11 day Ultimate Wildflower Trail

Head north on the Indian Ocean Road or Brand Highway towards Geraldton, taking a stop at the Central Greenough Historic Settlement. Here, 11 beautifully restored character buildings tell the story of the area's pioneering heritage from the turn of the 19th century. The area surrounding the settlement is dotted with wildflowers.

Look out for the unusual leaning trees on the Greenough flats, bent low to the ground and growing horizontally due to the strong summer winds in the area. Northwards lies Geraldton, the Coral Coast’s vibrant hub city. This is the perfect base for wildflower explorations and tours, you'll even spot some wildflowers along the roadside on the drive in. A worthy stop while in Geraldton is the Museum of Geraldton to learn about the city's incredible maritime history.

Overnight: Geraldton

Start early today for the drive to Carnarvon. You will be rewarded with outstanding wildflower displays of Parakeelya, Purple Vetch, Northern Bluebells and seasonal everlastings. Foodies will also be rewarded with a feast of fresh produce on offer from tropical fruits, chutneys and jams to copious amounts of fresh seafood. After a sunset stroll along the Fascine head to a local restaurant.

Overnight: Carnarvon

Note: From Carnarvon, you may like to consider heading east to find roadsides coloured in the purples and whites of Mulla Mulla on the way to the Kennedy Range National Park. This park is home to more than 80 species of annual wildflowers. Note that only four-wheel drive vehicles can access the park.

North of Carnarvon at Minilya the riverbanks offer the shade of river gums and coolibahs. Atop the sand dunes, you will find grevilleas, hakeas, and banksias with wattles capping the ridges. Off Burkett Road, station stays are a great overnight stop. The autumn rains produce abundant colourful masses of wildflowers in the area’s fertile red soil.

Continue your journey north toward Exmouth where the coastal plain of the Exmouth Gulf is a wattle shrubland interspersed with occasional stands of mallee near dry creek beds. Bright red Yulbah flowers are visible in summer and in winter there is the golden hue of spring wattles, often infused with purple Mulla Mulla. On your way north, check out Cape Range National Park's Shothole Canyon and Charles Knife Gorge for ruggedly beautiful scenery.

Overnight: Exmouth

Head around the North West Cape this morning to the spectacular Cape Range National Park, covering 50,581 hectares of stunning limestone ranges, deep rugged canyons and 50 kilometres of pristine beach. It provides habitat for more than 100 species of land birds, native marsupials and around 630 species of flowering plants. Look out for the brilliant red Sturt Desert Pea, which flowers in late winter as well as Mulla Mullas and native Fuschias to name a few.

The Milyering Visitors Centre houses a library with great local flora and fauna reference resources. You'll find particularly scenic wildflower touring areas at Mandu Mandu Gorge, Shothole Canyon, Charles Knife Canyon and Yardie Creek Gorge. Of course, make time for a swim at one of the stunning beaches lining the Ningaloo Reef. Turquoise Bay has copious species of marine life just metres from the shore.

Overnight: Exmouth

Head to Coral Bay this morning, where the floral displays don’t stop at the seashore. Gardens of coral stretch just metres off the beach to the outer reef at Coral Bay. Don a mask and snorkel and launch off the sand into an underwater wonderland. For unmatched coral viewing, take a snorkel tour to the outer reef where turtles, reef sharks and fish of every colour live in their own tropical underwater garden.

Overnight: Coral Bay

Rejoin the North West Coastal Highway south to Shark Bay. En-route the flat plains area between Lyndon River and Minilya are good for spotting the shiny dark green leaves and white trumpet flowers of the Minilya lily.

At the Overlander Roadhouse, you may witness an impressive display of seasonal everlastings on the roadside. On the drive into Shark Bay, discover Shell Beach – made entirely of millions of tiny cockle shells. At Monkey Mia you can experience the unmatched thrill of interacting with visiting wild dolphins.

Overnight: Denham or Monkey Mia

Today take yourself on a wildflower tour of Francois Peron National Park, where the contrasting colours of the scenery are as vivid as the wildflowers. First stop is the Peron Homestead which offers a taste of life in the 1950s when the area was a working sheep station. Follow the hoof prints of the sheep on their way to the shearing shed and learn about the trade along the way. If you’ve got your bathers, submerge yourself into the natural artesian hot tub

Those travelling north of the Peron Homestead will require a four-wheel drive vehicle but the dramatic scenery and diverse flora and fauna are worth the trip. The Shark Bay Daisy, wattles, Dampiera and Purple Peas are commonly found, adding a purple hue to the usual red, white and blue landscape.

Overnight: Denham or Monkey Mia

Start your journey south to Kalbarri but don’t miss stopping at Ocean Park along the way. Just 8 kilometres south of Denham, Ocean Park is a must for kids and adults! Owned and run by a marine biologist, you’ll be gobsmacked by the variation of underwater life on display. Join a tour around the complex of aquariums accompanied by a guide who can share with you the importance of the marine life of Shark Bay. Continue south to Kalbarri, located at the mouth of the Murchison River.

Overnight: Kalbarri

Spend today exploring one of WA’s best wildflower touring spots, Kalbarri National Park. Covering over 180,000 hectares, the park includes breathtaking coastal cliffs and dazzling wildflower displays. Deep gorges on the Murchison River contrast with endless inland sand plains. You will find an array of flowers mainly in the coastal cliff tops and gorge country, 21 species of which are found only here. These include the Kalbarri Spider Orchid and the Murchison Hammer Orchid. Other flowers include River Gums, Gold and Orange Banksias, Kangaroo Paws, Grevilleas, Starflowers and Eucalypts.

Overnight: Kalbarri

Depart Kalbarri early for your drive to Mullewa. Take some time to explore the National Trust town of Northampton and its beautiful buildings including the Northampton Family Store, which still operates as a drapery and general store. Yerina Springs Road, approximately 35 kilometres west of Northampton has a profuse display of orchids such as the donkey, bee, cowslip and rare sightings of the endangered Northampton midget greenhood orchid.

From Northampton travel through the rolling hills of the Chapman Valley, well-known for its seasonal wildflowers, to Mullewa, a must for the ultimate wildflower trip best known for its carpets of everlastings and the unique wreath flower, which can only be found in the area surrounding the town. There are over eight kilometres of walking trails to choose from, each taking in dazzling displays of Western Australian wildflowers as well as the history and heritage of Mullewa. Be sure to stop in at Moorhead’s local artist studio to meet the local Indigenous women who come to the centre to paint and create handcrafted pieces. Their work can also be seen around the town on the various murals that cover local buildings. A worthwhile stop in Mullewa is to the Helen Ansell Art Gallery, hearing local knowledge on the flowers in the region and to view and purchase some her unique art pieces.

Overnight: Mullewa

This morning check out the Monsignor Hawes Heritage Trail, celebrating the enormous contribution architect/priest John Hawes made to the region. The trail highlights 15 buildings and sights relating to his life in the region, with one of the best examples of his work being the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

On your way south towards Perth, take a detour off the highway to Coalseam Conservation Park. Located in the heart of wildflower country, Coalseam is renowned for its endless fields of Western Australian wildflowers. During the flowering season, everlastings transform the otherwise sparse plains into a glorious carpet of colour.

Join the highway again to complete your wildflower tour back to Perth.