The Ultimate Western Australia Wildflower Tour 2010

Seven Day Tour 14 -20 September 2010
This is a Seven Day Tour extraveganza that can be taken as a complete package or in sections of your choice.

Section One
Northern Wildflower Tour ( Four Day Tour)

Section Two
Southern Wildflower Tour (Three Day Tour)
Scroll down to view tour intinerary.

Northern Wildflower Tour
Tuesday 14 September
Day One

Hotel pickup 8am
Today we leave Perth via the scenic Swan Valley , Perth ’s local wine region. First stop for wildflower is in the Bindoon region and then on to New Norcia.
New Norcia is home to a community of Benedictine Monks. New Norcia is Australia ’s only Monastery town we will take a private guided tour of the town and visit the Art Gallery and Museum followed by a light lunch at the New Norcia Hotel.
After lunch we head over to Wongan Hills, The Hills has the largest single area of natural vegetation remaining in the Northern Wheatbelt .
Wongan Hills' flora is extremely diverse with more than 250 species of flowering plants;
There are five species of gazetted rare flora in the Wongan Hills Nature Reserve, and numerous species of priority flora. We will visit one sight that has the rare Wongan Cactus - Daviesia Euphorbioides and take a look around the area.
Travel north to our overnight accommodation at Dalwallinu
Dalwallinu is famous for having the largest variety of wattles (acacias) found anywhere in the world. Within 100km of Dalwallinu there are 185 varieties.
Dalwallinu is known as a "Place of Wheat, Wattles and Wildflowers
For those who are interested in evening or early morning walks there are walk trails in the nearby bushland at Dalwallinu with excellent wildflowers
Dalwallinu Wheatland Motel
Dinner at Dalwallinu Wheatland Motel Restaurant (licensed)
L, D,

Day Two
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Today we will see what most people think of when they think Western Australia Wildflowers, the famous wreath flower, wreath lechenaultia or lechenaultia macrantha and expanses of pink, yellow and white everlasting daisies.
We will stop at various locations to see the wreath lechenaultia and then on to the Coal Seam Conservation Reserve to see the everlasting daisies.
Our landmarks today are Wubin, Buntine Rock, Perenjori, Morawa, Coal Seam Conservation Reserve, Geraldton
Perenjori is surrounded by a rich grain and sheep area and is only a short distance from mining and pastoral (station) country to the east.
Perenjori is located at the southern gateway to the recently rediscovered Monsignor Hawes Heritage Trail. In all, Monsignor Hawes was the architect and, in a lot of cases, builder of more than 15 beautiful and unusual churches in the Midwest and Murchison regions including Geraldton, Morawa and Northampton. Perenjori is also known for it’s regional flora.
Morawa in spring time you can see carpets of wildflowers, the colours of the broad acre agricultural crops and Koolanooka mine. Koolanooka is Western Australia ’s first Iron Ore Mine to export out of Geraldton.
Coalseam Conservation Park is a well known geological site where the first coal deposit in WA was discovered in1846. Coalseam Conservation Park is among the most botanically diverse bush areas in the northern Wheatbelt region of the Midwest of Western Australia.
We tour on to Geraldton the commercial centre for the Mid-West exporting Iron Ore , Mineral Sands, Wheat, Barley and Western Australia Rock Lobster.
We drive through prime agriculture land Sheep, Cattle, Cereal crops, past mineral sands mines, and a large wind farm on the way to Geraldton our overnight stay.
Overnight stay Best Western Motel Geraldton ( cocktail bar).
B,L, D

Day Three
Thursday 16 September 2010
This morning we visit the magnificent HMAS Sydney Memorial before touring up the coast to Kalbarri,
We go through Northampton one of the oldest settlements outside Perth today it is classified by the National Trust as a Historic Town
We tour pass the Hutt Lagoon a pink salt lake that farms beta-carotene and up to Kalbarri.

Kalbarri is nestled at the Murchison River mouth and surrounded by stunning coastline, soaring river gorges and protected bays. On our way into Kalbarri visit the stunning sights along the coast, Pot Alley and Red Bluff highlighting the coastal gorges and magnificent scenery.

Today we will have a picnic lunch over looking the mouth of the Murchison River and Gantheume Bay .
We visit the Kalbarri National Park for spectacular views of the Murchison River Gorges to see The Loop and Nature’s Window a natural rock arch that frames the upstream views. Visit the Z Bend and start our return trip back to Kalbarri our overnight stay.
Overnight stay Kalbarri Edge Resort
B, L, D

Day Four
Friday 17 September 2010
This morning we start commence our trip back south to Perth touring along the coast to Cervantes for lunch at the Pinnacles Cervantes Motel.
Cervantes the township was named after the whaling ship, Cervantes, which was wrecked on the coast in 1844. The first settlers were crayfishermen, who camped there in the1960s, and the fishing facilities followed.
After lunch we visit the Pinnacles, The Pinnacles are made up of thousands of limestone pillars, in a yellow sand dessert resembling an ancient ruin. In an area of approximately 200 hectares in the Nambung National Park the sight is spectacular any time of the year.
We will go for a walk in to the Pinnacles for a very unique experience to walk among this stunning phenomenon and enjoy the true dimension of Nature at its most creative
After our visit to the Pinnacles we return to Perth
We will have you back in Perth 5.30 – 6pm
B, L

We return you to your accommodation (your cost)

Tour Price $2260.00 per person

Tour Price with Single Supplement $2515.00

Tour price is inclusive of
Breakfast, Light lunches at New Norcia Hotel, Morawa, Kalbarri, and Pinnacles Cervantes Motel, Dinner and Quality accommodation at motels as indicated in the itinerary,
Entry fees New Norcia private tour of town, entry to Art Gallery and Museum, Kalbarri National Park , The Pinnacles – Nambung National Park ,
Not included.
Items of a personal nature, alcohol beverages with meals, pre dinner drinks and sundowners.
What to Bring
Bring plenty of film, memory space for cameras, batteries, battery chargers, binoculars. Hats, sun block, insect repellent, walking shoes, please wear long leg pants for wildflower viewing we will be walking in bushland.

The Wildflowers
The famous fields of everlastings in the regions north of Perth are rain dependent and so the display quality does vary according to the seasonal rains, as with all the wildflowers and orchids through out the state of Western Australia .
The Queen of Sheba Orchid is a sun orchid and is dependant on warm sunshine periods of up to three hours for it to open up (Late August – early September).
The tour leader will have wildflower books for reference and for browsing.

Day Five
Friday 17 September 2010

Southern Wildflower Tour
Day Five
Saturday 18 September 2010
Pickup 8.00am
Today we head south on the Albany Highway and take a break at Williams for morning tea. Our first stop is Kojonup to visit a local bushland area for wildflower and orchids.
After Lunch we will travel on to the Stirling Range National Park, which is a geographical feature that is very scenic. There are more than 1500 species of Wildflowers in the Stirling Range National Park. We will be touring the East – West dirt road and spend time out of the vehicle to walk among the wildflowers and the bush land. Viewing spectacular varieties of flora endemic to the Stirling Ranges. Enjoy discovering for your self the wonderful variety and changing habitat of the wildflowers and bushland and taking in the spectacle. The diversity and display is truly stunning.

Our overnight stay at Stirling Range Retreat is chalet share accommodation.
Dinner is either a posh BBQ or casserole with nibbles and light desert organised by your multi skilled expert tour leader/driver chef extraordinaire

Day Six
Sunday 19 September 2010

After breakfast join a local Orchid and Wildflower Tour to see amazing varieties of orchids and endemic wildflowers in isolated places with a local guide who is passionate about the region, habitat and of course the flora.

This afternoon we drive to Albany to tour the township and visit Mount Clarence for great views of southern coastline, Stirling Ranges and Porongurup's. Visit The Gap, Natural Bridge and drive to Denmark our overnight stay
Mt Lindesay View B&B (4 ½ Star)
Our accommodation has panoramic pastoral valley views from the wide verandahs of a homestead perched on picturesque rural acres - 3 kms from the heart of Denmark . You can be assured of a relaxed and comfortable stay.

Day Seven
Monday 20 September 2010
This morning we begin our return to Perth, but our tour is not complete without a stop at Mount Barker to visit the extraordinary Banksia Farm which has stunning views of the Porongurup Ranges. The Banksia farm is owned by Kevin and Kathy Collins who have make a hobby and passion in to be highly regard experts on banksia. We view local orchids and after Lunch we go back to Perth

We will have you back at your hotel at approximately 6pm.

We return you to your accommodation (your cost)

Tour Price $1785.00 per person

Tour Price with Single Supplement $1980.00

Tour price is inclusive of
Breakfast, light lunches at Albany, Kojonup, Dinner and quality accommodation as indicated in itinerary, entry fees Stirling Range National Park, private Orchid and Wildflower tour, Banksia Farm talk and entry, Kojonup Regional Wildflower Exhibition entry.

Not included.
Not included items of a personal nature, alcohol beverages with meals, pre dinner drinks and sundowners.

What to Bring
Bring plenty of film, memory space for cameras, batteries, battery chargers, binoculars.
Hats, sun block, insect repellent, walking shoes, please wear long leg pants for wildflower viewing we will be walking in bushland.

The famous expanses of everlastings in the regions north of Perth are rain dependent and so the display quality does vary according to the seasonal rains, as with all the wildflowers and orchids through out the state of Western Australia .

The Queen of Sheba Orchid is a sun orchid and is dependant on warm sunshine periods of up to three hours for it to open up (Late August – early September).

The tour leader will have wildflower books for reference and for browsing