The Weekend Wildflowers
BASE YOURSELF: In/around Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Badgingarra and Eneabba
DURATION: 2 days minimum
WHEN: July – October
HIGHLIGHTS: Colourful Kangaroo Paw species at Badgingarra National Park and orchids in Lesueur National Park
DAY ONE
Depart Perth and head north along the Brand Highway towards Badgingarra and wander through the two-kilometre Badgingarra Nature Trail. This trail will show off:
Smoke bush, purple star flower, yellow buttercups, banksias plus black, red and green kangaroo paws, onesided bottlebrush, melaleucas and feather flowers.Travelling north to Eneabba, continue 22km north to Western Flora Caravan Park. There’s often plenty of colour appearing beside the walking tracks around the park:
Catspaw, various orchids, hakeas, wattle, yellow myrtle, smokebush, droseras, dampiera, daviesia and native buttercups.
If you are travelling by caravan, book ahead for a site at Western Flora and keep exploring!
Overnight: Cervantes, Jurien Bay or Western Flora Caravan Park (caravan/camping)
DAY TWO
Just west of Green Head is the Lesueur National Park. Known for its incredible floral diversity representing 10% of Western Australia’s total flora, the park features more than 900 species, many of which are not found anywhere else in the world.
Try the following locations:
Drummonds at the foot of Gairdner Range offers an 8km hike (return) to the mesa of Mt Lesueur. The initial section is flat with the ascent a switchback climb.
Cockleshell Gully Road provides great views of the park. It’s an18km bitumised scenic drive showing propeller banksias, magenta starflower, smoke bush, verticordias, hakeas, grevilleas and leschenaultias.
Heading south along the Indian Ocean Drive, turn off to the Pinnacles and Nambung National Park. You will find:
Acacias, hibbertias, various orchids, catspaws, blue tinsel lilies, myrtle, banksias and casuarinas
Overnight: Cervantes, Jurien Bay or continue to Perth