Wokalup is named after the native name given to the Wokalup Creek. The Aboriginal meaning of "Wokul" is carpet snake and "up" means' the place of" or 'the camp of'. Before the commencement of irrigation in Wokalup, carpet snakes were often found in farm sheds but after the introduction of irrigation, tiger snakes became common. Wokalup is a part of Location 1, which was originally granted to Colonel Peter Lautour in 1830. As he made no improvements to his property, some land was transferred to Stirling in 1837 who in turn sold it to the Western Australian Company. Marshall Waller Clifton was Chief Commissioner of this Company - on his arrival at Australind in 1841. 
The main feature of the Wokalup townsite has for many years been the Wokalup Hotel. It was built in 1909. The painting of the original Wokalup Hotel now hangs on the bar room wall of the Hotel today. (Shire of Harvey 1985-1995 Proud to be 100 - Page 43)BUNDIDUP: The first resident of Wokalup was Thomas Hayward who had commenced farming at Bundidup in 1859. It was part of Location 1, six miles south of the Harvey River. In 1861 Thomas married Catherine Logue. The Logue family had settled north of the Harvey River in 1852. The Haywards' had seven children, Maria, Matilda, Thomas, Catherine, Sophie, George, and Robert who died when he was five years old. There were no made roads or bridges through Wokalup in 1860, only rough tracks. The Harvey and Brunswick bridges were constructed on the main road in 1862 and then convict road parties began making the road south of Pinjarra two years later. By the middle of 1865 they were working south of the Harvey Bridge and the following year south of the Brunswick Bridge. Hayward was able to supply meat, milk, butter and vegetables to convict workmen and fodder for the horse teams clearing the road. (Shire of Harvey 1895-1995: Proud to be 100 p.39)
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