Esperance Wildflower Trail

Buckle-up for a technicolour adventure. Over eight days and almost 2,000 kilometres, a profusion of native wildflowers stream past on this road trip traversing some of the region’s most biodiverse landscapes. For the full blaze of native wildflowers, time your run between September and December. The botanic bonanza starts east of Perth, exploring the Wheatbelt’s precious pockets of native flora. Witness magical views over the scrub-fringed dome of Boyagin Rock. Glimpse endangered marsupials, like numbats, wallabies and possums on a torch-lit tour of Dryandra Woodland, an important home for wildlife preservation. Spot rare orchids at Yilliminning Rock, at Foxes Lair near Narrogin (home to 300-plus wildflower species), and at Tarin Rock, with its endemic compass bush. Spend the night at Lake King’s saltpans, where twinkling stars jostle for attention after the day’s wildflower show. Got a four-wheel drive? Breathe in the honey-scented airs of Frank Hann National Park, with its rolling landscapes of native heath, and the flora-festooned Peak Charles National Park – all part of the Great Western Woodlands, a vast area of biologically diverse temperate woodlands. Cruise the sealed road past the turquoise-fringed waters of Esperance, the perfect place to soak up nature, detouring past Ravensthorpe to view the wildflowers. Or spend the afternoon exploring Cape Le Grand National Park. Wash away the drive at Lucky Bay, home to the whitest sand you’ll ever sit yourself down on and witness the quintessential Australian sight: kangaroos sun-lounging on the beach. Laidback Hopetoun is the gateway to Fitzgerald River National Park - a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve with 1,800 types of weird and wonderful plant species, like banksia, hakeas, coneflowers, starflowers, smokebushes and numerous orchids. Secluded Bremer Bay is a fitting end to this adventure – no crowds, just you and the surf.