Over the period 1890-1894, de Hamel was the MLA for Albany and Western Australia's first Opposition Leader (facing John Forrest, Bunbury MLA and later member of Federal Parliament), who also had a hand in the creation of Albany's local newspaper in 1888, the Albany Advertiser, which exists to this day.

Hamel is a small agricultural town with services offered from nearby Waroona.

Hamel's hall was constructed in the 1890s as a prison; its last convicts served here in 1907, and three locally crafted heritage bush poles nearby depict life in the town.

A 5-kilometre (3 mi) buffer zone around the Alcoa Wagerup alumina refinery has been proposed by the Health Department following the approval of a A$1.5 billion expansion to the refinery in September 2006.

[4] Media related to Hamel, Western Australia at Wikimedia Commons