Western Australia is home to some incredible wildflowers, which come alive at the end of the winter. Coalseam Conservation Park is a great place to see wildflower carpets in WA. It’s located about 4.5 hours north of Perth. We jumped into the car for a road trip in search of some of the most beautiful wildflowers in WA.
This guide will tell you everything you need to plan your wildflower road trip.
Table Of ContentsAbout WA Wildflower Country
Wildflower Country, north of Perth, is a great place to see carpets and carpets of wildflowers.
This area is situated inland from the coastal city of Geraldton. The nine local government areas consist of charming small country towns such as Carnamah and Dalwallinu.
The Coalseam Conversation Park is located between Mingenew and Mullewa. It’s a mecca for wildflowers.
Check out my guide to Western Australia Wildflowers for more information on wildflowers and the best times to visit them.
Self-drive Road Trip Wildflowers Map
The map below shows our route on this road trip, which was based around Mingenew & Mullewa.
The Best Time to Travel
Wildflower Country in WA has a varying wildflower season depending on rainfall. It usually occurs from early August to mid-September.
The season was very good, thanks to the rain that fell over the winter. The everlastings were in full bloom when I visited in mid-August. The everlastings had already started to seed by the first week in September, but the pom-poms and orchids were still flourishing.
Tipp: The peak wildflower season may vary from year to year, depending on the weather. The everlastings, for example, reached their peak bloom a few weeks later than
Visit the local visitor centres and tourism offices for the latest information about wildflower blooms. Below, I have linked to the relevant Facebook pages.
Visit Mullewa
Mingenew Visitors Centre
How to get there
You can travel to Perth via the Brand Highway, Bindoon-Moora Rd., or the Indian Ocean Drive.
The latter two options are my favourites because they usually have less traffic, and you can see the fields of golden canola along the road.
It is a simple drive, with many fuel stops and sealed roads. Coalseam Conversation Park and some of the other attractions listed below have unsealed roads but are still 2WD-friendly.
Compare car rental options in Perth to find the lowest price.
Are you taking the coastal route? Lancelin Sand Dunes is a great place to stop for a mid-way break.
How long do you need?
Perth to Mingenew takes about 4 hours.
Spend at least two or three nights in the region to make the most out of your long drive. It is possible to go on a one-day trip, but it’s not recommended. The day would be long, and you would have a lot of driving.
We went on a weekend getaway and spent a night in Morawa.
Wildflower Road Trip Accommodations
Accommodation is limited in Mingenew or Mullewa, although they are all great places to start your trip. Below are some of the options.
Geraldton offers more accommodation options (1hr15m from Coalseam). Dongara, a small town located 1hr from Coal Seam, is another option.
Coalseam Conversation Park offers camping but can be busy during wildflower season. Online bookings are available for the Miners Campground and the overflow Breakaway Campground.
Visit the local pub if you’re staying overnight.
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Wildflowers WA Accommodation Options
Accommodation tip: Don’t expect the usual modern hotel amenities. Accommodation in these small towns is mainly basic pub rooms or chalets. They are perfect for a quick stay during a wildflower tour.
Mingenew Caravan Park offers a small number of cabins and camping sites.
Inspirations Mullewa – Small, comfortable rooms located in the heart of Mullewa. Ideal for wildflower searching.
Railway Hotel Mullewa offers a choice of motel units (donga style) or hotel rooms with shared facilities.
Morawa Caravan Park: We stayed in one of the units. It was comfortable, clean, and tidy for one night’s stay. It cost us $110 (pricing for 2021).
Coorow Hotel: Slightly farther out than Coalseam (1hr30m), but an excellent option if you’re working your way through the wildflower country, from south to northern. Or if all other options in Coalseam are full.
Dongara Tourist Park: Modern Chalets overlooking the Beachfront
Geraldton offers a wide range of accommodation choices to suit all budgets and preferences
Belair Gardens Caravan Park – basic but comfortable accommodation
Hotel Geraldton SureStay is for those who want more than a simple hotel experience. Includes a swimming pool
Everlastings at Coalseam Conservation Park
Coalseam Conversation Park Guide
Coalseam Conversation Park has a carpet of wildflowers covering the park.
This conversation area, located 30 kilometres north of Mingenew, is rich in geological and cultural history. The first coal mine in Western Australia was situated on this 100-year-old site. The Irwin River (usually dry) flows through the park, and fossils are found on its banks.
Entrance fees
The park is free to enter. Camping costs $15 per adult per night (prices in 2024).
Camping in Coalseam
Miners is the main campground with unpowered campsites and long-drop facilities. This spot is very popular during the wildflower season. Overflow camping can be found at Breakaway.
There are picnic tables at Miners and parking spaces for the day-use area.
Coalseam picnic is ready to go
Coalseam Park has many things to do
Plan to spend at least several hours at Coalseam.
You can also walk to the Johnson Shaft Viewing Platform from the Miners campground. The coal is what’s causing the black bands on the riverbanks.
Plateau Loop Trail: This 3km Loop Trail offers the best opportunity to view carpets of wildflowers in Coal seam. Take the trail to the top of the ridge to see the entire valley. Park at the Miners Day Use Area and follow the path.
Irwin Lookout is a short drive uphill from Miners. Here, you can walk through wildflowers and enjoy cliff-edge views of the river below.
Other Wildflower Hotspots and Sights
Mingenew
Mingenew is on the route to Coalseam, Mullewa and Mullewa.
Stop at the Mingenew Bakery for a delicious pie or sweet treat. The visitor centre does not have staff, but a notice on the door lists the most recent wildflower sightings.
Depot Hill is located 10 minutes outside Mingenew and offers a wide variety of wildflowers, including orchids and everlastings.
Mingenew Hill is a hill that’s closer to town. You can drive up to the top for a beautiful view of the fields of golden canola and green crops. This is a good place to see pom-poms in yellow, and you can also enjoy a gorgeous sunset.
Yandanooka is another place worth visiting.
Pink everlastings are always popular along Yandanooka South Rd. Yandanooka Hall, a free camping area (without facilities), is said to offer fantastic stargazing due to the minimal light pollution.
Mullewa
The Mullewa Visitor Centre has some great local information and is worth a visit.
Download the map here or pick it up in person to see two self-drive routes and other interesting places.
Helen Ansell Gallery is another worthwhile stop.
They opened a café in the gallery during the wildflower season. Visit her for coffee and to browse through the beautiful collection of art inspired by native flowers.
Mullewa Walking Trails
Mullewa has several walking trails that offer the chance to see wildflowers and learn about the area’s history.
Wildflower Tip: Look for plastic tape markers that show where someone has found a rarer or more unusual wildflower.
Mullewa Wildflower Walk: This 3 km loop circuit is located opposite Lovers Lane, the town’s car park. Along the route, there were information boards about different wildflowers. We also saw some gorgeous native orchids.
Mullewa Bushland Walk & Scenic Viewpoint: This 2.5 km walk begins and ends at the town’s scenic lookout. The lookout has informative signs that provide background information on the town’s history and heritage.
Donkey Orchard
Pindar Wreath Flower
Pindar is a collection of old historical buildings and a small bed and breakfast.
Visit this area to see the rare Western Australian flower wreath. The wreath is located 8 km north along the Pindar-Beringarra Rd.
You will see many signs along the way to ensure you arrive at the correct location.
The most fascinating wildflower is the wreath flower, which gets its name from the unusual shape of the flowers. The dirt and gravel along the sides of unsealed roads is where it loves to grow.
As we approached the wreath location, we came to a fork in the road. It indicated that we should park in the clear space on the right-hand side. You will see some wreath flowers along the roadside, but if you take the path through the bush and back onto the main highway, there are countless wreath flowers!
There are fewer wreath flowers near Perenjori, Morawa, and other nearby towns. Visit the visitor centre for more information.
Tips on Viewing Wildflowers
Rules & Etiquette
It is important not to trample on the wildflowers, as they are a fragile ecosystem. We might not be able to enjoy beautiful flowers in the future if people walk over them.
Trample or do not step on wildflowers
Keep to the marked trails whenever possible, and watch your step.
Do not remove any animals, plants or cultural items such as rocks, flowers, or animals.
Take your waste with you
Coalseam does not allow pets
Don’t trespass on private property.
Wildflower Photo Tips
Here are some tips on how to take the best pictures of wildflowers.
The best way to photograph short-stemmed flowers, such as everlastings, is from a low angle. It works best if you have a small patch behind which you can stand, giving the impression of being in a field of flowers.
The photo below with the pink everlasting is two metres wide, and the grassy dirt patch I am sitting on is two metres wide, but the framing makes it difficult to tell.
Framing: Use flowers to frame your shot or create the effect of a blurred background.
Height helps you get a better perspective on the flowers when taking photos of large fields of canola. The image below shows my husband holding the camera high above his head.
If you set your camera to multiple-shooting mode, you can take more pictures. However, it is hard to see the subject when you hold the camera high.
If you own a drone, it is difficult to capture wildflowers. It is best to use top-down shots or angle shots and then highlight the areas that are in contrast, such as the red road and the flower patches.
Know your flowers. It looks like I am standing in a flower field, but this is actually a weed known as Patterson Curse. If I ran through this field, I would trample on these pests!
Final thoughts– WA Wildflowers Road Trip
Seeing the wildflowers blooming in their full glory is one of the most beautiful sights in WA.
A road trip through Wildflower Country can be a lot of fun. There are so many things to see and do along the way. Spend at least one night in Wildflower Country, but it’s possible to spend two or three nights.
Like me, you will likely arrive in Perth with a full camera roll and a happy heart after a weekend spent exploring and chasing wildflowers. You can ask any questions in our WA Road Trips Facebook Group.
