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Bloom and bus

Headshot of Stephen Scourfield
Stephen ScourfieldThe West Australian
Combined Caption: Kangaroo Paw. Djidi Djidi Ridge, Upper Chittering (formerly Blackboy Ridge).
Camera IconCombined Caption: Kangaroo Paw. Djidi Djidi Ridge, Upper Chittering (formerly Blackboy Ridge). Credit: Stephen Scourfield/The West Australian

The wildflower season continues to move southwards.

As we have been reporting in our Travel pages in recent weeks, the Midwest is ablaze.

But with every day of sun, the bloom of wildflowers pushes south, and we have been out and about this week, watching it happen.

There are spider orchids amid the many other species at Wannamal, north of Bindoon. The name Wannamal is of Indigenous origin, thought to mean “lake” and first recorded in 1853.

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Moving south, upper Chittering, pink and pretty Isopogon divergens are already in flower, as are the dainty yellow Verticordia acerosa. Djidi Djidi Ridge (formerly known as Blackboy Ridge), might be most known for the particular grasstree Xanthorrhoea acanthostachya, but more than 400 species have been recorded here.

Flowers in Wunamul, north of Bindoon. Pink Isopogon divergens and yellow Verticordia acerosa.
Camera IconFlowers in Wunamul, north of Bindoon. Pink Isopogon divergens and yellow Verticordia acerosa. Credit: Stephen Scourfield/The West Australian

Red and green kangaroo paws are ready to dab their pollen on the top of birds’ heads as they dip their beaks in for a sip of sweet nectar.

On towards Toodyay, the wandoo forest’s understory is yellow with Drummond’s Wattle — Acacia Drummondii, named for James Drummond. Drummond sailed to the Swan River Colony in 1828, with his wife and six children, for the position of Government Naturalist. They arrived on the ship Parmelia, and settled on Garden Island, where Drummond did, indeed, establish a garden. Many WA species are named for him.

Trigger plants are showing and sundews glisten in the sun.

It has been a wet winter and soil moisture levels are high, and so are our rivers. The Avon River is high, and Wooroloo Creek is cascading over Noble Falls in Gidgegannup.

Wildflower pics from West Travel Club member Wendy Black.
Camera IconWildflower pics from West Travel Club member Wendy Black. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

A NICE DAY OUT

We are out and about all week with readers on our West Travel Club “nice day out” wildflower coach days.

And we’ve been lucky on our five sold-out days. We have partnered with ADAMS Coachlines, with the great support of general manager Graeme Skeggs, and have the experienced botanical guide and driver Bob Hollis at the wheel. It’s nice being with friends and Bob took our previous Travel Club Tour up to the Kalbarri and the Abrolhos.

Friends don’t come better than wildflowers specialist Grady Brand, who has often appeared in our Travel pages, and who I’ve travelled with for more than 20 years.

Day by day, Grady had gently unfolded the story of this ancient landscape, and explained how the flora has developed here, isolated for such a long period.

And I am adding other stories, too.

We are out again today and tomorrow, and I encourage you to get out and enjoy the season unfolding.

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