In celebration of spring in Western Australia

 Hi everyone, I hope you and yours are well. We are just back from a three week caravaning trip out through the wheatbelt and then down along the south coast.  

We were a little early for the full flush of spring wildflowers, but we particularly went to the south coast in late winter to see some wildflowers that flower this time of year and which we had never seen before. Yes it was cold and we had drizzly rain, but it didn't really impact us too much and we were rewarded with some magnificent flowers. And hey, what's not to like about an ocean cliff on a wild windy day. Trust me it was blowing an absolute gail when I took this photo, and I had to hold hard onto the railing coming down from the lookout. Next stop south is Antarctica. 

Today just a brief overview, and in the coming weeks I will share some more. 

First the queen of them all - the Queen of Sheba Orchid - probably one of our most flamboyant and colourful wild orchids - and the main reason we were down on the south coast in August. This is the Eastern variety - Thelymitra speciosa. There are two other varieties, all of which have very limited growing area. She really is stunning. We would propbably not have seen it if we hadn't been on a guided tour at Tozer's bush camp near Bremer Bay. Thankyou Paul our Botanist guide. 

Please click on read more to continue reading....

Scarlet banksia - Banksia coccinea - Western Australia

 Hi everyone, just a short post from me today. We have been away this past week staying at the Mt Trio Bush Camp and Caravan Park adjacent to the Stirling Ranges National Park in the south of Western Australia.  I'm still sorting through my pics! 

The Stirling Ranges National Park was devastated by last summer's bushfires in Western Australia. More than 40,000 hectares was lost through the bushfire in the Park. The Park is a biodiversity hotspot containing more than 1,500 species of plants, at least 87 of which are found nowhere else in the world, and some of which may be lost forever. Conservationists say it may take centuries to recover.  

You can read more here: ABC.net-bushfires-cause-stirling-ranges-biodiversity-to-be-devastated

We enjoyed our stay exploring the Park, but when we visited the devastation was still very obvious and heartbreaking to see. Some areas had started to reshoot, but large swaths of land was still burnt earth with blackened sticks which was once lush bushland. 

Some of our native plants rely on bushfire to regenerate. Some of the orchids for instance, like the Red Beaks, just one of the nearly 30 wild orchid species we saw. But more on that in another post. 

One flower which we enjoyed seeing was the Scarlet Banksia - Banksia coccinea - which only grows in a small section of our state. A truly magnificent plant which grows 1-8 metres high. 

I had only seen them once before in the wild in the Fitzgerald River National Park on our south coast. 

We saw it in one location along a scenic drive which winds through the park. The gravel road must have acted as a fire break - as one side was still lush and the other burnt black. There were several Scarlet Banksias flowering on the lush side, and just one plant on the burnt side. 

We saw many blackened sticks and scorched plants like this. Heartbreaking. 

Learn more here: Australian Native Plants Society

That's it from me for today. I hope to bring you more from the Stirling Ranges National Park next week.

You might also like: Celebration of the Australian Banksia

I am sorry if I didn't answer your comments or visit your pages last week, but we were away and we discovered that internet was virtually impossible.  I hope you and your families are all safe and well. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.  

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

All Seasons 
MosaicMonday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf
Sharon's Sovenirs 

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity

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Thankful Thursday 
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The Lovin' Life Team over at: Deep Fried Fruit
 Month end link up @ Live love craft me

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Biodiversity Hotspot - Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia

Looking back through my travel pics I discovered that it was October 2011 when we last visited the Fitzgerald River National Park on Western Australia's south coast, and I was very keen for a return visit so I could take photos of the iconic wildflowers of the region. So in late October we hitched up our caravan and took off for a week to explore.

In my blog a couple of weeks ago I showed you the Farm Gate Art Trail centred around Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun. You can click here if you missed it - Farm Gate Art Trail 

These two towns, and nearby Bremer Bay, are the gateway to the Fitzgerald River National Park, a world renowned global biodiversity hotspot, bordered by the Southern Ocean to the south and the wheatbelt to the north. 

Blooming Art 2014 - Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, Western Australia

I was thrilled recently to be invited to be a Blooming Art Special Guest exhibitor at the floral art exhibition run annually by the Flower Designers Club of Bunbury in the beautiful Chapel Gallery at the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery.   I was invited by Blooming Art Coordinator, Eileen Wenn, who is a friend of mine from Spanish dance class, and who is also a world class floral art designer.

Special invited guest exhibitors select a painting from the City of Bunbury Art Collection, and then represent it through a floral display.  I have no floral art background or formal arts training, so felt very priviledged to be invited, as well as a little apprehensive and excited. 

The painting I chose which you can see below, is a painting by Alisa Small, called Up The Gorge to Tallering Peak.  I was attracted to this painting because we had just past through this area on our way south from the Pilbara.  I love the rich colours, textures and ruggedness of this ancient landscape and how the colours change with the light. Alisa has captured with her painting what I try to capture with my camera. 

 To keep reading and see more pics, please click on "read more" .....

Hopetoun & Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia

Last October we visited Hopetoun and the Fitzgerald River National Park on Western Australia's south coast.

  Below is a excerpt from my latest article published in "On the Road" magazine , July 2012 - "Coastal Palatte of Colour" which I wrote following our trip.  As you scroll through you can see some mosaics of some of the glorious wildflowers to be found in the Park. 

Here is the opening page of the article