Sabrina Hahn: Wildflower lovers rejoice, here are 4 shows to check out in WA

September is definitely the month of wildflower shows and festivals across the State, from Esperance through to Geraldton and all spots in between. So much work is involved in the planning and running of these festivals, most thanks to an organised and enthusiastic team of knowledgeable volunteers. It’s important for us to wander further afield and celebrate our flora, support local regional communities, and get the chance to appreciate and understand more about our natural spaces. If you are into wildflowers there is much to choose from this month. Everlasting Kings Park Festival — September 15 to October 1 This festival is coming back to celebrate the extraordinary diversity and beauty of Western Australia’s famous wildflowers for their diamond anniversary. This year people can enjoy the spectacular display of everlastings, fabulous workshops, tours, art displays, guided walks, guest speakers and family activities while wandering through Perth’s favourite tourist destination. Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show — September 11 to 23 This show has the largest number of species of flowers on display outside of Kings Park from around the entire district. The collection in the display and herbarium is world class, attracting visitors from overseas and interstate. The theme this year is Explore, Discover, Learn —what life is like in the Fitzgerald Biosphere Reserve. There are so many different activities over the two weeks including the popular tag-along tours, orchid discovery tour, tucker bush and bush medicine workshops, botanical art workshops, and ranger tours through the Fitzgerald River National Park. This is a very popular show and pre-booking is highly recommended. Ongerup Wildflower Display — September 18 to October 1 A beautiful display of locally found orchids and other wildflowers, this small community had an impressive number of wildflowers in 2022 with many orchids. It is open daily at the Ongerup and Needilup District Museum. Esperance Wildflower Festival — September 19 to 23 Esperance has a unique flora found nowhere else and the surrounding landscape is stunning. The wildflower display hosts around 600 species of wildflowers and a great line-up of workshops, guest speakers and exhibitions. Tip Always book early for any wildflower festivals in regional areas as accommodation is limited. Self-contained tourism is a good option and allows you to move around to the different areas of WA. 1. Always check for road closures in regional national parks due to dieback control before heading out. Take a brush with you to scrub dirt off your boots if you are walking through the bush. 2. Put wildflower photos on a USB stick, the photo storage on your phone will fill up quickly. 3. Germinate bean seeds and put them into small coir pots ready for planting at the end of the month.