Chasing Wildflowers in Western Australia

Chasing Wildflowers in Western Australia

Dear Travellers,

As Western Australia’s spectacular wildflower season gets underway, we look forward to our return to nature and the wild wildflower west. Exploring the great outdoors is a sure way to refresh our minds and boost positivity when times are tough, so we hope you can find the time to getaway.

For nature enthusiasts, this time of year is full of excitement and adventure as WA’s vast outback plains and coastlines come to life with vibrant colours and floral scents. Indeed, Western Australia’s wildflowers are truly something special. More than 12,000 species are spread across the state, over 60% of which are found nowhere else in the world. The diversity and abundance of our wildflower collection makes it one of the largest on Earth, whilst the beautiful colours that contrast with the earth are simply stunning.

The magic of WA’s wildflower season is that it extends across many regions and months of the year, coinciding with rains and warmth which trigger the wildflower blooms.

The season begins in the north towards the end of June/beginning of July, when the Coral Coast, Goldfields and Pilbara flowers bloom. The southern wildflowers begin to follow suit in September, travelling south from Perth’s gardens and reserves down into the South West, where the season ends with a final flourish of colour in October and November.

This spectacle extends across all landscapes, from coast to city to forest to outback, giving you the opportunity to choose your wildflower trail depending on your choice of region, time of year and target flowers.

For the Pilbara, wildflowers can be seen from June to August. Karijini National Park, Millstream-Chichester National Park and the outback roads from Marble Bar to Cossack to Onslow are great for wildflower viewing. Similarly, the wildflowers around Exmouth, Coral Bay and Cape Range National Park flower from June to August.

Moving further south, wildflowers bloom along the coast from Perth to Carnarvon and inland towards Mount Augustus, Meekatharra and Paynes Find from June to September.  This entire region is spectacular when in flower, especially the carpets of everlastings that come alive after good winter rains. Dwallinu, Mullewa, Greater Geraldton, Coalseam National Park, Eneabba, Kalbarri National Park and Lesueur National Park in particular showcase some of the most amazing wildflower displays in the country. This area is home to Western Australia’s ‘Wildflower Country’ and Lesueur National Park is in fact one of the richest sites for plant species in the world with over 800 species (this diversity is extraordinary).  

Heading east of Perth out to areas like Wave Rock and Hyden (the central wheatbelt), wildflowers bloom from late August to early October, whereas wildflowers out towards the goldfields (Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie and Menzies) bloom from September to November.

The Perth area experiences wildflowers during September and October. Kings Park and the Botanic Gardens have over 1,700 native wildflower species to peruse, while the Perth Hills offer a variety of Hakeas, Grevilleas, Wattles, Orchids and Peas.

Lastly, we have the South West, where wildflowers bloom from September to November. This entire region becomes a wildflower landscape, from Perth to Augusta to Lake Grace to Esperance. It is also one of the world’s 36 internationally recognised biodiversity hotspots due to the sheer number of endemic plant species. Wildflowers, vineyards, beautiful National Parks, the Valley of the Giants, the Porongurup Range, Stirling Range and stunning coastal vistas are just the tip of the iceberg for this fascinating region.

Of course, these months are only guides seeing as wildflowers depend on the weather which differs year to year. The season can therefore start earlier or later depending on rainfall, temperature and location. You may find the Western Australian Visitor Centre’s Wildflower Tracker, Tourism WA’s website or local visitor centres helpful when it comes to chasing wildflowers year to year.

If you are interested in experiencing Western Australia’s wildflower season, we have multiple tours that will immerse you in the beautiful floral landscapes. Our Golden Outback Expedition and our Flora and Fauna of the Southern Forests Tour will visit areas with vibrant and abundant wildflowers, otherwise please contact us to find out which tour would be right for you.

From all of us at Coates, stay safe and we hope to see you out there amongst the wildflowers soon.

 

 

 

 

 

               Facebook    Instagram    Twitter 

Scroll to Top