Between July and October each year, Western Australia’s wildflowers transform the Golden Outback into both a kaleidoscope of colour and the world’s biggest wildflower show.
Bursting into life with the first signs of sun after winter, WA’s wildflowers carpet the state in bright and beautiful blooms, all the way from the red dirt of the Gascoyne-Murchison and the Goldfields to the white sand beaches of Esperance.
Home to over 12,000 different varieties - most of which aren’t found anywhere else in the world - Western Australian wildflowers have reached legendary status, and for good reason. In fact, this biodiversity hotspot is full of wonderfully rare flowers that attract people from all over, from the iconic Western Australian wreath flowers in the Wheatbelt to the Queen of Sheba orchid and the bizarre-looking Royal Hakea.
Where to see wildflowers in WA?
Depending on the weather and time of the season, you can find wildflowers across all the corners of Australia’s Golden Outback. Best known for its carpets of everlastings, the Wheatbelt has become synonymous with WA’s wildflower season, but you’ll find breathtaking displays throughout the region.
Some of our favourite spots to see wildflowers in WA include Mount Augustus, the Kennedy Range, Yalgoo and Woolen Station in the Gascoyne-Murchison, Perenjori, Wongan Hills, Hyden and Narrogin in the Wheatbelt, Lake Ballard and Leonora in the Goldfields, and Ravensthorpe, Fitzgerald River National Park and Cape Le Grand National Park in Esperance, Norseman & the Fitzgerald Coast.
For more on the best places to see wildflowers in WA, visit our Where to See Wildflowers page.
When’s the best time to see wildflowers in WA?
While you might be lucky enough to catch the first glimpse of wildflowers in the northern-most tips of the region from early July, wildflower season in WA usually starts around mid-late July and slowly moves south through the state, ending in late October/early November.
Subject to seasonal changes, rainfall and the weather, wildflower season can vary year by year, but this monthly overview is a good base to get you started.
You can also keep on top of what’s flowering using Western Australia’s Visitor Centre’s Wildflower Tracker, a crowd-reported wildflower report app that is continually updated throughout the season with updates on when and where to see the best blooms in the state.
For early predictions and up-to-date information on how the season’s shaping up, follow Australia’s Golden Outback on Facebook and Instagram. You can also check out our Wildflower Hotspots page, which is updated every wildflower season.
July
On a good year, you’ll start to see hints of colour and Australian desert flowers in the Gascoyne-Murchison and the northern Goldfields from late-July, though the wildflowers don’t usually reach their peak up here until August.
August
Getting into August, the wildflower wave starts slowly making its way south. This is prime time to see the wildflowers in the Gascoyne-Murchison, while the Goldfields and the northern Wheatbelt are beginning to bloom, with the carpets of everlastings starting to emerge. You might even get lucky and see the famous wreath flower, Western Australia’s beautiful yet elusive roadside wonder.
September
The middle of WA’s wildflower season is the best time to go road-tripping and exploring. By September, the wildflowers in the Wheatbelt are usually here, there and everywhere - and canola too. The Goldfields should also be in full flower (season dependent), while south of Perth, wildflower season is kicking off too, reaching Esperance and spreading east and west along the Fitzgerald Coast and the Nullabor.
October
September to October is the south’s time to shine. While the summer heat still feels a little way off, spring on the southern outback coast is paradise, with endless white-sand beaches, (slightly) fewer crowds, wildflowers galore - and even migrating whales! Esperance’s wildflower season coincides with the tail end of whale watching season too - in case you needed another reason to venture down there this spring.
November
Gently fading into that good night - or, in this case, the soon-to-be-summer days - wildflower season in WA usually peters out around late October, but on a good year, you might be able to catch the last glimpses of colour around Esperance and the Fitzgerald Coast until early November.
Wildflowers in the Golden Outback
You can also check out our other wildflower pages where you can learn all about wildflower season in Western Australia all year-round:
• Wildflower Hotspots gives you an regularly updated hit list of what flowers are blooming where
• Where to See Wildflowers delves in deep about the best places to see wildflowers in the Golden Outback.
• Outback Wildflower Trails has all your wildflower road trip and tour itineraries and info
• Wildflowers of the Outback is where you can discover more about the Golden Outback’s most popular native wildflowers
Wildflower Road Trips
A wildflower road trip is the perfect way to experience the seasonal spectacle, with most of WA’s wildflower hotspots accessible by 2WD - however, you might want to check with the local Visitor Centre beforehand, just in case.
To see the best of the best you’ll want to stay at least one night too - wildflower country is also dark sky country, and wildflower season is also the Milkyway season, so you can see the most amazing flowers by day and stellar stars by night.
The best way to experience both is by camping, with some amazing sites along popular routes, but if you really don’t feel like roughing it, towns and stations along the way have tourist accommodation too - just be sure to book ahead as it can get very popular.
For more inspiration and insights, check out our Outback Wildflower Trails guide. Ranging from short overnights to 10-day explorations, these are designed to hit all the best seasonal spots across the Golden Outback. However, these do change year on year, so you might also want to give the local visitor centres a call beforehand to check what’s blooming.
Wildflower events you might be interested in
Follow the links below to learn more.
Join a Wildflower Tour
While most of the best places to see wildflowers in WA are only accessible by car, if you don’t feel like going solo, you can also join a wildflower tour, with plenty of options available from day trips to week-long adventures.
Follow the links below to learn more.
Plan your Golden Outback wildflower holiday
Follow the links below to learn more.
Wildflowers of the Golden Outback
Western Australia is renowned for its wonderful array of flora with over 12,000 species. Learn more about the types of flora you'll encounter this wildflower season
Follow the video links below to view more.
Western Australia's Wildflower Country
Experience the raw natural beauty, discover a rich pioneering history and enjoy the slower pace of life that Western Australia's Wildflower Country has to offer.
Follow the video links below and discover the amazing attractions of Western Australia's Wildflower Country.