Western Australia's Wonderful Wildflower Events 2015

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Human beings are curious creatures, and this is no more apparent than here in Western Australia. Although our state is famous throughout the world for its unique and exquisite native wildflowers, so many locals are blissfully unaware of the natural beauty that surrounds us – even within the Perth metro area.



Isolated from the rest of the world by ocean and arid desert, Western Australia is home to species of wildflowers that are quite distinct from those found anywhere else. Beginning in the northern regions at the end of winter, until late spring in the far south, every year the state comes to life with thousands of beautiful multi-coloured flowers of innumerable shapes and colours. While the species and the extent to which they bloom vary, depending on climatic considerations such as rainfall and temperature, there are always beautiful displays to discover for those who know where to look – making spring-time the perfect time of the year to embark on a weekend road-trip.



To celebrate the wonders of the wildflower season, there are many special events scheduled each year throughout Western Australia. In conjunction with local communities, Tourism Western Australia has also identified regions of specific interest where visitors can drive and see wildflowers in their natural environment. To learn more about the special events that are being organised this year for Western Australia's wonderful wildflower season, read the following paragraphs.



Three Springs Wildflower Show and Art Exhibition
This year's first Western Australian wildflower event will be held at Three Springs, a small friendly Wheatbelt town, about 313 kilometres north of Perth on the Midlands Road. The town's annual wildflower show and art exhibition will open on Thursday August 27th and continue until Sunday August 30th, featuring beautiful displays of wild orchids and other local species, as well as exquisite works of art created by some of the town's talented artists and crafters. This great family-friendly event also includes fun activities for children, and plenty of delicious refreshments, provided at a small cost by local community groups.

The Three Springs Wildflower Show and Art Exhibition will be held at the town's community hall on Railway Road, from 9.00am until 4.00pm over the four days mentioned above. To find out more, email [email protected].



Mullewa Wildflower Show
Situated approximately 100 kilometres east, north-east, of Geraldton, Mullewa is best known for the unique Leschenaultia Macrantha – also known as the wreath flower, which is endemic to the surrounding district. However, many other flowering species can also be seen in the area, including breathtaking expanses of everlastings and various shrubs.

For many years the Mullewa Wildflower Show, held in the local hall, has been one of the best wildflower displays in Western Australia's Mid West region. Held over four days, from Thursday August 27th until Sunday August 30th, the show features over two hundred named species of flowers. The Mullewa Wildflower Show takes place at the corner of Maitland Road and Jose Street in Mullewa, from 9.00am until 4.30pm. Entry is $6.00 for adults, $4.00 for concession-card holders and $1.00 for children. Refreshments will be provided by local community groups. For more information call 08 9961 1500 or email [email protected].

If you would prefer to see wildflowers in their natural environment, there are also a couple of special wildflower walks on the town's outskirts as well as some lovely drives around the local countryside. Go to the Mullewa Tourism website for more information about these.



Kings Park Festival
As Western Australia's largest city and capital, it's only fitting that Perth holds the largest, grandest wildflower celebration in the state. Taking place in beautiful Kings Park, overlooking the Swan River, the Kings Park Festival provides a smorgasbord of things to see and do for people of all ages. The theme of this year's festival is 'Beauty Rich and Rare' – a fitting way to describe a time of the year when our city and countryside comes to life with thousands of exquisite, multicoloured native blooms.

The Kings Park Festival is a large vibrant celebration that takes place over the entire month of September and therefore it's very difficult to summarise all that's on offer in just a few paragraphs. Just a few of the special happenings that are scheduled include daily discovery walks around the gardens, a Western Australian feature garden (with over three thousand local plant species on display), workshops, live entertainment, a Backyard Botanicals day, native plant sale and other great nature-based activities. There is plenty for children to see and do as well, including the ever-popular Adorable Florables, who will be roving through the gardens throughout the festival. On Saturday September 12th the Fantastic Faraway Festival, a special day just for families, will also be held.

As its name indicates, the Kings Park Festival will be held in the heart of Perth, at beautiful Kings Park. Beginning on September 1st and finishing on September 30th, it promises to be a great month of affordable fun and excitement for the entire family. To learn more, visit this website .



Dalwallinu Wattle Week Festival
Another much-loved regional event is the Dalwallinu Wattle Week Festival, taking place in the wheatbelt town of the same name. Just 254 kilometres north of Perth on the Great Northern Highway, Dalwallinu is the beginning (or the end, depending on which way you're travelling) of The Wildflower Way, a tourist route extending north to Mullewa. Situated in the heart of wildflower country, it's especially renowned for the large number of wattle species that are endemic to the area. Within a 100 kilometre radius of the township, over 185 species have been identified – more than anywhere else in the world. Visitors to the area can also marvel at the vast numbers of other flowering species that, during late winter and early spring, carpet the countryside.

This year's Wattle Week Festival kicks off on Saturday September 5th and continues on until Sunday 13th and will take place at various locations around Dalwallinu. Activities connected with the festival include both guided and self-drive tours to some of the best local wildflower viewing spots, a bush breakfast, community picnics, craft activities, visits to local museums and much more. To see the full program, download the 21st Dalwallinu Wattle Week Festival brochure here , or find out more by calling 08 9661 1805.



Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show
A small town situated in Western Australia's vast and beautiful Great Southern region, Ravensthorpe holds one of the state's best wildflower shows. With over 1,800 wildflower species found in the area, many of them unique, this event is the perfect place to learn about our botanical heritage.

Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show is held at the Ravensthorpe Senior Citizen's Centre and features hundreds of exquisite named wildflowers. For those who would like a memento of their visit the Wildflower Show Shop purveys dozens of beautiful wildflower themed products such as books, cards and photographs, as well as lovely locally-made arts and crafts. Next door to the Centre, the Ravensthorpe Herbarium will also display many other local botanical specimen. If all this is not enough, a market day is also planned, while refreshments are available daily at the nearby Ravensthorpe Community Centre.
For visitors who'd like to get out into the 'great outdoors' and see some wildflowers in their natural environment, guided walks and four wheel drive tag-along tours will also be happening throughout the festival.

Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show will be taking place from September 8th until the 19th, from 9am to 4pm. Admission is $5.00 for adults and children are free. Ravensthorpe Senior Citizen's Centre is located at 57 Morgans Street in Ravensthorpe. To find out more, take a look at the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show website or call 08 9835 7034.
Ongerup Wildflower Display
Ongerup is another small town in the south of the state that has a big wildflower heritage. The town's annual wildflower show in the local museum is a must for wildflower lovers and takes place between Monday September 14th and Sunday October 4th, from 9am until 4pm. It will feature between three hundred and four hundred local wildflowers, most of which will be named by knowledgeable volunteers from the area.
Ongerup / Needilup District Museum is located on Eldridge Street in Ongerup. For more information call 0427 986 476.

Esperance Wildflower Festival
Situated in the far south of the state, Esperance's wildflower season ends a little later than in the hotter areas further north, with the town's annual wildflower festival taking place in the middle of September.

Held in the Anglican Parish Centre, this year's Esperance Wildflower Festival will feature approximately five hundred labelled local species, with the theme for 2015 being 'Mallee Meanderings'. As well as the wildflower displays there will be a photographic exhibition showcasing the local environment, an art exhibition featuring the creations of local school students and live entertainment provided by local music groups. Outside in the courtyard there will be market stalls with loads of lovely handmade wares, as well as light refreshments.

The 2015 Esperance Wildflower Festival with take place from Tuesday September 15th until Saturday September 19th, from 9am to 4.30pm. Entry is by gold coin donation, with school groups free of charge. Esperance Anglican Parish Centre is located at the corner of Andrew and Windlich Streets in Esperance. Take a look at this webpage for more information or phone 08 9083 1555.

Chittering Wildflower Festival
Just an hour north of Perth, on the Great Northern Highway, the Chittering Valley is one of Western Australia's most picturesque pastoral areas. It's also a place where native wildflowers grow prolifically, and every year the Chittering Wildflower Festival celebrates these beautiful blooms for four days at various local venues. Situated in the Bindoon Town Hall, the wildflower display features exhibits of around three hundred names local species of flowers, while the Chinkabee Complex will host an art and photography exhibition. Certain to be a hit with domestic goddesses and vintage enthusiasts, the Bindoon Chitterbug Gifts and Gallery will be the venue for the Apron Revival and Teacosy Expose, and the Bindon Arts and Crafts Centre will be holding the popular Quilts in Spring exhibition. Bindoon Museum in the Brockman Centre will be open throughout the festival, and on Sunday there will be a historic vehicle display on Bindoon Oval. Finally, on Saturday and Sunday there will be market stalls on the oval where you'll be able to purchase local produce and choose some lovely locally-made creations to take home as a souvenir.

Close to Perth, this event is one that shouldn't be missed, whether you whizz up to the valley for the day, or spend a few nights, soaking up the friendly country vibe and all that wonderful fresh air. Chittering Wildflower Festival begins on Thursday September 17th and continues until Sunday September 20th. Entry costs vary according to the specific event, but they range from free to around $5.00.

This awesome festival encompasses more than can be included in a brief write-up like this, so take a look at the Shire of Chittering website to find out more or call 08 9576 1100.



Albany Wildflower Exhibition
The area around Albany features a wide range of landforms and habitats – a fact that's reflected in the innumerable species of wildflowers which can be found there. If you love our native flora and would like to see hundreds of beautiful spring wildflowers in one place, then you'll definitely enjoy a visit to this year's Albany Wildflower Exhibition. Featuring over five hundred species from the Albany region, including many named species of exquisite native orchids, this annual event attracts visitors from all around Western Australia and far beyond. As well as being labelled, many specimen are represented on a map, so wildflower enthusiasts can know where exactly they can be found.
Albany Wildflower Exhibition will be taking place in St John's Hall on York Street, Albany. It will begin on Wednesday September 23rd and continue until Saturday September 26th, from 9am to 1pm. Entry is $3 for adults. Light refreshments and Devonshire teas are also available for a small price. To find out more, call 08 9842 5121.

Kojonup Wildflower and Bloom Festival
Just three hours south of Perth, Kojonup is a small township nestled in the Western Australia's south-west, surrounded by rich farmland and bush. Every September the town throws a wonderful wildflower fest – the Kojonup Wildflower and Bloom Festival – celebrating the great botanical diversity of the local area, which is especially renowned for its exquisite native orchids such as the delightfully-named pink enamel, clubbed spider, mantis and red-tongued spider varieties.

Over 400 labelled flowering species are usually included in this annual exhibition, making it a great way to see about a wide variety of blooms without the effort of trekking through the bush. However, if you do have the time, energy and inclination for bushwalking, local reserves such as the Australian Bush Heritage Reserve and the Myrtle Benn Flora and Fauna Sanctuary have some lovely bushwalks where you can see wildflowers in their natural environment.

Kojonup's wildflower display will be held from Friday September 25th until Wednesday September 30th at Kojonup Visitors Centre – situated at 143 Albany Highway. Opening times will be 9.00am to 5.00pm. For more information, visit the Kojanup Visitors Centre website or call 08 9831 0500.



Busselton 90th Wildflower Exhibition
One of Western Australia's longest running wildflower events, the Busselton Wildflower Exhibition has now been held for ninety years – underlining the fact that the south-west is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the state. Taking place in the town's Uniting Church Hall, the exhibition showcases some of the area's numerous endemic blooms and provides a wonderful opportunity for nature-lovers to experience the magic of wildflower season if they can't 'go bush' to see them in their natural environment. Specimen are labelled with their botanical names, and accompanied by information that will be of interest to both the casual visitor and those with a deeper knowledge of our local flowering species.

Busselton's 90th Anniversary Wildflower Exhibition will take place this year over two days – Thursday October 1st and Friday October 2nd. On Thursday the exhibition will be open from 9.00am until 9.00pm, while on Friday it will open at 9.00am and close at 6.00pm.

The exhibition will be held at the Busselton Uniting Church Hall at 47 Kent Street. Visit the Geographe Bay Tourism website to find out more or call 08 9752 3304. Entry is $10.00 for adults and $6.00 for pensioners.

Collie Wildflower Show
Located amidst the forests of the scenic Collie River valley, the small town of Collie is widely acknowledged as another wildflower hotspot, with hundreds of species to be found amongst the Jarrah forests including blue leschenaultia, kangaroo paws, hovea, grevilleas, wattles, hakias and cowslip orchids.

The annual Collie Wildflower Show at the local visitors centre is a not-to-be-missed event that highlights the unique beauty of the area's flowering plants. Guide books and wildflower souvenirs can also be purchased to help you remember your visit. If you want to see wildflowers in their natural environment, Collie Visitors Centre can also provide you with information and a map so you'll know where to find the best displays.

Collie Wildflower Show will be open for three days - Friday October 2nd (9.00am – 4.00pm), Saturday October 3rd (10.00am – 3.00pm) and Sunday October 4th (10.00am – 2.00pm). Entry is free of charge.

Collie Visitors Centre is situated at 156 Throssel Street, and is easily accessible for those in wheelchairs. To learn more about the wildflower show, call 08 9734 2051 or email [email protected]



Conclusion
As the above descriptions confirm, spring time is the perfect time for road-tripping here in Western Australia, and the wonderful wildflower season is the perfect excuse to take to the road. With a wide selection of events throughout the state, ranging from intimate small town celebrations, brimming with country hospitality, to the large vibrant Kings Park Festival, there is something to inspire and inform everyone. If you're planning to drive to one of the regional events, do keep in mind that the amount of blooms varies from year to year, depending on factors such as recent rainfall, temperatures and bushfires. To learn more about Western Australia's unique wildflowers and where to see them, take a look at this website .

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