Stirling Range NP

Bluff Knoll is the third highest mountain peak in Western Australia and is the highest in Stirling Range

Stirling Range NP is one of the best places in Western Australia for hiking, as well as to view wildflowers. Over 1500 species of plants grow there, with some plants not existing anywhere else in the world. Some plants are easy to spot and they are quite abundant. Others are rare and threatened flora and very hard to find, as it is protected. Certain types of wildflowers, like mountain bells, only grow in altitudes higher than 300 meters above sea level.

Bluff Knoll flora

The plants below were all photographed while climbing Bluff Knoll hiking trail.

East and West of Stirling Range NP

I found these wildflowers in Stirling Range National Park in places, other than Bluff Knoll. We stayed at Stirling Range Retreat, where a lot of orchids, as well as other plants grow.

Wireless Hill Park

Jug Orchid in Wireless Hill Park

If you are looking for a place to see wildflowers around Perth, Wireless Hill Park in Ardross is one such place. It is a bushland that has been reserved for the communication station (operated between 1912 and 1968), thus not open for housing development and this is what made the bushland thrive. The Park has a dedicated wildflower walk with informative signs (thanks to the Friends of Wireless Hill volunteers for looking after the park and the plants).  park also has a picnic area, a nature-based playground and Telecommunications Museum. The kids enjoyed their play, while I admired wildflowers. Perfect afternoon!

There are a lot of kangaroo and cat’s paw flowers in the park.

A variety of different orchids is another highlight of Wireless Hill Park. Wild orchids are delicate, quite small and easy to miss. But when you spot one, kneel down and take time to look, you will see intricate beauty and uniqueness of nature’s creation.

Pansy Donkey orchids are quite common while Jug Orchids (above) are more difficult to find.

Caladenia arenicola – Carousel Spider (above left). Lyperanthus serratus rattle beak orchid (above centre). Pink Fairy Orchid Caladenia latifolia (above right).