Western Australia - The West Coast

 

Silky Blue Orchid

In case you missed it: 

Western Australia - The Wheatbelt

Western Australia - The South Coast

We aren't really quite to the west coast yet, but the previous post was getting long, so with this one we will finish up the rest of our self-driving trip up the west coast and back to Perth. This post starts with our time near Albany on the south coast, and the beautiful headlands that are near town. We did several hikes over a couple of days with magnificent beaches and ocean views - and of course lots of great flowers. 

Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve

Scarlet Banksia (Banksia coccinea)

Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve

Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve

Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve

Southern Cross (Xanthosia rotundifolia)

This beautiful flower is actually in the Carrot Family (Apiacea). Upon seeing it I had a Crosby, Stills, and Nash moment: 

When you see the Southern Cross for the first time

You understand now why you came this way

Absolutely.

Karri Cowslip Orchid (Caladenia flava ssp. sylvestris)

Rose Cone Flower (Isopogon formosus)

Gull Beach

Purple Enamel Orchid (Elythranthera brunonis)

Waxflower (Crowea angustifolia)

Dunsborough Donkey Orchid (Diuris jonesii)

Narrow-lipped Hammer Orchid (Drakaea thynniphila)

Painted Lady Legume (Gompholobium scabrum)

Our big hike in the Albany area was to Bald Head (I can relate...) in Torndirrup National Park. This 8 mile round trip hike goes out to the end of the Flinders Peninsula with amazing views along the way. As the trail got popular, erosion became a major issue in this sandy environment. About 80% of the trail is now protected with a grated walkway preventing further erosion. It sounds awful, to walk that far on this kind of surface, but it turned out okay. 

Hiking on the "trail"

Our destination is the furthest point on the right

Bald Head gets its name from the mixed granite and limestone outcrops

Cut-leaf Banksia (Banksia praemorsa)

Later in the day we stopped at a tourist spot to see Natural Bridge

Further west near the town of Denmark we poked around at some nice oceanside locations. 

"Green Pool"

"Elephant Rocks"

Karri Spider Orchid (Caladenia brownii)

Next up was Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk in Walpole-Nornalup National Park. To give visitors an amazing experience and protect the fragile root system of this forest, a 600 yard long elevated platform trail was constructed in 1996. It costs a few bucks to walk but that provides revenue for the park to do all the maintenance required. This forest contains the Western Australia equivalent of our giant sequoia trees. There are three primary tree species in the forest with the big boy being Red Tingle, Eucalyptus jacksonii. These monsters can grow to over 200 feet tall, with huge buttress roots, and live over 400 years. At its highest point the platform is 120 feet above ground level. It was so awesome that we walked around twice.

Afterward we were perusing the little gift shop when one of the workers started asking if anyone wanted to go on the “construction tour.”  It seems a group had booked a special tour then didn’t show up. A very lucky 9 of us got to go in their place. This tour is rarely offered and we just happened to be in the right place at the right time. We met up with the park manager and donned our hard hats for a nearly hour long tour at ground level (off limits to visitors). He talked about how the platform was constructed using almost no heavy equipment to protect the trees, maintenance issues, and the impressive engineering that went into its design and construction. 

It was still only about 12:30 and we had more time (and apparently energy) to kill so we wandered over to one of the more serious hiking trailheads not to far away. We did a 4.5 mile loop through some virgin forest, marveling at these giant eucalyptus. That was enough for one day. 

Cherry Spider Orchid (Caladenia gardneri)

Forest Mantis-Orchid (Caladenia attingens)

Funnel-Web Spider Orchid (Caladenia infundibularis)

The far southwest corner of Australia is Cape Leuwin. Here the Southern Ocean and Indian Ocean currents meet. 

We did some hiking from the lighthouse along the coastal trail. The lighthouse itself was built with limestone quarried nearby. Walking along the trail we saw an exposed limestone cave complete with formations. Thankfully the tide was low and we were able to walk right inside. 

Limestone formations along the beach

Further up the coast was the lovely Quininup Falls trail. The falls were great, but so was the rare Exotic Spider Orchid we saw along the way.

Exotic Spider Orchid (Caladenia nivalis)

Quininup Falls

Now based near Margaret River on the west coast, we were able to drive a short way to Cape Naturaliste for more hiking and scenery.

Cape Naturaliste

Rock Heath Myrtle (Thryptomene saxicola)

The coastal trail at Cape Naturaliste

Another limestone cave right along the shoreline

Blue Lady Orchid (Thelymitra crinita)

Oak-leaf Grevillea (Grevillea quercifolia)

Chapman's Spider Orchid (Caladenia chapmanii)

Quenda (Isoodon fusciventer), aka southwestern brown bandicoot

Clubbed Spider Orchid (Caladenia longiclavata)

Common Billy Buttons (Craspedia variabilis)

Stylidium megacarpum

Queen Triggerplant (Stylidium affine)

We did exceptionally well in the Margaret River area with our orchid hunting, adding many new species to our tally. This was our final overnight destination of the trip, leaving us a long drive back to Perth (with lots of great flower stops along the way).

Leaping Spider Orchid (Caladenia macrostylis)

Reaching Spider Orchid (Caladenia arrecta)

Rusty Spider Orchid (Caladenia ferruginea)

Scott River Spider Orchid (Caladenia thinicola)

Giant Spider Orchid (Caladenia excelsa)

Warty Hammer Orchid (Drakaea livida)

Dunsborough Donkey Orchid (Diuris jonesii)

Carousel Spider Orchid (Caladenia arenicola)

Large Pansy Orchid (Diuris magnifica)

That wraps up our flower and hiking visit to Western Australia. But wait! We're not done yet. Now back in Perth we meet up with friends and our birding guides. But that's a story for another day...