Wildflowers in Western Australia: Kings Park, Perth.

Kangaroo Paw, Kings Park Festival, Perth
The days might be getting colder in the northern hemisphere - but - it is spring in Australia, and spring means flowers! David and I have flown for five and a half hours across the continent from our home in Sydney to Perth to see one of the best displays of wildflowers on the planet. Western Australia has 12,000 species of wildflowers, over 60 percent of which are found nowhere else on earth.  When you think of the vast expanse of Australia's largest state (2,600,000 sq kms) don't just think red desert and endless open expanses, think magnificent floral tapestries in every colour of the rainbow.


The wildflowers begin to bloom in June in the north and progressively move south until the season ends in November. Being lazy (savvy) tourists, David and I shortcutted the whole wandering around in the bush thing seeking out exotic orchards and other flora and headed straight to the wildflower festival at Kings Park in Perth where from the 1st to the 30th of September the city plays host to the largest display of wildflowers in the state.

There isn't a lot I can say about flowers, I can barely name any of them, so just sit back and enjoy the photos!

Kings Park Wildflower Festival

Kings Park Wildflower Festival


Kings Park Wildflower Festival


Kings Park Wildflower Festival

Kings Park wildflowers

Kings Park wildflower

Kings Park wildflowers

Kings Park wildflowers


Kings Park Perth
I have no idea what this sculpture signifies but I thought it was impressive so I took a photo.
Kings Park Perth
Kings Park is on a hill overlooking Perth. Even if you aren't there in wildlfower season it is worth visiting just for the views.
Boab tree.
This Boab is estimated to be 750 years old. It may look dead but it is actually just recovering from a long journey - I know how it feels! In 2008 it was brought 3,200 kms from the Kimberleys in the north of Western Australia. 

Kings Park Wildflower Festival
I am fairly sure this is a Sth African  flower but it was so lovely I wanted to include it. It looks a lot like a yellow version of the New South Wales emblem the waratah.

Tips and tricks and things to know: -

  • Kings Park Perth is free to visit.
  • There is free parking at the park, however during the festival it gets quite busy. Try to visit on a weekday morning.
  • Kings Park is 400 hectares. There is a lot more to do than just look at the wildflowers. Click here for more information.
  • For information on where to find wildflowers in Western Australia click  - here.

Related posts - 

Click on the titles below for other posts from our road trip in Western Australia: - 


52 comments:

  1. Looks like you had a lovely time at Kings Park, one of my favourite places to while away some time on a gorgeous spring day. I was there recently for a cocktail party at Frasers and the views in the evening are stunning. You timed your visit well to see the best of the spring flowers. Thanks for sharing this with #TheWeeklyPostcard

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    1. We deliberately came in September so we could see the wildflowers. Driving through the south-west we are seeing them all over the place but the down side is the cold weather. I'm not sure I would come back to the south at this time of year. Next year we are coming back to Perth (D has already booked the flights) but we are headed north toward the Coral Coast.

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    2. Oh you would have loved that area this time. It is the absolute best year for wildflowers in the areas around Cervantes, Jurien, etc. Hopefully next year will be just as pretty. Hope we get to catch up again when you return.

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  2. Our flowers in California are very similar with the ones you have in this part of Australia. The only thing is that they are not wild flowers here, but planted. Perhaps they have been brought here from Australia.

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    1. Propagated Western Australian wildflowers grow really well in our garden in Sydney but it is only in the last few years we have been able to buy them. Although 60% of Western Australia's wildflowers are unique 40% aren't so it is possible they are the same or similar to the flowers you have in California.

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  3. I know it's spring down under but the flowers start blooming in June!? We've just had daffodils bloom and everything else is starting to sprout. Can you send some heat over the Tasman?

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    1. Haha - wish I could. It has been freezing in Western Australia. The flowers are lovely but I didn't know it could get so cold here.

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  4. We have had an odd set of seasons; a never ending summer and now spring has sprung. Kings Park looks lovely

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    1. We have been out of touch with the weather in New South Wales. Number two son, who still lives at home, says it has rained a fair bit. In the south-west of Western Australia it is freezing.

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    2. This is our coldest winter in a long time, funny how many people don't think Perth gets cold weather. Down south is always quite harsh in winter (by Australian standards).

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  5. I have heard a lot about Kings Park in Perth and it's great to see more photos from there. Did you really just fly to Perth for the flowers or are there more nice posts like this coming from your trip? Can't wait to read more. Thanks for sharing these awesome captures!

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    1. We timed our trip to see the wild flowers but we will be here for two weeks altogether. We are doing a road trip from Perth to the Margaret River then Albany and Esperance so there are lots more photos and blog posts to come.

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  6. Such gorgeous wildflowers in Western Australia. Beautiful photos Lyn :)

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  7. I love Kings Parks Perth and its unique wildflowers! Kings Parks is the first place on my list whenever I re-visit Perth. To me this is the most beautiful city park I have ever seen. And yes it does get sooo cold in W.A. I can tell you from my last road trip down south to Albany, in April, how freezing it was, especially after sunset and at night! Great photos!

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    1. Haha - We were in Albany a couple of days ago and it didn't get above 13 degrees C. I knew it wouldn't be warm but I had no idea W.A could get so cold.

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  8. Great pictures. I love wildflowers, but growing up in Texas I am partial to bluebonnets. In some parts of Texas you just see the fields of bluebonnets along the highway and then there is also the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.

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    1. I have heard that the wildflowers in Texas are lovely. Texas, in wildflower season, is definitely on our todo list.

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  9. I guess flowers are a good reason to travel. Yes, days getting colder up here and I miss the wildflowers. But, I am getting ready for the falls colors!

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    1. Fall colours are stunning. We have seen them in New England a couple of times and loved them.

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  10. So beautiful! Definitely worth the 5-hour flight from Sydney to Perth :-) We also just celebrated our wildflower season in South Africa...my favourite time of the year. PS: your last pic does look like a South African pincushion, yes :-) #TheWeeklyPostcard

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    1. David and I visited South Africa for the first time earlier this year. What a beautiful country you live in. It is definitely on our list to return to.

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  11. I´m never tired of flowers! These at Kings Park look stunning: all the forms and colors, especially if you can't find most of them anywhere else! Never been to Australia before, but now I definitely won't miss Perth!

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    1. Perth is one of the most remote capitals in the world but it and the rest of Western Australia is well worth the effort required to get here.

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  12. I must pop down and have a look.

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    1. You better hurry, the festival finishes on 30 September.

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  13. Lyn, I just love wildflowers. Your photos pop with color, beautiful.
    Thanks for linking up with #wkendtravelinspiration!

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    1. David and I have been doing a wildflower tour of south-west Western Australia and loving every minute of it.

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  14. How beautiful! Yes, I have to say I assumed Western Australia was a vast outback of dry, golden desert. Thanks for correcting me!

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    1. Much of Western Australia is vast red desert. David and I are coming back next year (twice) to see the more remote regions. This year we have confined ourselves to the relatively populated south-west.

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  15. Wow, your wildflower photos are absolutely stunning! They're not something I normally go out of my way to see, but if I ever get back to Australia, I certainly want to see the west of the country, and it looks like spring is the time to go!

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    1. It has been colder than we expected in the south-west. Cold weather is not something you would normally associate with Western Australia. We are coming in spring again next year but we are headed north from Perth so we hope to see the wildflowers again but in warmer weather this time.

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  16. Loved your comment about not naming flowers as I seem surrounded by friends who can not only name their common names, but the Latin and tell me every detail and I am the one who usually says, "it was a big yellow bloom with frilly leaves" about them. Beautiful tour both of plants and place!

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    1. Haha - David and I have been admiring the beautiful 'wildflowers'as we drive around the south-west - only to discover that some of them are weeds. They are very lovely weeds though!

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  17. Perth looks more and more appealing to me every time I see something about it. I cannot believe a 750 year old tree was re-located. I sure hope it adapts and thrives.

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    1. There was a series of photos showing the journey the boab took from its original location to where it was re-planted. It was moved 3,200 kilometres and became quite a celebrity in its own right as it passed through remote settlements in the north-west.

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  18. Wow! I would love to see those flowers. Thanks for all the lovely flower pictures from Perth ;-)

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    1. My pleasure. You will just have to plan a trip to Western Australia. David and I have two more trips planned there for next year, when we'll be going to the much more remote parts of the north-west.

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  19. So many wonderful flowers like it in Australia! The colors you captured are fabulous and give me hope that our spring is just around the corner.

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    1. Haha! I think spring takes a little longer to arrive in NZ - but it can't be long!

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  20. very interesting for me. The flowers are certainly different than what we see in the North East U.S. quid a lovely garden!

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  21. Who needs names with photos as lovely as these! Spring, regardless of location, is always such a refreshing time of year. The sculpture reminds me of a fountain of water, and there's something about that Boab tree that is very intriguing. #LTTL

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    1. You might be right about the fountain and the story of the boab tree is really interesting.

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  22. Stunning flowers, and the idea of moving a 750 year old tree is mind-boggling!!!
    I hope you'll come on by & link up at [On the other hand, I wrote about the KeepGo and the use of data, not roaming or texting.]

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  23. What a fantastic way to begin spring in Australia! Can't believe that there are so many different species of wildflowers in Western Australia. I really enjoyed the photos you captured :) Thanks for sharing, Lyn!

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    1. Australia isn't all desert and saltbush - although I have to admit that there is a fair bit of that too.

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  24. Spring is my second favorite season of the year, so I am thrilled to see everyones post who lives in the Southern Hemisphere. You captures the color of spring beautifully in your shots.

    Lisa @ LTTL

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    1. Thanks Lisa. It is a bit weird though - in Australia we are all putting up photos of spring flowers, while you are searching out the best autumn colours.

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  25. I guess will be no wild flowers when we visit Perth is February, but sounds like Kings Park would be a nice place to visit in any case? I love the wild flowers here in the UK, but I don't think we have as many different species as you have in Australia. Thank you for your lovely photos😄

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    1. Perth in February will be hot - really hot. I can't imagine any flower could survive.

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