Western Australia is home to one of the largest collections of wildflowers on earth, providing the prettiest backdrops for dreamy selfies, with more than 1200 floral species, 60% of which cannot be found anywhere else on earth. During Wildflower season, from August to November, Mother Nature paints the vast landscape in vivid hues of pinks, yellows, reds, and purples, providing photographers and nature lovers a feast for the senses.
Tourism Western Australia’s Country Manager for Singapore and Malaysia Ava Ang said Singaporeans are increasingly travelling to Western Australia for experiences in nature as a way to connect with their self, and with the planet.
“Western Australia is truly one of nature’s most spectacular destinations for wildflower tourism as it offers up thousands of species of botanical wonders that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet,” Ava said. “Not only do tourists love posing amongst the floral fields found in Western Australia, but nature-based tourism is one of the most responsible ways to travel and has been shown to induce happiness and well-being.”
“A blanket of wildlflowers will add romance and beauty to any travel experience, but being amongst nature is also a great way to enhance your health and well-being, with plenty of opportunities to learn about the unique ways Aboriginals have used flowers as a source of nutrition and medicine for thousands of years.”
Western Australia Wildflower Season – Perth | Boorloo
Start your adventure at Kings Park and Botanic Gardens (Kaarta Koomba) in Perth (Boorloo), where you will see vibrant displays of colourful flowers including Kangaroo Paws, coastal heaths, and rare native orchids. Pack a picnic and your camera to explore this spectacular expanse of tranquil bushland, where the crisp, clear air, gorgeous floral displays, and endless views are mesmerising. You can find more than 300 species of native plants and 80 bird species within the park, alongside beautifully cultivated gardens and walking trails. Families will also love the playgrounds, barbecue facilities and cafes hidden within the gardens.
The annual Kings Park Festival which is held in September each year is one of the longest running festivals in Australia. The festival celebrates the extraordinary diversity and beauty of Western Australia’s famous wildflowers.
Another must-see for wildflower wonders is Araluen Botanic Park in Perth, which boasts a spectacular array of rare and exotic plants. In August and September, the Yates Springtime Tulip Festival draws visitors from all around the world to enjoy the vibrant display of over 150,000 tulips in bloom. This year’s programme of activites will be on updated on social media channels and visitors can hashtag #araluenbotanicpark when sharing their photos.
After seeing Perth’s best wildflowers, you can choose to head north to Australia’s Coral Coast or south to Australia’s South West and Australia’s Golden Outback to explore more botanical wonders around the State.
Western Australia Wildflower Season – Coral Coast: Perth To Exmouth & Mount Augustus | Burringurrah
From Perth, head north via Coalseam Conservation Park which explodes in a riot of colour during wildflower season and is also home to fossilized marine life in the riverbanks.
Amongst this nature lover’s paradise, you might spot kangaroos, emus, and echidnas along a plethora of pretty trails. Nearby Mullewa is another must-see town for wildflower enthusiasts, where the striking wreath flower is found in abundance. Time your visit for the Mullewa Annual Wildflower Festival from 24 – 27 August for a celebration of Mother Nature’s brilliance.
Head further north to Kalbarri National Park, which is 2.5 times the size of Singapore and boasts dazzling wildflowers amongst dramatic gorges. From July to October, more than 1,100 varieties of wildflowers bloom, from Grevillieas to feather flowers, which carpet the park in colour, painting a stark contrast to the rich red sandstone. You can enjoy bushwalking, gorge hiking and canoeing and take a trip back 60,000 years to learn about the area’s rich Indigenous history. Famous scenic lookouts include Nature’s Window and Red Bluff, where you can create spectacular memories and even more spectacular photos.
When you reach Exmouth, make time to explore Cape Range National Park where you will find carpets of vivid red Sturt’s desert pea, golden wattle and purple mulla mulla.
It may not be close by, but a drive to Mount Augustus is truly otherworldly, if you have the time. The largest rock in the world, it provides one of the most spectacular wildflower settings in Australia, with the juxtaposition of the rugged range against a colorful blanket of mulla mulla, native corn flowers, wreath flowers and everlastings delighting photographers and wildflower enthusiasts alike.
Western Australia Wildflower Season – South West & Golden Outback: Perth To Margaret River & Fitzgerald River National Park
Head south from Perth towards the Margaret River, there are numerous wildflower hotspots to explore. The Cape to Cape Track is a popular hike for nature lovers and in spring provides endless stops for those who are wild for wildflowers. The region has been named by the Worldwide Fund for Nature as one of the world’s most important areas for biodiversity and in spring you will find wildflowers and orchids blooming in abundance.
At Leeuwin-Naturalist National Park, at the most southern westerly point of Australia, hardy coastal wildflowers stud the dramatic landscape. Here you can pose amongst the wildflowers as waves crash against the cliffs, and there are stunning walking trails with numerous scenic lookouts.
Another popular hotspot is Stirling Range National Park which is famous for its 1500 species of wildflowers, but also as the home to one of Western Australia’s highest peaks, Bluff Knoll. You can hike amongst the banskia, Queen Sheba orchids and Mountain Bells or try rock climbing at Ellen Peak for panoramic views over the park. You might also spot emus, kangaroos and wallabies who make the park their home.
If you have enough time, venture further to Fitzgerald River National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve, which is home to 1800 species of flowering plants, 22 species of mammals and 200 species of birds, making it one of the largest and most diverse biospheres on the planet. There are more than 250 species of flowers considered rare and more than 60 of them can’t be found anywhere else. Blankets of bottlebrush, scarlet banskia and eucalypts make this one of the prettiest spots in Western Australia and you can stay overnight in solar-powered chalets or cabins at the 40-acre Quaalup Homestead Wilderness Retreat near Bremer Bay.
No matter where you go in Western Australia during wildflower season you can be assured of an explosion of colour and the opportunity to feel at one with the planet.
Western Australia’s wildflower trails are best discovered on a roadtrip, and Avis Australia is offering one-way car rental from Perth to Exmouth for just $440 (a massive saving of $660) until 31 October on select SUVs and 4WDs, allowing you to go off-road to find the most spectacular floral displays across the State.
