Western Australia Flowers
“Don’t die in the Outback.”
“But we want to find some flowers.”
Such was the advice we received when we asked advice as we contemplated a slight detour into the red Australian Outback en route to Karratha.
Ok, so we weren’t looking just for flowers, but if you have ever contemplated becoming a flower chaser, plan a trip to Western Australia in wildflower season. If more people could do this the world would be a better place. A trip to the outback in wildflower season defies all stereotypes and is a metaphor for life. One can see that the dessert regions of the world are not some colorless, bleak spot to be exploited. The color speaks with a loudness that one can hear in the uninhabited wilderness. I love the outback. I love the grandiose, ‘hard to grasp just how big it is’ notion. And for a for brief moment in time, I am a small moving part of the landscape.
So, since we didn’t die in the outback, this past week I was looking through some photos and got completely caught up in the flowers of WA. I only wish I could have spent weeks driving around searching for flowers and finding these amazing landscapes. Often times I get caught up in animal diversification, but in the world of botany species diversification and conservation is just as important. We can lose a flower species just the same as we can have a bird go extinct.
Ptilotus Mulla Mulla.
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Man that dirt is sooooo RED it’s awesome. Great shots of all the flowers too guys! Those desert peas are something else. A dingo ate my baby.
The desert peas are so lovely and they are so abundant out there. We just loved them all!
Great photos guys! That australian dirt is sooooo RED it’s incredible! So many cool flowers over there too. Love that desert pea flower. Watch out for the dingos, I hear they eat babies!
The dirt is so red. I used to just pick up handfuls and swish it beneath my toes just to feel it. There is something about just feeling the red earth like that. Everyone should go to Australia just to put their toes in the red dirt.
Gorgeous flowers and nice pics! They add a different contrast to the Outback
Thanks! The flowers were just amazing!
BBBBeeeaaaauuuuttttiiiiffffuuuullll!!!!! Great photos… Approximately how long would you drive before you got to another gas station? Be careful of dingos… I hear they eat your babies.
We always carried a jerry can, or extra gas can. Here I think it was going to approximately 500-600 kms before next gas, (although they said petrol) station. Always want to carry extra fuel in Australia. Even when we were spacing out our drives on pavement, sometimes really strong winds or something like that would come up and we would burn through more fuel than we would have anticipated.
These flowers all seem like they belong in the old Disney movie ‘Fantasia’. They should be dancing!
Oh do they dance. We watched them swinging back and in forth in the breeze as the petals gently brushed against each other making music. It was a surreal experience.
I was only familiar with the bottlebrush Mulla Mulla, never realized there were so many different ones. Thank you
I know what you mean! So many flowers to id. Thanks for the comment!
Australia has a diverse climate and so, many plant and flower varieties can be found here. It has a national flower as well as state flowers for all state.
Australia has so many different animals and plants! We were constantly amazed by how many varieties we were constantly learning about. Researches and scientist are discovering new species of plants and animals, which to us gave Australia this real frontier feeling. A sense of wonder, curiosity and exploration. There’s truth to the statement, “You never know what you might find out there.” It could just be a new species!
The picture of Chris looks like he BELONGS in the Outback except that he is not looking for crocodiles gold or desparados, he is looking for flowers. Hmmm…
Oh that Chris, you know he’ll climb to the top of those rock faces looking for flowers. When you’re in a place as cool as WA…gotta find those flowers!