Where to See Wildflowers – Near Perth

1. Kings Park

Much of it is bushland and there are extensive developed areas including a Botanic Garden. Originally a low forest of Jarrah and Banksias, there is now a wide array of wildflowers on show including the red and green kangaroo paw. Friends of Kings Park

2. Bold Park

Bold Park is bigger than Kings Park and comprises near-coastal dunes and ridges and therefore has a different flora. It has several diverse ecosystems including banksia woodland and low heaths. If you are interested in innovative use of local plants in gardens, visit the Ecology Centre garden next door to Perry House. Friends of Bold Park Bushland

3. John Forrest National Park

This is a fine park on the edge of the Darling Scarp overlooking Perth. A few hundred meters from the entrance, there is a good lookout over the plain. Amongst the steep terrain you can see a range of interesting wildflowers including Verticordias. More details can be found on the DBCA website or Friends of John Forrest National Park

4. Walyunga National Park

Near the entrance to the park there are good plants to see as you move up slope from the Wandoo trees on the left side of the road. The river here consists of a series of pools and rapids. For more information on this park, check out the DBCA website

5. Wireless Hill Park

Wireless Hill Park has a very good range of flowers in spring. Red and green kangaroo paws are prolific and it is one of the few places near Perth where there is also a good crop of the smaller Wallaby (cat’s) Paws.  There are also many orchids. Early in Spring there are Greenhoods, then Donkey orchids and later, Spider orchids. Friends of Wireless Hill

6. Ellis Brook Valley Reserve

In winter and spring, Ellis Brook cascades over a rock bar to form one of the few waterfalls in the south west. A made path leads up parallel to the stream and gives you good close-ups of a wide range of flowers while bathed in the scent of a “hazel” which grows along the stream. Views from the top are spectacular – and are earned, as the last stages of the climb are rather steep. But even half way is pretty good! Friends of Ellis Brook Valley

7. Bungendore Park

Bungendore Park is 498 ha of bushland. It carries a mixture of marri and jarrah trees with good areas of banksia and dryandra and some wandoo trees.  There is a low ground flora with lots of flowers. It is a favourite place for bush walkers and bird watchers

8. Jirdarup (Kensington) Bushland

This is the best-preserved remnant urban bushland between the Swan and Canning Rivers. It is a typical jarrah-banksia woodland on Bassendean Sand. The greatest species diversity is in the understory, with in excess of 150 native species in just 9 ha. Friends of Jirdarup Bushland

9. Star Swamp

Despite the name, most of this reserve is firm ground. It is a large piece of bushland with an extensive network of walking paths. The vegetation is an open banksia-eucalypt woodland with an extensive ground flora. Friends of Star Swamp Bushland

10. Hepburn Heights

This is one of the better pieces of bushland in the coastal plain for the array of flowers and has fewer weeds than better-known areas. It is a great place for almost six months starting with the Templetonia flowers in July. Friends of Hepburn Bushland

11. Brixton Street Wetlands

This reserve comprises some of the vegetation of the heavy soils of the coastal plain. The best time to visit is from late September – when the pools are drying a little and the many water-loving plants are flowering. You will notice the bright flowers of Robin Red Breast. The small tree with the pea flowers and the broom-like habit is Swish bush – Viminaria.  Towards the end of spring there are large areas of a rather attractive Verticordia in flower. Friends of Brixton St Wetlands

12. The ‘Zig Zag’

There are good views over the plain from the top and many different places to stop. The flowers at the top are characteristic of the exposed parts of the hills and put on a wonderful display in September. Lower there are some moist gullies with rather different plants.

Thanks to Dr Jim Barrow for providing this information.