WILD FLOWERS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

These are extremely rare florals...

These are more common






Carpet of pure gold!




WESTERN AUSTRALIA IS THE BIGGEST STATE BY FAR IN AUSTRALIA BUT ITS POPULATION IS THE SMALLEST RELATIVE TO ITS HUMUNGOUS SIZE.


A vast part is nothing but desert, not conducive to human habitat and best left to the native creatures. Apart from a brief Gold Rush, few early settlers were making a beeline for this harsh and unforgiving emptiness. Mind you, the coastal regions are absolute paradise and Margaret River region produces some of the world's finest wines and some of the pockets of forests flaunt karri trees, some of the planet's highest and most magnificent trees. But the rest I must say are not exactly places on the top of my Places to Retire List.


So I am convinced it is the beautiful wild flowers that lured the early settlers to this part of Australia. Just seeing these wild flowers (growing wild and natural, hence the name) carpeting countless acres with splashes of vivid colours is enough to think you have discovered the new Garden of Eden!


Sometimes the flowers are of the same colour, often myriad hues and sometimes in contrasting tones so you do wonder how they get to present their pretty petals in such diverse ways since no one planted them!


During the non-blooming months, you would probably trample all over them, not realising these ordinary looking plants are responsible for transforming the entire landscape of Western Australia into a riotous blazes of rainbows.


Once you see these wildflowers, you will agree this is one of the most magnificent natural wonders created when Mother Nature was in a good mood!


And for sure you will be coming back for a repeat viewing! All in the great outdoors, all natural and all awesome!


Forget about trying to identify them since there are around 12,000 species! And 60% of them are endemic to Western Australia and not nowhere else, not even in other parts of Australia let alone your favorite nursery in Sungai Buloh. 


Alas and alack, these wildflowers are not perennials and do not flower throughout the year. These floral fantasies burst into fantastic flashiness from August till September though cling on to their final curtains in October but NOW is the best time and September too so stop dawdling and book your ticket right this instant.


Viewing Western Australia's wildflowers in full bloom is one of the 50 Things You Must Do Before You Meet Your Maker.

                                                                                                                    

WA BURSTS INTO WILDFLOWER SEASON

Wildflower season is in full bloom in Western Australia. Ranked as one of WA’s most precious and beloved natural assets, the State enjoys a season lasting about five monthsuntil November.

Beginning in the North West, the season sweeps south with carpets of colour lighting-up its beautifully rugged landscapes to the South West.

WA is home to a massive 12,000 wildflower species, more than the rest of Australia combined. 60 per cent of WA’s wildflower species are found nowhere else in the world.

North of Perth along the Coral Coast, Kalbarri National Park comes alive in August, while inland, the rare and revered wreath flower (Leschenaultia Macrantha) can be found at Paynes Find. Mullewa is another blossoming town, with hake, heath brush and spider orchids creating a sea of colour, and a short drive away the Coalseam Conservation Park becomes carpeted with a stunning display of pink, gold, cream and white everlastings.

The South of the State hosts a magnificent floral display from September, with areas such as Esperance, Pemberton, Denmark, Northcliffe, Albany, Margaret River and the Porongurup Ranges springing to life with rare and exquisite flora.

KingsPark Wildflower Festival, 1 September – 7 October<http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/events/kings-park-festival>

In Perth, inner-city Kings Park and Botanic Gardens mark the arrival of Spring with more than 1,700 wildflower species, at its annual wildflower festival. From 1 September to 7 October, the popular Kings Park Wildflower Festival celebrates “Wildflowers in Focus” with a range of diverse activities for visitors, reflecting the various aspects ofKings Park, the State’s Botanic Garden and the myriad of interests in the general community. The Festival incorporates interactive workshops, the popular Santos Live Sundays with free live music in the heart of the Botanic Garden, expert guided wildflower walks and innovative children’s education and entertainment opportunities. Kings Park’s Adorable Florables will also be back at this year’s Festival featuring in their very own theatre show. http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/events/kings-park-festival

Tourism WA also this year launched ‘Wildflower Watch,’ an initiative which enables wildflower enthusiasts and regional industry to share where they’ve spotted wildflowers blooming and when.  Enthusiasts can also post the latest wildflower sightings on Tourism WA’s Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/ExtraordinaryWesternAustralia> page or tweet their spot with #wildflowersWA to @WestAustralia<http://twitter.com/WestAustralia/>.

WILDFLOWER TRAILS

Embark on a self-drive holiday and discover one of WA’s eleven Wildflower Trails, each offering a unique collection of species over vastly diverse landscapes, or book a travel package and make planning your wildflower experience even easier.  westernaustralia.com/wildflowers<http://westernaustralia.com/wildflowers>

Perth is a five-hour flight from Singapore via Singapore Airlines, Qantas/BritishAirways, Jetstar and Tiger Airways and Malaysia via Malaysian Airlines and Air Asia X.

Happy and fascinated Malaysian couple at work!

I am not sure if you are allowed to stand and trample the wildflowers...

A romantic stroll is in order

A spectacular carpet of gold!

So pretty I always suspect these Spring Annuals were planted according to their colours and sizes but these lovely flowers are ALL natural planted by Jesus Christ and Mother Nature

Pink Everlastings

So pretty and lovely they look fake but trust me, they are as real as my brains

Unique landscape painted by Mother Nature

Sitting under the gum trees with family or darling in Perth's King's Park and Botanic Garden listening to a free concert with drinks on hand, what more can one ask for this side of heaven?

Usual day clothes of Western Australians... OK so maybe not but you must admit Western Australians are in full bloom