While eastern-based grey nomads may have missed out on Western Australia’s stunning wildflower display this year, many have still been able to get their floral fix.
The best yearly rainfall in a decade in the region has seen wildflowers bloom across drought-stricken western Queensland.
Bulloo Shire mayor John ‘Tractor’ Ferguson told the ABC that, after years of drought, the transformation of the landscape had been incredible.
“I reckon it’s the best wildflower season we’ve had in eight to 10 years,” he said. “This was thick … it looked like big canola crops over these stony ridges it was unbelievable.”
And Mr Ferguson is looking forward to what more rain could bring.
“If we keep getting these storms like they’re saying, it’ll be a good season for a change,” he said. “No more dust storms for a while thank god, no more droughts so we’ll be able to settle down and live properly for a while.”
The ABC reports that Kilcowera Station, about 90 kilometres south of Thargomindah, has also enjoyed the colourful change to groundcover.
“Thank God we’re not seeing much red dirt anymore, it’s mostly green and then the yellows and purples,” said part-owner of Kilcowera, Greg Sherwin. “All the coloured daisies … the white one and the big yellow paper daisies and the purple one have really flowered up well.”
In the ACT as well, spring is seeing the arrival of some wildflowers.
The Early Nancy flowers are the first to appear, but tiny orchids, bush peas and billy buttons will emerge in the next few weeks.
In WA, the wildflower season begins in the north in June and sweeps south, finishing on the south coast in November
Yes the wildflowers are amazing this year.
We head north each year and the flowers from Quilpie to Thargomindah and through to Kilcowera Station when we were there middle of September were beautiful.