feather and flora

South-West WA: a feast of nature’s treasures

I enjoyed some slow travel across the Nullarbor in September 2023, and this post is about the delights of the next leg of the journey around the southern coast of WA’s south-west.

I’m with Dorothea MacKellar: “I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains …” and I would add many things to that list such as the bronze-trunked gimlets of the Greater Western Woodlands. The gimlets are gorgeous trees that glow in the spring sunshine – you can’t miss them.

A scenic view of a dirt road lined with trees featuring smooth, reddish bark, set against a backdrop of blue sky and scattered clouds. The landscape includes sparse shrubbery and a peaceful, natural environment.
A remote landscape featuring eucalyptus trees along a dirt road, with a white four-wheel-drive vehicle parked on the side. The sky is partly cloudy with blue patches.
A picturesque view of a wooded landscape featuring tall, slender eucalyptus trees with smooth, reddish-brown bark against a blue sky, accented by green foliage and scattered underbrush.

I generally don’t spend much time in Norseman – on this trip, headed south to Salmon Gums about half way down the leg to Esperance. It’s a small town with a primary school, a pub and a general store – and on the outskirts of town an excellent community-run caravan park. And nearby, a beautiful track through the bush – and birds! You know you’re in WA when the ringneck parrots appear!

Two colorful parrots perched on a tree branch against a blue sky.
A brown bird perched on eucalyptus branches with pale yellow flowers against a blue sky.
A small bird peeking out from a hole in a textured tree trunk.

I made good time getting to Esperance so I had a chance to ask about birding spots at the Visitor Centre. As recommended I visited Woody Lake on the edge of town and it was truly delightful seeing so many birds in the bright but waning afternoon sun.

Pink Lakes Caravan Park is always a great spot to stay in Esperance – with a bonus: mobs of Carnaby’s black cockatoos come and roost in the trees of an evening at certain times of the year. Here’s a two minute synopsis of the day:

TO MANYPEAKS NEAR ALBANY

It was time to have another dawdle, and this time I followed the advice of the Visitors Centre in Ravensthorpe (great little town) as to where to see wildflowers along the path. Easy, they said, and it was: shortly after you leave the town boundary, deviate to the left and follow the path among the edge of the Fitzgerald NP. So I did, and it was worth taking the deviation less travelled.

Fitzgerald NP deserves way more attention than it got from me on this cursory glance, but that will have to be another time. For tonight, a perch at Manypeaks – you’ll know where the name comes from when you get there – at the doorstep of the Stirling Ranges.

A panoramic view of a landscape with rolling hills and distant mountains under a clear blue sky.
A MOODY MORNING IN THE STIRLING RANGES

This was the last day of this particular leg of the big adventure. It was a cold and wild morning, with smatterings of rain: just perfect for the dark and moody Stirling Ranges.

Apart from the peaks, there are many flowers to be seen in this area. I took some time to savour it, but I needed to keep moving to make the coast by nightfall. So much to see and do in this corner of Oz, including our delectable birds. 

Spring was in full flower, literally, and so here are some of the beauties I saw and photographed over the coming weeks. Enjoy!

A close-up of a vibrant red flower with fuzzy petals against a blurred green background.
A close-up of a vibrant plant with green leaves and a red stem, standing out against a blurred background of pink and green foliage.
A close-up image of a pink daisy flower with a yellow center, standing out against a blurred background of green grass and various wildflowers.
Close-up of vibrant pink flower clusters on a eucalyptus branch, surrounded by green leaves.
Close-up of a cylindrical, greenish-yellow seed pod hanging from a branch, with a textured, honeycomb-like surface.
A close-up view of vibrant blue flowers growing among grass and rocky soil.
A close-up of a green plant with red stems and small leaves, growing among pebbles in a natural setting.
Close-up of yellow flowering plants surrounded by green grass and dry leaves on the ground.
Close-up of vibrant yellow and purple flowers on green stems against a blurred background.
A close-up of a vibrant pink flower with long, thin stamens surrounded by green foliage.
A vibrant red flower emerging among fallen leaves and grass in a natural setting.
Close-up of white flowers with green foliage, showcasing delicate blossoms and small buds.
Close-up of a bush with vibrant yellow flowers against a blurred green background.
A close-up view of vibrant pink flowers among green foliage, showcasing a mix of floral blooms and leaves in a natural setting.
A close-up of a red and green flower with a slender stem, surrounded by blurred green grass and weeds.
Close-up of delicate white flowers with green buds, growing on a thin stem, surrounded by soft green background.
Close-up of a flowering branch with small white blossoms against a blurred green background.
A close-up view of a yellow orchid flower surrounded by brown leaves and green grass.
A close-up of a branch with delicate pink flowers and feathery green leaves against a blurred natural background.
A close-up image of pink wildflowers blooming alongside a tree trunk, set against a soft green background.
A close-up of delicate blue flowers nestled among green foliage and thin, winding stems in a natural setting.
Close-up of delicate green branches with small yellow flowers against a blurred natural background.
Close-up of a vibrant pink flower with long, slender petals, surrounded by green foliage and dry twigs in the background.

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