Find out where the wildflowers are currently blooming at their best on the Coral Coast and which species you're likely to spot.
Australia’s Coral Coast features wildflowers all year round, however floral displays are at their best from July to October when inland areas explode into brilliant carpets of colour.
If you're keen to hit the road and explore the Coral Coast's wildflowers this year, be sure to have a look at our sample wildflower self-drive itineraries.
Please note: this page is regularly updated with current wildflower information so be sure to check back regularly. Last updated: Monday, 27 August.
Wildflowers of Cervantes and surrounds
Nambung National Park
Made up of 17,000 hectares of coastal heathland, the Nambung National Park is home to a variety of native plants and animals. Wildflowers commonly found in the Nambung National Park during late winter and spring include wattle, acacia, quandong, yellow tailflower, thick-leaved fanflower, white clematis, cockies tongues, parrotbush and banksia species.
Lesueur National Park
Mount Lesueur National Park is one of the most diverse and rich floral areas in the world. The park is home to almost 900 species, including many plants found nowhere else in the world. This biodiverse hotspot represents approximately ten per cent of the State’s known flora.
What's flowering:
Lesueur National Park is in full swing. A whole range of flowering scrubs (the Hebertia especially good this year) along with smoke bush, red and green kangaroo paw, catspaw and lots of other flowering plants. Take a walk from Drummond Look-out to see the flowers or just stop along the side of the road.
Further information:
Turquoise Coast Enviro Tours
Phone: 08 9652 7047
Cervantes Visitor Centre
Phone: 08 9652 7672
Wildflowers of Geraldton
Geraldton is a great base to explore wildflower country inland, north and south.
What's flowering:
Pending report
For more information:
Geraldton Visitor Centre
Phone: 08 9921 3999
Wildflowers of Eneabba
The Eneabba sandplain is a world-renowned biodiversity hotspot, supporting native vegetation known as Kwongan — the Aboriginal word for low hard scrub and heathland. Kwongan of the Eneabba region is extremely diverse and contains many species, a large percentage of which are endemic to the region. As well as being biologically important, the area is popular among tourists and botanists who visit Eneabba during the wildflower season.
What's flowering:
The strip between Eneabba and Badgingarra is now flowering with four Acacia (wattle) species in all areas. Lots of Banksia Hookerana, Grevillea pilulifera (wooly grevillea), large pink Thryptomene in wet areas, a few red Lambertia (honeysuckle), Diuris brumalis (Donkey orchid) is out for the enthusiast in white sand areas. Lots of bright yellow Hibbertia Sp (Buttercup). In the sandy areas Hakea Trifurcata (scented hakea) with cream flowers and unusual sweet scent. On the Coorow Green Head Rd west of brand highway beautiful pink Hakea nuerophphyla a local species only. On sandy to gravel areas Dryandra carlinoides. The recent rain has bought out the common Caladenia flava or cowslip orchids in damp sandy hollows. The nerve leaf hakea or Hakea neurophylla on the Coorow greenhead road is probably at its peak. The Eucalyptus drummondii Drumonds gum is displaying brilliant white enamel buds. This is found at varying points between Eneabba and Badingarra. This is prolific on the Vern Westbrook walk just east from Badgingarra town site on the road to Moora.
20kms north of Eneabba: reports of five different orchids flowering including donkey, greenhood and blue fairy. Banksia hookerana looking good, also three grevillea species and five hakea species on show. Many species of Drosera (carnivorous plants), the highly scented white flowered Macarthuria, pink flowered Scholtzia, Blue Dampiera & Grey Scaevola. Geraldton Wax is ablaze with flowers and good shows of Conystlis. Pea flowers and Blue Tinsel Lilly are just coming out.
Wildflowers of Mullewa
Mullewa is renowned for its architecture and stunning wildflowers, including the colourful wreath flowers that bloom between August and October.
Everlasting Cultural Trails
Explore the breathtaking hinterland or historical townscape of Mullewa, by walking on one of the eight Everlasting Cultural Trails. Wind your way through low rolling hills, across creek valleys and rocky ridges, or traverse the paths of early settlers. The 2.3-kilometre Bushland Trail highlights the area’s many natural features and provides panoramic views across the Mullewa town site. The 1.4-kilometre Rail Heritage Loop showcases Mullewa’s once-expansive rail precinct, a hub for trains travelling between Geraldton and Perth via Morawa, while the Town Heritage Walk allows visitors to experience the history of the town and its pioneers. The 2.8-kilometre Wildflower Walk begins opposite the Mullewa Caravan Park and showcases the stunning flora that Mullewa is renowned for. Visit the Mullewa Community Resource Centre for your free brochure and map of the trails.
What's flowering:
Along Geraldton Rd to Mullewa
Stirlingia Latifolia – Blueboy, Conostylis robusta (Yellow) Parrot bush, Dioscorea hastifolia – Native Yam, Hakea scoparia- Pink Hakea, Hakea Francisiana - Emu Tree, Hakea bucculenta – Red Pokers, Grevillea petrophiloides - Pink Pokers (Pink ), Grevillea paradoxa – Bottlebrush Grevillea, Grevillea Hakeoides ssp. Stenophylla, Grevillea eriostachya – Flame Grevillea, Grevillea amplexans, Banksia Ashbyi, (Orange) Dampiera (Blue), Grevillea paniculata, (White) Guichenotia ledifolia (Purple bell flower), Solanum lasiophyllum – Fannel Bush, (Purple) Philotheca brucei – (Pink or white variety), Cowslip Orchid, Calytrix , Thryptomene aff. Racemulosa (Pale pink Heath flower) Hibbertia aurea (Yellow Guinea flower) Daviesia divarieata (Orange /red Pea flower) Rulingia luteiflora (Pale yellow) Keraudrenia, Ricinocarpos velutinus (Grey leaves pale Yellow flower) Senna, Thysanotus pattersonii – Twining Fringe lily (Purple).
Stop along the way and check out the Nature Reserves (Native bush land alongside Mt Magnet/Geraldton Road but also by turning off onto the gravel roads, many of which pass through other great nature reserves) in the district.
Tenindewa area
Once you reach approximately 20kms away from Mullewa you start to see good patches of everlastings along the road.The Tenindewa Pioneer Wells (on Tenindewa/Yuna Road is looking spectacular great displays around creek heading to the stones across creek and old School site as well as the little road to the Well.
Wilroy
Along the Wubin road good patches of everlastings, Senna, Rulingia luteiflora (Pale yellow) Keraudrenia (Purple), Ricinocarpos velutinus (Grey leaves pale Yellow flower) At Wilroy Reserve turn off (Red Drum, with orange and Lime ribbons attached). Kockatea/Wilroy Rd lots of blue fairy orchid, Spider Orchids, Pimelea sp., Bush pomegranate just beginning and Dampiera and Grevillea - paradoxa Bottlebrush Grevillea.
Pindar
Upside down pea plant, Bush Pomegranate, Flowering Pin Cushions, Rulingia luteiflora (Pale yellow) Eremophila Clarkeii, Dampiera’s, Keraudrenia, Ricinocarpos velutinus (Grey leaves pale Yellow flower) Senna.
Wreathflowers are along the Yalgoo/Morawa Rd just past Madden Road. There are 50-60 wreath flowers approx. 1.5kms south of the Madden Road corner on the Yalgoo/Morawa Rd.
Recommended: Bushland walk in Mullewa is fabulous, great splashes of pink, yellow and white and everlastings and purple daisies. Twining fringe lilies everywhere, orchids, eremophila’s starting to flower, calytrix flowering, pink and purple wurmbea.
Wildflower walk: flowers are coming through but fighting for space with weeds in some sections, still orchids to be found here, birds galore throughout the walk.
Carnarvon Mullewa Rd (North of Mullewa)
Great displays of Splendid everlasting (Bright White) along reserve and road side, starts from approx. 14km out onwards and of course the Wattles are all coming into flower throughout district and make a stunning frame for the roads in the district.
Look out for the Orange and Lime ribbons, (Tied together) not to be confused with Main Roads, Railway ribbons who use one colour only) signify either a road turnoff, extra special flower or plant or orchids.
The Mullewa Annual Wildflower Show will be held from Sunday, 26 August to Sunday, 2 September 2011 at the Mullewa Town Hall from 9am until 5pm daily.
Further information:
Mullewa Community Resource Centre
Phone: 08 9961 1500
Wildflowers of Mingenew
Coalseam Conservation Park
Located between Mingenew and Mullewa, the Coalseam Conservation Park is one of Western Australia’s top wildflower hotspots. The park is named as such because this was where the first coal deposits in Western Australia were discovered by the Gregory Brothers in 1846. The park features a remarkable variety of woody heath plants that flower profusely during the wildflower season. Many varieties of wildflowers are found in abundance here, with carpets of pink, yellow, cream and white everlastings transforming the usually sparse understorey of wattle scrub during the wildflower season. Magnificent views are offered from the lookout over the Irwin River. Picnic and toilet facilities are provided.
What's flowering:
Pending report
Further information:
Mullewa Community Resource Centre
Phone: 08 9961 1500
Wildflowers of Kalbarri
From July until October, some 800 species of native flora progressively burst into bloom around Kalbarri and within the National Park. Many of these are endemic to the region, including the Kalbarri Spider Orchid. Look out for wildflowers on the coastal cliff tops and in the gorge country.
There's a variety of bush flowers in the Kalbarri National Park. To see the myriad of flowers, it is best to walk amongst them. Watch soft sand shoulders on roadside. Be sure to check out the Kalbarri Wildflower Centre too.
What's flowering:
Kalbarri is starting to show colour reporting:
The unsealed River Road has quite a few flowers out:
Pine Like Grevillea – Grevillea Pinaster, Bird Break Hakea – Hakea Orthorrhyncha, Howy Scholtzia – Scholtzia Uberiflora, Pink Thryptomene – Thryptomene Strongylophylla, Acorn Banksia – Banksia Prionotes, Boot Leaved Daviesia – Daviesia podophylla, Blakely’s Wattle – Acacia blakeelyi, Dense Smokebush – Conospermum Unilateralis, Free Flowering Leschenaultia – lechenaultia floribunda, Yellow Plum Grevillea, Cactus Jacksonia
National Park & Surrounding: Nature’s Window – Loop & Z Bend:
Pink Thryptomene – Thryptomene Strongylophylla, Pink Pokers, Guinea Flower, Blakely’s Wattle – Acacia blakeelyi, Yellow Plum Grevillea, Cacutus Jacksonia, Pine Like Grevillea – Grevillea Pinaster, Hairy Stemmed Snail Orchid, Blue Beard Orchid. Coastal Cliffs: Wild Rose, Guinea Flower, Blakely’s Wattle – Acacia Blakeelyi
Further information: Kalbarri Visitor Centre
Phone: 1800 639 468
Wildflowers of Northampton
What's flowering:
Oakabella Homestead has five different types of orchids, pink everlastings and grevilleas out at the moment. Flava (Cowslip orchid) Flava-Maculata (Kalbarri cowslip) Winter Red Bells (Astroloma microdonta) Spider Net (Grevillea pinaster), Diuris Recurva (Mini Donkey), Diuris AlF Cormbosa (Rosy cheeked Donkey), Elegans (elegant Spider orchid), Roak Seoak Allocasuarina huegeliana and also Swamp Sheoak, Warrine or Native Yam (Dioscorea hastifolia), Everlastings (Schoenia,Waitzia, Rhodante, species), Thryptomene, Many varieties of Native Grasses, Damperia, Blue orchid, Common Fire Bush or Purple Lanterns, Native Tomato (Solanum oldfieldii).
Northampton has lots of pink pokers, white and yellow grevillias along Binnu West road and Yerina Springs road has both Pink and Blue China Orchids, Fairy Donkey orchids on west side of road about 1 km off Pt. Gregory Road. All the flowering shrubs are out, yellow Guinea flower,Hakeas, white & green, yellow Cowslip orchids east of Northampton on Harvey Road. Shire gravel pits on Harvey Road, NWCoastal HWY & Chilmony Rd full of all the above plus smoke bush, lambs tails, Mirabella and I even saw one bush of yello Leschenaultia along the highway.On the highway heading north from Northampton there are Hooker Banksia about 10kms (both sides road) also lots of wattle flowering.
For more information:
Northampton Visitor Centre
Phone: 08 9934 1488
Wildflowers of Shark Bay
Being at the northern extreme of the southern wildflower varieties and at the southern extreme of the northern varieties - Shark Bay has the longest wildflower season of any part of Western Australia and has over 700 species of flowering plants. Of these, more than 150 species are of special scientific interest - several are exclusive to the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. The aromatic Tamala rose is one of the region's most well known and showy species. The Shark Bay daisy, Royce's Gum, Rogerson's grevillea and golden lambstail are also confined to the Shark Bay region. The sceptre banksia puts out spectacular large flower-spikes in summer and, after good winter rains, everlastings often grow in massive drifts of colour that will surprise and delight visitors.
What's flowering:
Hamelin Station in Shark Bay reports that carpets of wildflowers are along the North West Coastal Highway and Shark Bay Road. There are yellow pompoms, pink and some white around the Overlander Roadhouse. Some parakeelya and purple swansonia. The wattles are all a brilliant yellow.
Further information:
Shark Bay World Heritage and Discovery Centre
Phone: 9948 1590
Wildflowers of Exmouth and surrounds
The Cape Range National Park is home to more than 100 species of land birds, native marsupials and around 630 species of flowering plants. The brilliant red sturt desert pea, which flowers in late winter, is a particularly popular flora species here. Also look out for mulla mullas, wattles, everlastings, native fuschias, fanflowers and dampiera within the park. You'll find particularly scenic wildflower viewing areas at Mandu Mandu Gorge, Shothole Canyon, Charles Knife Canyon and Yardie Creek Gorge.
What's flowering:
Pending report
Further information:
Exmouth Visitor Centre
Phone: 9949 1176