Meteorite reported in southern Western Australia.

The Perth Observatory says it has had reports a meteor has crashed near Walpole in Western Australia´s south.

Witnesses say they saw a large, fiery object zigzagging through the sky at about 5:30pm yesterday.

The witnesses say the object left a trail of thick smoke and then they heard a bang.

The observatory says it appears the object was travelling somewhere between Perth and Albany in a south-south easterly direction.

Walpole resident Heather Burton was in her backyard when she saw the object.

She says it was unlike a normal shooting star.

"A shooting star usually just goes straight across or straight down - this one had these gradual zigzags just coming down," she said.

Alex Bevan from the WA Museum says the reports indicate the sightings were the result of a fireball generated by a meteorite.

"We´re certainly picking up reports of a bright fireball and sonic phenomena associated - I´m absolutely sure - with the fall of a meteorite," Dr Bevan said.

Dr Bevan says it will be difficult to find where the meteorite landed.

"Unfortunately there doesn´t seem to be as many observations, so actually pinning down where the object landed might be a bit difficult and in that area, the vegetation might mean searching for it would be difficult," he said.