Wildflower meadows, floral carpets in full bloom and the delicate beauty of elusive orchid species – between September and November, green-fingered inspiration abounds on this circular route over 11 days and 1,135 kilometres. The bonus to this flower-filled escape? Beautiful beaches and seductive coastal vistas.
Cross the Darling Range towards Jarrahdale, one of Western Australia’s oldest timber settlements. Seek shade beneath ancient forest canopies and wander alongside towering jarrah, karri and marri trees on the Bibbulmun Track. Be dazzled by the brightly coloured petals that cascade across the rolling hills of Serpentine National Park and, as night falls, turn your gaze towards a star-strewn sky.
In Dwellingup, yellow and pink feather flowers, red bottlebrush and lemon-scented myrtle signal the start of a fragrant floral odyssey. Rare orchids perfume the air in Boyup Brook, while rich soil and sweet eucalyptus welcome you to Manjimup’s karri tree forests. Sniff out the town’s delicious black truffles before sticking your nose in a glass of Pemberton’s pinot, shiraz and chardonnay at a cellar-door tasting.
Pick up picnic provisions in Northcliffe for a visit to Warren River National Park, where the yellow blossom of virgin karri forest contrasts against purple-blue clematis and creeping coral vine. Just as dazzling are the beautifully tended gardens and flower beds that line Nannup’s welcoming streets and parks.
Return to Perth via the coastal town of Augusta and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse before continuing to the Margaret River Region’s world-class wineries and surf breaks.
Allow time to sink your feet into Dunsborough’s white-sand beaches, and continue to soak up the tranquil coastal atmosphere in Busselton, with its 1.8-kilometre-long jetty that stretches into the calm, clear waters of Geographe Bay. Finally, discover the fascinating creatures who live beneath the sea’s surface in Bunbury, where wild bottlenose dolphins call Koombana Bay home.
