Hazelvale and Tingledale Group Settlements
Extracts from: Hazelvale's Group Settlement History
written material provided with thanks by Society Member
Dawn Martin
Photos unless stated from the Society's collection. Curator photos: Don Burton.
Tap image thumbnail for enlargement.
Settlement at Hazelvale (originally called Hazelwood) commenced in 1927 as part of the reactivated and modified Group Settlement Scheme.
Hazelvale (Groups 138 and 139) was the most remote group settlement established in the Denmark district.
In 1927 the Nornalup and Walpole townships did not exist and there were were no farms on the western side of the Frankland River and the bridge crossing the river was not built until 1933.

including the 20 Devon and Cornwall Group
migrants originally balloted onto the blocks.
Nearby, the Group 116 Tingledale Settlement which had started three years earlier (1924) had a School and small store.
Group 116 was just south of Group 138. Their group camp was on the south side of the present Valley of the Giants Road between the Hazelvale and Dingo Flat Roads intersections with the Valley of the Giants Road. Shacks were two roomed galvanised tin sheds, some with a dirt floor. The men worked as a gang clearing farmland before a ballot was held to allocate the prepared blocks.

cutting near Mark's Siding
The railway ran from 1929-1957.
Marks Siding was the nearest railway siding for cream despatch, heavy freight and bags of superphosphate (rail arrived at Nornalup in 1929).
Roads/tracks were rough dirt, a winding route where the country was somewhat drier and the gradient less steep for horses.

Track crosses the Great Southern Highway
south of Treetop Walk. There are no remains
but a signpost designates the location.
Map is from Denmark Nornalup Heritage Rail Trail.