Wildflowers

Explore some of the very best wildflowers Western Australia has to offer. Wildflower season in the Shire of Yilgarn is Spring, with flowers looking their best from August to October.

While there are many different ways to enjoy the Shire of Yilgarn’s wildflowers, below is a suggested trail for visitors.

  1. Depart Southern Cross, travel south towards Marvel Loch. On this route, you may see:
    • White Verticordia
    • Helmsii
    • Red Bottle Brush Grevillea
    • Goldenaccia
    • Black Toothbrush Grevillea
    • Verticordia Brownii (Common Cauliflower)
    • Parakeelya
    • Pimelia
    • Native Hops
    • Foxglove
    • Dampiera
    • Tinsel Flower
    • Bacon & Egg Bush
    • Pink Verticordia
    • Melaleuca

Stop at Nine Mile Hill on the way to Marvel Loch to see the natural beauty of the Blue Native Hibiscus and Donkey Orchids.

  1. Arrive at Marvel Loch. Turn right at the General Store onto Parkers Range / Burbidge / Nevoria Road. Pass Yilgarn Star Goldmine and at a road sign that reads “Hyden”, turn right onto Emu Fence Road. A further 5kms down this road will bring you to an excellent display of Sandplain Wildflowers.
  1. Continue to travel on Emu Fence Road for another 8.5kms and you will reach a brilliant display of:
    • Smokebush
    • Banksia
    • Yellow Verticordia
    • Pincushions
    • Circus Trigger Plants
    • Blue Lace Flower
    • Native Red Pomegrante
    • Pea Flower

While in the area, keep a look out for the Mallee Fowl with can often be seen running across the road. Also seen in the area is the echidna who don’t hurry for anyone!

  1. Turn left and continue for another 32.5kms until you come to Cramphorne Road. Turn right on Cramphorne Road. While travelling along this road you may find:
    • Red Ravensthorpe Bottlebrush
    • Yellow Flowered Tall Sand Mallee
    • Birdlife, including the Green Elegant Parrots
  1. Continue on Cramphorne Road for 14.3kms, passing over crossroads. Keep an eye out for Golden Dryandra which can be seen on either side of the road.
  1. Continue for 16.6kms then turn right onto South Moorine Road, signposted Southern Cross 80kms. Follow this road for a further 3.1km then turn left to Mt Hampton Dam. Follow the track for 1km to arrive at a beautiful picnic destination. Here you’ll find:
    • Greenhood, Donkey & Spider Orichids near the base of the rock
    • Ferns
    • Tea Tree
    • Sheoak
    • Acacia
    • Pink and Mauve Melaleuca
  1. Head back towards South Moorine Road, turn left and travel for 4.6kms. At the fork, take the left hand side and travel for another 10.7kms until you reach a give way sign. You have now arrived at the small community of Mt Hampton which has a disused school and community centre.
  1. Once in Mt Hampton, turn left into Dulyalbin Road. Following this road for 23.3kms you will see:
    • Orange Verticordia (Morrison)
    • Native Fuchsia
    • Calytrix
    • Ravensthorpe Bottlebrush
    • Cricketball Hakea
  1. Turn right onto Ivey Road and you will see Native Foxglove and Tall Sand Mallee. Continue along this road back towards Bodallin and Great Eastern Highway.
  1. At Great Eastern Highway, turn right to North Bodallin Road. Travel for 3kms and then turn left past wheat fields. Here you will see many varieties of:
    • Golden Wattle
    • Salmon Gums
    • Gimlets
    • Quandongs
  1. Once you reach the North Bodallin telephone exchange, the road changes to gravel. Travel for 23.7kms and you will reach Keokaine Rock – a spectacular rock formation. Keep an eye out for orchids here, including:
    • Red Spider
    • Bluebeard
    • Green Hood
    • Vanilla
    • Laughing Leek
    • Prasophyllum Sargentii
    • Mignonette

In addition to the orchids, Waitzia Acuminata form a carpet of gold whilst the taller Glischrocaryon Aureum is along the road verge.

  1. Travel 12.3kms further along North Bodallin Road and explore the area by foot. Walking through the bush, you may discover:
    • Pink Everlastings
    • Mulla Mulla
    • White Grevillea
    • Mouse Ears
    • Cypress Pines
    • Sheoaks
    • Deadly Nightshade
  1. Continue travelling north until you arrive at the ‘T’ junction of Mukinbudin-Bullfinch Road. Turn left and travel 2.4kms to visit Baladgie Rock. Turn right onto the signposted track at Baladgie Rock and travel for another 5kms. This is an excellent destination to stop for a picnic and explore the many caves and rock formations. Native Broom grows abundantly along with many varieties of small plants and ferns at the base of this granite rock.
  1. Return to Mukinbudin-Bullfinch Road. Travel east for 3kms and on you will reach Karolin Rock on your right. Here you will see:
    • Carpets of Everlastings in Pink, Yellow and White
    • Blue Cornflower
    • Mouse Ears
    • Red Granite Bottlebrush
  1. Travel back to Mukinbudin-Bullfinch Road. Turn onto Mukinbudin-Bullfinch road and travel 5.2kms in an easterly direction. On your right you will pass Police Rock where you can find Stackhousia and Dampiera.
  1. Continue east on Mukinbudin-Bullfinch Road through blankets of Pink Everlastings. Turn onto Bullfinch-Southern Cross Road and travel for 18 kms until you reach Halfway Rocks. Here you will see:
    • Orchids
    • Scrub Sheoak
    • Pin Cushions

Continue further and you may see the Grevillea Eriostachya subspecies Excelsior (Flame Grevillea) - the Shire of Yilgarn Floral Emblem.

  1. Continuing along Bullfinch-Southern Cross Road you will eventually return back to Southern Cross township.