It’s one of the highlights of the Big Lap for many grey nomads and, this year, the wildflower season is promising to be one of the most spectacular in a long, long time.
The ABC reports that, heavy rains across southern WA have resulted in orchids blooming weeks ahead of schedule.
The region has apparently recorded its wettest starts to a year in more than three decades with the Stirling Range National Park – about 80 kilometres north of Albany – the epicentre, transforming into a colourful display of wildflowers.
University of WA Professor of Biology Stephen Hopper told the ABC that the early blooming was happening across much of the southern half of the state.
“It’s quite noticeable that some species are appearing two or three weeks, in some cases, earlier than is normal for them,” he said.
Dr Hopper said the consistent rains over the past few months was a promising sign for wildflower lovers.
“It’s going to be a bumper season,” he told the ABC. “I have contacts as far north as Mt Magnet … this year it’s going to be a bumper wildflower season, all the annuals will be up, it should be a spectacular display.”
Photographer Terry Dunham said many orchids had been blooming in the Stirling Range for several weeks. Spider orchids and popular Queen of Sheba orchids have already been spotted.
The Mid West and Murchison is famous for its wildflowers, and tourism groups say this season also has the potential to be the best for some time for wildflowers further inland around parts of Yalgoo and Mount Magnet.
At Nalbarra Station, 80 kilometres south of Mount Magnet, heavy rain has given station manager Rob Lefroy cause for optimism.
Nalbarra operates a station-stay accommodation business, and Mr Lefroy said visitor bookings were filling up for the upcoming wildflower season.
“It gives you a bit more hope. I’ve been on pastoral properties all of my life, and this would have to be one of the driest areas I’ve ever come to,” he told the ABC. “I was wondering what the devil I’d gotten myself into.”
After the rain, Mr Lefroy told the ABC, the station had been inundated with ducks and swans, which had dispersed across claypans on the sheep station.
