The Beach & Forest Eco Adventure goes technicolor during this time - it gives visitors an insite into the local flora of the Karri understory and travels through the coastal heath. It is recomended for young and old - in fact the oldest person on this trip was 96 years old yelling Yeaha from the back seat!
About our flowers...
Western Australia is a well recognized destination for its stunning annual display of wildflowers. Around 11,000 flora species are found in WA and over 75% are found in the south-west, one of the top 10 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
Pemberton in the heart of the old-growth karri forest is an ideal location to experience the beauty of the south-west wildflower season. The season generally commences in late July with winter flowering orchids such as Helmet and Midge Orchids and the deep purple of tree hovea (Hovea elliptica) and from September through to November is the best time to capture the annual display of mass blooming.
The wildflowers in the karri transform through a range of colour phases, from the dark purples, to yellow, oranges, pink, white and through to light blue in November/December. The sight and smell of the wildflower displays in the karri in springtime is an amazing treat for the senses.
Common in the karri is the Water Bush (Bossiaea aquifolium), Karri Hazel (Trymalium floribundum), many different species of wattle, Tassel Bush (Leucopogon verticillatum), in addition to the beautiful Coral Vine (Kennedia coccinea), Flame Pea vines (Chorizema spp.), Native Wisteria (Hardenbergia comptoniana) and White Clematis (Clematis pubescens) which drape themselves over the undergrowth. Spotting terrestrial orchids, of which over 30 species can be found in the Pemberton area, can be similar to a treasure hunt (warning: can be addictive once you’ve found your first one!).
The Pemberton region also contains many pockets of jarrah forest with equally spectacular wildflower displays. D’Entrecasteaux National Park, which encompasses the coastline to the south of Pemberton, is home to a complex range of heathland plants that flower prolifically in a gorgeous show of colour and are generally flowering earlier than the karri. There are many varied drives around the Pemberton area which enable you to get amongst some of these displays yourself, but to truly see the best of what’s on offer and to see the places the locals know about, a tour may be the answer.