Wildflowers: where the wild things grow

Header image: Sean Blocksidge

“The geology down here is amazing,” says local author, wildflower expert, and conservation ambassador Jane Scott.

“The Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge sits on a basement of incredibly ancient granite and metamorphic rocks, which are topped by some of the youngest limestone on the planet. We sit at the meeting point of several major flora systems – the southern tip of the South West Jarrah forests, the far western limit of the Karri forest, the southern wetlands and the Swan Coastal Plain”.

All this is to say, we have spectacularly diverse landscape, and this diversity supports an extraordinary range of plant life.

 Margaret River Exposed owner and nature tour operator Hank Durlik says because region is built upon an ancient landscape, it means the wildflowers have adapted especially well to their environment.  

“The South West is unique because the season goes for about nine months, whereas up North, it only lasts about six or eight weeks,” he says. 

“People will ask me, what’s out now? And I say, June is when we’re in red mode, then it goes to purple, then yellow and then to white and orange. So the flowers are sort of dictated by the changing seasons.” 

Hank says that October is the peak of the wildflower season down south, when the purples, reds, yellows and pinks all flower together. This crescendo of colour is one of the best times to explore native blooms in the region, however, there are plenty of wild and wonderful specimens on display from July, all the way through to October.  

That is of course, if you know where to look.

You don’t need to venture far to discover wildflowers down south. The region forms part of the South West Australia Biodiversity Hotspot, one of just 36 worldwide.

Home to species found no where else in the world, this unique environment is also under increasing pressure, making its protection more important than ever. More than 8,000 species can be discovered in the South West Australia Biodiversity Hotspot, and you can spot many along bush trails, rugged coastlines – even right by the side of the road!

Cape to Cape Explorer Tours Guide Trevor Paddenburg says the shark tooth wattle is one of his all-time favourites. 

“You get these bursts of yellow along the coastal heathland, which just looks so incredible when you contrast it against the turquoise of the ocean,” he says. 

“But I also love the Pimelea; this beautiful sculptural round bush that turns pink when it’s flowering and loves areas of granite.” 

Kangaroo paws and blue leschenaultia, known to the Noongar people as ‘floor of the sky’, love the sandy soils and coastal heathlands too. Then there’s the orchids, which live on forest floors and along the edges of walking trails. 

“Orchids grow very well on disturbed ground,” Trevor says. 

“So you don’t have to look far to spot them.”  

Margaret River Discovery Co. owner Sean Blocksidge recommends hiring a mountain bike and heading to the trails around Carters Road, right by Margaret River’s township. “Waste a few hours just exploring and stopping and discovering,” he says.

Capes Foundation Conservation Manager Alysha Johnson says the Augusta section of the Cape to Cape Track, which runs from the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse to Cosy Corner, is prime wildflower territory.

Capes Raptor Centre has easy gravel forest walks that are accessible to wheelchairs and prams. The wildlife sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates birds of prey and has wonderful trails all around the property, where you may spot a variety of vivid orchids.

There are stunning walking trails along the Geographe Bay coastline, which offer rugged ocean views, bird watching and an abundance of wildflowers including plenty of yellow buttercups.

Head to the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse for a gentle downhill walk along a sealed, wheelchair accessible track. The trail includes a timber boardwalk, with spots to sit that are perfect for taking in the coastal wildflowers.

The best way to discover wildflowers in the South West is to go with those who know where those special, hard-to-find spots are. Margaret River Discovery Co., Cape to Cape Explorer Tours, and Margaret River Exposed will take visitors on tours with guides passionate about sharing their knowledge of native plant life in the South West. 

“It’s not just the wildflowers, it’s the geology that sets the scene for the wildflower we have, and how the fauna interacts with the flora and how the indigenous people use plants and animals for food, medicine and shelter,” Trevor says. 

“So it’s this incredible, intricate story that’s all really linked together.” 

Taking care of the wildflowers and their natural habitat is an important part of wildflower hunting. Alysha says this means sticking to the trails and making sure not to pick or disturb the delicate native flowers. 

“It’s said that wildflowers grow by the inch and die by the foot,” she says. 

“These really sensitive plants may be growing along the edges of the track, so if you step off, maybe to get a better picture, you’re not sure what you’re accidentally trampling.”