Outback wildflower trails

Traversing the awe-inspiring landscapes of Australia’s Golden Outback, these epic wildflower road trip trails are the best way to experience WA’s wildflower season.

Each spring, Western Australia’s wildflowers put on a colourful show bigger and better than anywhere else in the world - transforming the Golden Outback into a flower-lovers paradise, where you can admire seemingly-endless carpets of everlastings, search for rare and precious orchids in the ancient seams of giant granite rocks and watch incredible sunsets paint the sky (and the flowers) gold.

Yet, while the wildflowers are the main attraction, they’re also a good excuse to get out and explore the lesser-visited regions of the state when they’re at their colourful best; to visit ancient granite rocks and Indigenous art, check out rural towns and historic and cultural hotspots like the PUBLIC Silo Art Trail and even go whale-watching, while the cover of darkness brings Milkyway season and inky black skies that are perfect for stargazing.

With the spectacle spanning across the entire state, the hardest part will be choosing where to go. Check out these WA wildflower road trip itineraries for some self-drive trip planning inspiration - or if that just sounds too stressful, hop on a WA wildflower tour and let them show you the best of the west! From day trips to week-long adventures, we’ve got you covered.

Wildflowers & the Weather

When planning a trip in advance, you’ll also have to bear in mind that Western Australia’s wildflower season can be a little unpredictable. It’s very much dependent on the weather and rainfall over winter, so keep an eye on the wildflower forecasts to avoid disappointment. Lower rainfall tends to affect the more arid areas most - so you’ll see probably see fewer flowers up in the Gascoyne-Murchison and the Goldfields but should still get lucky in the Wheatbelt and around Esperance.

For more info, inspo and hot tips for the upcoming season, follow Australia’s Golden Outback on Facebook and Instagram and check in with the Visitor Centre for the area you’re planning on visiting.

WA’s Wildflower Tracker

Another nifty thing when planning your road trip is Western Australia’s Visitor Centre’s Wildflower Tracker app. A crowd-reported app, this gives you live updates on what’s blooming when and where, so you can be sure not to miss any of your fave flowers.

About the Outback Wildflower Trails

These self-drive road trips are the blueprint for an amazing holiday across the Golden Outback, each one showcasing the stunning scenery and rich culture of the region, along with the amazing wildflowers. 

Most are fully 2WD accessible and have accommodation options including farm stays and station stays, along with hotels and campsites, however, they do fill up pretty quickly so book as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment. A lot of camps are also first in, first-served, so try to arrive as early as you can to snag a spot, though there are some overflow ovals and things if everywhere is full.

For more details and WA wildflower maps, read on and click through, or visit our Where to See Wildflowers page to help you plan your own itinerary. 

The Northern Wheatbelt & Mid West - best from August to late Sept/early Oct

10 Day Northern Explorer
An epic adventure through the Northern Wheatbelt and MidWest regions, exploring a large chunk of Western Australia. Travel through outback and farmland areas including Dalwallinu, Mt Magnet, Meekathara, Mt Augustus and Wooleen Station.

There is so much to see throughout the expansive landscape, including Everlastings, Wreath Flowers and Golden Billy Buttons.

3 Days Wildflower Way
One of those does-what-it-says-on-the-tin kinds of trips, the Wildflower Way is a three-day adventure through the northern Wheatbelt and MidWest regions - taking in Dalwallinu, Morawa and Mullewa, before ending in Geraldton, where you can either stay a few more nights or head south to Perth.

Best visited between August and October, this trip is perfect for checking out fields of everlastings and searching for the famous Western Australian Wreath Flower. If you have time you could also squeeze in a quick detour to Coalseam Conservation Park, one of WA’s best places to see wildflowers.

3-5 Days Everlastings Wildflower Trail
Everlastings have become synonymous with wildflower season in WA, with the delicate pink, white, yellow and purple paper daisies popping up in abundance, creating ‘carpets’ of wildflowers through Western Australia’s Golden Outback. 

Offering a bit more of a choose-your-own-everlastings-adventure, this trail follows a rough route through the northern Wheatbelt and the MidWest, between Perth and Mullewa/Geraldton, and includes the wildflower hotspots around Perejnori and Morawa - where you can see wreath flowers - along with Coalseam National Park and Mingenew.

The Wheatbelt - from mid/late August to October

2 Days Granite Wildflowers
Best between mid-August and October - but especially great in canola season - this two-day trip showcases the wildflowers of the Wheatbelt. Starting in Perth, the trail heads out to Merredin via York, Quairading and Bruce Rock, and returns via Billyacatting Rock, Talgomine Rock (famed for its everlastings) and Mukinbudin, where the rare species garden is sure to capture your imagination. 

On the way home, you can also swing by Wongan Hills for some orchid-spotting. Home to 1,300 species, including plenty you won’t find anywhere else in the world, this floral treasure trove has also become a popular wildflower day trip from Perth.

3 Days Wheatbelt Winery and Woodlands Trail
Wander through the southeastern Wheatbelt on this three-day road trip, past historic homesteads and heritage walks, quiet country wineries, ancient granite outcrops and secret wildflower hotspots like Harrismith, Boronia Reserve and Williams Nature Reserve. 

While you can do this itinerary year-round, the flowers are usually best between September and October.

3-5 Days Wave Rock Wildflower Trail
Explore the wildflowers of the Wheatbelt - including mulla mulla, grevilleas, damperia, mouse ears, pygmy sundew, rosy-cheeked donkey orchids and pretty pink verticordias - along with plenty of heritage sights on this 3-5 day self-drive trail.

Best visited between late August and October, the highlight of the Wave Rock Wildflower Trail is, of course, Wave Rock (along with all the aforementioned wildflowers). The famous Wheatbelt attraction also has a few more tricks up its sleeve that are worth visiting too, including Hippos Yawn and Lake Magic, where you can float in the turquoise water.

3-5 Days Granite Loop Wildflower Trail
This 3-5 day loop takes you on a wildflower-spotting adventure through the northeastern Wheatbelt, past rolling hills and lush valleys to striking salt lakes and huge granite outcrops, where you can see everlastings, orchids, triggerplants and scarlet kangaroo paws between late August and October each year.

Highlights of this trail include Beringbooding Rock, with its balancing boulders and Kalamaia rock art, Billycatting and Elachbutting Rocks, Wyalkatchem Reserve, Mukinbuddin, Koorda and Wongan Hills.

The Goldfields - from mid August to October

4 Days Granite & Goldfields Wildflower
See the best Australian desert flowers on this four-day Granite & Goldfields Wildflower road trip that roughly follows the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail out to Kalgoorlie, with little side ventures to wildflower hotspots en route.

Home to some of the rarest wildflowers in WA, like the granite rock poison plant and the swordfish banksia, this trail continues north from Kal along the Golden Quest Discovery Trail to Leonora, passing by Lake Ballard, Kookynie and Gwalia, before looping back down via Coolgardie.

5-7 Days Goldfields Wildflower Trail
An extended version of the Granite & Goldfields Wildflower Trail, this trip takes you through the Goldfields, the Murchison and the Wheatbelt, but it starts with the journey east to Kalgoorlie. On the way, swing by Totadgin Conservation Park - south of Merredin - to see verticordias, cricket ball hakeas and everlastings. 

From Kalgoorlie-Boulder, follow the Golden Quest Discovery Trail north to Leonora, where you’ll then take the road west to Mount Magnet, the hub of the Murchison. From there, it’s a nice easy cruise south back to Perth - and, if you’re not yet flowered out, take the scenic route home via Wongan Hills for some orchid-spotting.

The Southern Golden Outback - from September to late October/early November

5 Days Coastal Wildflower
This five-day whistle-stop adventure takes you through the Wheatbelt to Wave Rock, down to Esperance and then back to Perth via Fitzgerald River National Park. If you feel like an extra adventure - and some extra wildflowers - you can follow the unsealed Granite Woodlands Discovery Trail from Hyden to Norseman via The Breakaways.

From Esperance, head east to Cape Le Grand National Park and west to the Ravensthorpe Range and Hopetoun before heading back via the southern Wheatbelt, where you’ll see an abundance of wildflowers between September and late October/early November.

7-10 Days Esperance Wildflower Trail
Take your time searching for wildflowers and exploring the southern coastline on this 7-10 road trip to Esperance and back via the southeastern Wheatbelt. Best between September and November, the trail takes you southeast through Frank Hann National Park and Peak Charles National Park, before heading to Cape Le Grand National Park, where you can go whale and wildflower spotting.

From Esperance, you can explore Hopetoun and Fitzgerald River - a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve with over 1,800 species of flowering plants - including the stunning qualup bell - dip across to Bremer Bay and then head north via Jerramungup, Katanning and the Dryandra Woodlands, where you’ll see wildflowers and orchids galore.