Travel & Touring | WA Things To Do
By: Tatum Stafford
When the warm breath of spring wafts over the city, Perth’s spacious bushlands, reserves, and parklands transform into wildflower wonderlands.
You can spot wildflowers all year round in our sunny state, but the peak Perth wildflower season is between September to November. There are plenty of places to see these stunning native blooms in and around Perth, both north and south of the river.
Whether you’re a wildflower enthusiast or chasing a wholesome family activity that will entertain (and exhaust) the kids, it’s time to pull on your walking shoes for some flora spotting fun.
1. Ellis Brook Valley Reserve, Martin
| Wildflower species | Donkey orchids, pincushion coneflowers, bird orchids and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | September to November |
| Dog friendly | Dogs permitted on lead |
| Entry fee | Free |
Just 35 minutes’ drive from Perth, the sweeping Ellis Brook Valley Reserve is a great wildflower spot for beginners and experts alike. The reserve features over 500 species of wildflowers and has four walking trails of varying difficultly. On your wildflower adventure, you may also spot kangaroos, echidnas, bats, possums, and other native wildlife.
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One of the best ways to enjoy the reserve's blooms is on the Blue Wren Ramble Trail—an easy loop walk of roughly three kilometres. Starting at the Honeyeater Hollow or Valley Head car park, the walk follows the Ellis Brook through Wandoo woodland, and passes a thriving nesting and feeding area for birds.
To catch a glimpse of the picturesque Sixty Foot Falls in full flow, visit in September or October after heavy winter rains. The Sixty Foot Falls Trail is a challenging but short hike with stunning views of the Perth CBD and plenty of opportunities to spot native wildflowers.
2. Kings Park, Perth
| Wildflower species | Everlastings, large-fruited mallees, blue leschenaultias, scarlet banksias, willow-leafed wattles, straw flowers, jacksonia flowers, kangaroo paws and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | July to October |
| Dog friendly | Dogs are allowed on a lead in some areas of the park. Visit the Kings Park Visitor Checklist for more information. |
| Entry fee | General entry to Kings Park is free. However, events during the Everlasting Kings Park Festival are often ticketed and fees may apply. |
Kings Park is one of the best-known spots to see wildflowers in Perth. The park’s most impressive floral display is found within the 17-hectare Western Australian Botanic Garden, which supports more than 3,000 species of flowering plants and can be explored on several walking trails.
The annual Everlasting Kings Park Festival each September welcomes the start of spring in WA. Enjoy guided walks, native gardening workshops, native plant sales, flower photography competitions and outdoor exhibitions. As the world’s biggest display of Western Australian wildflowers, the festival is a must on every wildflower fan’s calendar. This year, the Everlasting Kings Park Festival will run from 16 – 30 September.
Prefer to avoid the festival crowds? Try one of Kings Park’s many other trails. Native flowers bloom all year round at the park, but the best time to spot them is around July to October. See cockatoos and honeyeaters feasting on native parrot bush as you wander high above the Swan River on the Law Walk, a medium difficulty trail that takes around 45 minutes. Or take an easy 25-minute loop bushwalk on the Bushland Nature Trail, where you’ll spy native orchids, banksias and many other beautiful blooms.
3. Hepburn Heights Conservation Area, Padbury
| Wildflower species | Firewood banksias, scented sun orchids, feather-tip bottlebrushes, templetonias, orange star flowers, trigger plants and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | July to November |
| Dog friendly | Dogs permitted on lead |
| Entry fee | Free |
Hepburn Heights is one of the best bushland areas along Perth’s coast for wildflower spotting. The 22-hectare conservation area is filled with a large variety of wildflowers from July to November that are best viewed on the area’s 2.1-kilometre loop trail. The trail takes around 32 minutes and starts at the end of O’Leary Road, near Padbury Catholic Primary School.
For the best experience, visit closer to September when more flowers are in bloom. The Wildflower Society of WA recommend taking the narrow track up the hill, which starts just past the bench seat on the main trail. This narrow path leads to the upper zone, where you’ll see a larger variety of wildflowers.
4. John Forrest National Park, Hovea
| Wildflower species | Lemon scented darwinia, parrotbush banksia sessilis, isopogon dubious, Swan River myrtle, common hovea trisperma, gastrolobium bacon and eggs, yellow buttercups and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | August to November |
| Dog friendly | Dogs are not allowed |
| Entry fee | $15 per standard vehicle. Visit Explore Parks WA for more information. |
John Forrest National Park is a hidden gem in the Perth Hills just 30 minutes from the city. It’s WA’s oldest national park, and boasts rolling valleys, waterfalls, native wildlife, the famous Swan View Tunnel, and of course a stunning variety of wildflowers.
While there are more than 15 trails to choose from at the park, there are two main trails recommended for wildflower hunters.
Take the Wildflower Walk Trail to admire native blooms as well as local treasure, Hovea Falls. This 4.5-kilometre trail starts at the park’s Ranger Office. The Wildflower Walk Trail is considered easy, however, there are a few short steep sections and slippery surfaces.
The Wildflower Walk: Out and Back trail is a longer route at around 5.5 kilometres. This easy trail starts about a third of the way through the Eagle View Track and is popular with wildflower spotters and hikers alike.
5. Lesmurdie Falls, Forrestfield
| Wildflower species | Dryandras, yellow buttercups, grevilleas, white banjines, sticky starflowers, morning irises, couch honeypots, pincushion hakeas and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | August to November |
| Dog friendly | Dogs permitted on lead |
| Entry fee | Free |
Located within the Mundy Regional Park, Lesmurdie Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the greater Perth area – and from late winter to spring, it’s a haven for native wildflowers.
There are various walking trails that take you past the falls’ vibrant wildflower displays. The Valley Loop trail is a great choice for wildflower spotting and views of Lesmurdie Falls from below and above at the lookout. You can access this trail via the Palm Terrace car park.
6. Star Swamp Bushland Reserve, North Beach
| Wildflower species | Banksias, spider orchids, wisterias and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | August to October |
| Dog friendly | Dogs permitted on lead |
| Entry fee | Free |
Renowned for its multiple species of orchids, the 96-hectare Star Swamp is one of Perth’s most beautifully-kept bushlands, thanks to its management by community volunteer group, the Friends of Star Swamp.
Take the Star Swamp Heritage Trail to explore the reserve’s impressive wildflower display. Starting from the Mary Street car park, the 1.4-kilometre trail winds through dense bushland. You'll spot plentiful birdlife and dozens of wildflower species from August to October each year. If you visit outside of these months, you’ll still be able to view other plants that flower year-round.
Also keep an eye out for the elusive Quenda, a type of bandicoot that makes its home amongst the shrubs of Star Swamp.
7. Wireless Hill Park, Ardross
| Wildflower species | Kangaroo paws, cowslip orchid, spider orchids, catspaw flowers, sundew flowers, donkey orchids, rattlebeak orchids and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | August to October |
| Dog friendly | Dogs permitted on lead |
| Entry fee | Free |
The Wireless Hill Park is renowned for its extensive displays of native wildflowers, including impressive examples of the State’s floral emblem, the red and green kangaroo paw.
Wander down the 1.1-kilometre Yagan’s Genunny loop trail to explore the rich heritage and plentiful wildflowers in the park. Starting at the Wireless Hill car park, the walk contains informative signs acknowledging the continued association the Whadjuk Nyoongar people have with the park and its surrounding areas. Throughout the trail, you’ll spot donkey, spider, sun, rattlebeak and cowslip orchid varieties amongst the park’s dense bushland.
Another favourite is the Wildflower Walk, a short and popular loop trail that also starts at the Wireless Hill car park.
8. Bold Park, City Beach
| Wildflower species | Zamias, acacia pulchellas, cockie’s tongues, hoveas, banksias and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | August to October |
| Dog friendly | Dogs permitted on lead |
| Entry fee | Free |
The Bold Park reserve displays impressive biodiversity, with more than 1,000 species of flora and fauna identified in the area. Many don't know that Bold Park is actually bigger than Kings Park, and similarly, it’s home to plenty of wildflowers when spring rolls around.
There are 15 kilometres of walking trails throughout Bold Park, all of which boast stunning arrays of wildflowers. Starting at Reabold Hill, the 5.5-kilometre Zamia Trail is the longest walk, and covers a range of scenery, lookouts and scenic park benches among the local zamias, hoveas and banksias.
If you’re keen to explore deeper into the park, you can take one of the many smaller trails linked to the Zamia Trail.
9. Kensington Bushland Reserve
| Wildflower species | Firewood banksias, pixie mops, hairy yellow peas, kangaroo paws, orchids and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | August to October |
| Dog friendly | Dogs permitted on lead |
| Entry fee | Free |
Nestled between the Swan and Canning rivers, the Kensington Bushland Reserve is a well-preserved jarrah-banksia woodland. With an excess of 200 plant and wildflower species, the nine-hectare reserve is a great area for wildflower lovers to view firewood banksias, native kangaroo paws and pixie mops. A walk through the bushland during spring will unveil the 19 species of orchids that have been identified at the reserve.
The Kensington Bushland Reserve Loop is a 1.9-kilometre trail that will take you through this suburban bushland. Along with wildflowers, the reserve is known for its loud and loveable locals—black cockatoos.
10. Brixton Street Wetlands, Kenwick
| Wildflower species | Hare orchids, swamp bunny orchids, blue lady orchids, fringed lilies, prickly peas, purple tassels, variegated feather flowers, cowslip orchids, spider orchids, pansy orchids, kangaroo paws and more. |
|---|---|
| Season | August to November |
| Dog friendly | Dogs are not allowed |
| Entry fee | Free |
This small conservation area explodes with wildflowers from winter to late spring. Home to more than 20 per cent of Perth’s flora species, it is the most floristically diverse site on the Swan Coastal Plain. Look out for the dozens of rare and endangered flowers, including the elusive Purdie’s donkey orchid.
You can access the main lookout off Alton Street, and much of the wetlands’ wildflowers can be viewed from walking trails. You may also spot a Quenda or two—the wetlands are a habitat for these small marsupials.
Last updated: September 2022
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