The Ultimate Guide to WA’s Wildflower Season

Professional photographers and road-trip enthusiasts Charlotte and James Maddock give Australian Traveller their top tips for experiencing WA’s wildflower season at its best.

Every spring, Western Australia erupts with colour, fragrance and, of course, adventure. Wildflowers bloom in the thousands and a good old-fashioned road trip beckons. We’re no stranger to a road trip, having explored all corners of our great state by road over the last decade – from crossing the never-ending Nullarbor in the south to traversing the iconic Gibb River Road in the north. But wildflowers offer something different, something unique: unexpected joy in the most unsuspecting of places.

We’ve always found ‘the journey is the destination’ to be somewhat of a cliché – quietly wondering where these people are travelling to if it’s not the ultimate highlight of the trip. But a wildflower road trip opened our eyes, and not just figuratively. Everywhere you look is like a painting, and we constantly fight the urge to pull over time and time again. Our trusty kombi is the perfect companion – slow, steady and always up for an adventure.

Where should people start?

woman looking out of van window at the wildflowers, WA — Cruising the back roads of Morawa as Western Australia’s landscape explodes with colour. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

The ideal starting place is WA’s aptly coined ‘Wildflower Country’ – designated as the nine local government areas from Moora to Mullewa. The whole region is bursting with thousands of species of wildflowers, including the iconic and resilient wreath flower. Coalseam Conservation Park is also a must-see; the whole area covered with carpets of flowers and designated walking trails to take you up close and personal.

a woman walking along Coalseam Conservation Park — Walking trails at Coalseam Conservation Park slice through nature’s colourful display. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

From here, we ditch the bitumen and embrace the adventure, following unassuming dirt roads into the heart of Western Australia’s outback. North of Pindar lies the most exquisite display of wreath flowers you will find anywhere in the world. They sit, totally unassuming, crowding the roadside far from civilisation.

carpets of pink everlastings at Eaglestone Rock, WA wildflower season — Eaglestone Rock provides the perfect backdrop to carpets of pink everlastings. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

It becomes a ritual to stop at each country town, and not just for their bakeries. The wildflower enthusiasts in the visitor centres know all the best spots and gleam with pride when giving you a mud map, photocopied and annotated with nothing but love. This information is essential for those hunting the more elusive wildflowers, such as the donkey orchids or spider orchids.

a couple having a picnic at Irwin Lookout, WA — Picnic dreams from Irwin Lookout while surrounded by a rainbow of blooms. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

Where can people stay?

a van parked in a field of wildflowers in WA — The vibrant colours of wildflowers contrast with the red earth of WA’s outback. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

Personally, we are drawn further east to WA’s Wheatbelt where the crowds get smaller, the distances longer and granite outcrops scatter the landscape. The water runoff from dramatic rock formations causes wildflowers to grow in abundance and provides the perfect backdrop for photos. The local shires here also allow free camping, so we can snap away at dusk and dawn. Our favourite spots are Eaglestone Rock in Nungarin, Datjoin Rock in Beacon and Elachbutting Rock in the Shire of Westonia.

Charlotte & James Maddock at Beringbooding Rock, WA wildflower season — Add Beringbooding Rock to your wildflower itinerary. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

Evenings at these campsites are the highlight of our road trip, as we capture the wildflowers among the setting sun before lighting a campfire for the evening. Is there a better feeling than sharing stories by the fire in the middle of the outback with just the sounds of the bush and billions of stars twinkling above? We don’t think so.

driving through Mullewa’s wildflower country — Drive through Mullewa’s wildflower country when it is awash with colour. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

Our road trip mantra has always been to leave no trace, but it’s even more vital in wildflower season. We watch our every step, sticking to existing paths and taking only photos (lots and lots of them). It’s on us – all of us – to leave this colourful painting exactly as nature intended it.

Evenings around the campfire at Datjoin Rock, one of many free campsites in the Golden Outback. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

Top tips from the experts:

The season typically starts late July in the Gascoyne region, with the blooms moving southwards through the Wheatbelt in late August/early September, and then through to the South West in late September/early October.
The visitor centres (there’s usually one in every town) have the best handle on what’s blooming and where the hotspots are. They often compile and release weekly reports on their websites.
Embrace the power of social media. Thousands of enthusiasts share their experiences and photos to dedicated wildflower Facebook groups. These posts can provide live reports on bloom activity.
Be careful when pulling over to the side of the road, especially on highways.
Pack antihistamines, which are useful on windy days.
Please tread carefully, follow existing paths and do not pick the wildflowers.

Charlotte & James Maddock enjoying the wildflower season in WA — Wildflowers grow in abundance in the ‘Wildflower Country’. (Image: Charlotte & James Maddock)

For more WA road-trip adventures, follow @cjmaddock on Instagram

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.

This is how to plan a WA wildflower road trip, according to experts