Best spring road trips to see wildflowers

Spring in Australia brings warm sunny days, blue skies and fields of wildflowers. Australia is home to tens of thousands of species of wildflowers that bloom in a kaleidoscope of colour from Western Australia to New South Wales. Here are some of the best road trips to see these colourful blooms in all their glory.

Getting there: Wildflower Country begins in Moora, 170km (2 hours) north of Perth.

The countryside north of Perth is legendary when it comes to spring wildflowers, with more than 12,000 floral species blooming in a wave of colour. Pick well-mapped routes like the Wildflower Way

, running 310km between Dalwallinu and Geraldton and winding through fields carpeted in everlastings and petite orchids, as well as groves of canary-yellow wattle, bright orange wild pomegranate and lipstick-pink native foxgloves. You’ll also glimpse the state’s endemic and highly unusual wreath flower, so named because it resembles (you guessed it) a wreath. Alternatively, venture further north to Coalseam Conservation Park, which never disappoints when it comes to flowering banksias, hakeas and grevilleas. Wildlife is particularly active over the season, so be sure to pack your binoculars and a camera.

Getting there: 270km (3.5 hours) northwest of Melbourne.

Few places in Victoria dial up the natural spring drama quite like the Grampians, all rugged sandstone escarpments and high rocky plateaus backdropping sheltered valleys. As the weather warms, waterfalls begin to flow and wildflowers bloom – in fact, one-third of the state’s flora can be found in the region. This time of year is ideal for exploring the hiking trails that web the national park, so lace up your walking shoes and hit a trail to wander through heathlands coloured with boronia, blue pincushion lilies, pink thryptomene and orchids ranging in hue from pale lilac to vibrant violet. If you’re here in October, be sure to visit the Native Flower Show in the Grampians’ town of Pomonal for the chance to take a deep dive into the state’s prettiest plants.

Getting there: 145km (2 hours) west of Launceston, or 175km (2.5 hours) northwest of Hobart.

This World Heritage-listed national park is home to some of the most remarkable plants on the planet – it has 12,000 years of isolation to thank for that – including soaring mountain ash and Huon pine, leatherwood and button grass. In spring, it’s the wildflowers that steal the show, with waratah, boronia, banksia, orchid, hakea and flowering snow gum enveloping the alpine lakes of Tasmania’s high country. This is one of the best places (and best times of the year) in the state to spot elusive wildlife, with young Tasmanian devils, playful mating platypi, and echidnas all out and about and active.

Getting there: 425km (5 hours) north of Adelaide.

If there was ever a place to make you feel totally insignificant (in the best possible way), Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park is it. The region’s rugged, weathered peaks and rocky gorges are more than 600 million years in the making, and they come with a rich Aboriginal history – the Traditional Owners are the Adnyamathanha people – and equally rich bounty of flora and fauna. Wildflowers create a kaleidoscope of colour at every turn during spring, but are particularly abundant around creeks and waterfalls. Look out for the common fringe lily, fringe myrtle, guinea flower, lavender grevillea, mint bush and nodding chocolate lily. Bonus points if you spot an emu or wedge-tailed eagle chick.

Getting there: 485km (5.5 hours) southwest of Sydney, or 200km (2.5 hours) south of Canberra

Part of the Snowy Mountains region of NSW, this national park is not only home to Australia’s loftiest peak, but also an alpine wonderland of rivers, jagged ranges, caves, ski fields and glacial lakes. While there are plenty of reasons to come here in winter, there are just as many to visit in spring, when the high plains around Mount Kosciuszko are lit up with a succession of wildflowers: everlastings, billy buttons, daisies, mountain eyebrights, alpine mint bush – explore the Main Range track to witness alpine trees give way to open fields awash with snowy white gentians, anemone buttercups, alpine sunrays and more. The good news is that the bouquet extends well into summer, with peak wildflower season from November through February.

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^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}