Wildflowers on the Fleurieu

A late winter and spring spectacle

The Fleurieu Peninsula has one of the most diverse remnant flora in the Mount Lofty Ranges bioregion - hundreds of native species concentrated in the surviving conservation parks, peat swamps and stringybark forests of the southern Mount Lofty hills. The wildflower season runs roughly from August to October, with peak displays in September.

What you find depends on where you walk. The high-rainfall hill country (Mount Billy, Spring Mount, Kuitpo) carries orchids, native peas, banksias and native hibiscus. The coastal scrub at Aldinga and Newland Head has correas, dunes daisies and pigface in mass display. The Mount Compass swamps support the rare Fleurieu peat swamp flora, including the endangered Mt Lofty Ranges southern emu-wren and its sedgeland habitat.

What to look for

Orchids: the Fleurieu has more than 100 native orchid species, mostly small ground orchids that flower in spring. Spider orchids, sun orchids, donkey orchids and the rare leek orchids are all found in the conservation parks. Look low on the ground in shaded areas after rain.

Native peas: the bright yellow flowers of native pea bushes (Pultenaea, Dillwynia, Eutaxia) are the most visible spring colour in the bushland reserves. They cover entire hillsides in the Inman Valley and at Kuitpo.

Banksias and grevilleas: the woody plants of the Fleurieu coastal heath. Banksia marginata is the most common and flowers prolifically in late winter and spring.

Practical tips

Walk in the morning when the light is best and the orchids are most photographable. Stay on the marked tracks - the wildflowers are fragile and many of the conservation parks contain endangered species. Check Parks SA for current park access conditions before heading out, especially during fire-risk months.