Walkers to Enjoy Wonder of Wildflowers at Wireless Hill

The free walk will start at 9:00am and will showcase the natural beauty of native Western Australian wildflowers.

City of Melville Mayor Russell Aubrey said a wide variety of wildflowers bloomed at Wireless Hill each spring, resulting in one of the biggest wildflower displays in the metropolitan area. “Wireless Hill is made up of 41 hectares of banksia, eucalypt and jarrah woodland that is unique to Perth,” he said. “In spring, the park provides an extensive display of native wildflowers, including many different species of orchid as well as the State’s floral emblem – the red and green kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos manglesii).”

Walk organisers are this year mindful of ensuring that visitors keep to the path, so they don’t disturb the sensitive balance of the vegetation.

Friends Group Chair Margaret Matthews said that damage was evident as more manmade paths seemed to be springing up throughout the reserve. “The Friends of Wireless Hill are concerned when people stray from the paths into the bush because they often trample and kill small plants, including emerging seedlings and orchids,” she said. “This is why bare patches and new tracks are so easily established in the bush.”

Mrs Matthews said tracks and bare patches encouraged weed invasion and erosion, leading to further damage to the bush. “As well as trampling small plants, people walking off the path also frighten small animals such as lizards and can damage the nests of ground-nesting birds such as the rainbow bee-eater,” she said.

Organisers are also asking bus tour companies, who frequently visit the reserve during the wildflower season, to consider the bushland and encourage their groups to stay on the hard paths.

If you wish to join Mayor Aubrey and the Friends of Wireless Hill on the guided wildflower walk, meet at the Wireless Hill main car park on Telefunken Drive, Booragoon at 9:00am on Sunday, 31 August. Guides will be accepting gold coin donations to contribute to the ongoing work of the Wildflower Society.

For more information about the guided wildflower walk or Wireless Hill, contact Margaret Matthews on 9315 9075 or visit www.melvillecity.com.au.