's Press Release to find out what happened.
 

Self drive tours.

Scotsdale Tourist Drive.  Howard Park, Madfish Wines, Denmark Berry Farm on Lantzke Road, Jonathan Hook Studio Ceramics, Denmark Farmhouse Cheese, McLeod Road  Pentland Alpaca Farm, South Coast Highway towards William Bay National Park, Greens Pool, Elephant Rocks, Madfish Bay.  On the way back to town - Denmark Maze on  Lapko Road.

Mount Shadforth Scenic Drive. Leave town and drive into the hills to the north of Denmark. The Lakehouse Denmark on Turner Road, Mohr Drive over-looking Wilson Inlet,  Nullaki Peninsula and the Southern Ocean. Turn left into Mcleod Road and left into South Coast Highway to return to town or turn right onto South Coast Highway and drive west to the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. (Denmark Dinosaur and Birdlife Park is on the way.)

Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. Leave town and drive west on South Coast Highway past William Bay National Park. Wineries and Meadery where pure honey products and Mead is for sale. Further west to Jassi Leather Works, then to the Old Kent River Winery and Restaurant. West again is the Spiral Studio. On Parker Road is Moombaki Wines, then back on the highway turn right into Bandit Road to Denmark Dinosaur World and Parrot Jungle Bird and Reptile Park. Next comes Bow Bridge Roadhouse, turn left into Peaceful Bay Road to Peaceful Bay. The Bibbulmun Track passes along the coast here and both seals and whales can be seen in May and June. Go back along Peaceful Bay Road and turn into Ficifolia Road, to Nut Hill Lookout and then to Conspicuous Cliff with its whale watch platform. Lastly go to Nornalup via Beach Road where you can canoe, fish or launch a boat into the Frankland River.