Wildflower Society of WA - South West Capes Branch

19/06/2026

Coming up this Sunday! 🌿

Looking for help identifying plants, fungi, birds, fish and any other organism you may encounter? NEXT SUNDAY 21st JUNE, our iNaturalist workshop with Melanie Murray will walk you through what iNaturalist is, why use it, and of course how to use it! 🦋🌿🍄🦜🌼

If you are curious about iNaturalist, our upcoming event is for persons interested in learning all about the iNaturalist app - how it can help with identification and collection of data. The hands-on workshop will include theory and practical elements with a focus on using iNat to explore, record your observations, and identify the natural world around you, all while contributing to global diversity knowledge.

Bring your own mobile device (WiFi will be available) and be prepared for a short easy walk through nearby bushland.
This workshop is capped at 25 participants with a preference to WSWA members. Cost is $10 per participant.
Please register by emailing [email protected]

Event details and instructions will be sent out as the date approaches.

18/06/2026

Each month we feature some of our local wildflowers in bloom this time of year! 🌿Let us know in the comments which winter wildflowers you've seen!

📸 Photos by Georgia Johnsen (GJ), Kelly Paterson (KP) all other photos by John Hill.
Check out our newsletter to stay in the loop with our monthly events, local flora, gardening, the environment and more. You can find all the links to sign up to our mailing list, read this month’s issue and more here: https://linktr.ee/sw.capes.wildflowersociety

16/06/2026

The Margaret River Herbarium has been digitised and is now available on the Wildflower Society of WA website!

Some quarter of a century ago, Jane Scott, Jen Stevens, Jo Alferink & Beryn Smith collected some 600 specimens of local flora and created the Margaret River Herbarium. This was part of an initiative of the WA Herbarium - the Regional Herbarium Project. The result was two collections: the originals sent to the Herbarium in Perth, where they were identified, vouchered and housed, and the duplicates pressed and dried, mounted on card and put into plastic sleeves. With their Herbarium vouchers, these were put into 17 ring binders, beautifully decorated by Jo Alferink. These have been kept up to now at the Margaret River Library. However, there is no longer room at the Library for them, so it has been arranged for the collection to go to the Bunbury Herbarium. So as to have this amazing resource still somewhat available locally, it has been digitised, and is now accessible on the Wildflower Society website: https://wildflowersocietywa.org.au/resources/margaret-river-herbarium-digitised/

15/06/2026

🌱 Join us for the Cape Leeuwin Community Planting Day! 🌱

Help restore one of the South West's most iconic coastal landscapes with a morning of hands-on conservation at Cape Leeuwin on Wadandi Boodja.

📅 Friday 19 June 2026
⏰ 10am – 12pm (please arrive 10 minutes early)
📍 Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse Car Park, Augusta

We're inviting locals, visitors and anyone who loves our coastline to roll up their sleeves and help revegetate recently upgraded areas around the lighthouse precinct and a newly diverted section of the Cape to Cape Track.

Together we'll be planting locally sourced native seedlings from the Augusta Community Nursery and brushing out informal pathways to give sensitive coastal vegetation the best chance to recover and thrive.

Why does it matter? Recent trail upgrades have helped protect fragile coastal vegetation by diverting an eroded section of the Cape to Cape Track. This community planting day will help restore the former track alignment, close informal access points, stabilise the landscape and boost biodiversity for years to come.

What to bring:
✔️ Sturdy closed shoes
✔️ Weather-appropriate clothing
✔️ Reusable water bottle
✔️ Hat and sunscreen
✔️ Gloves (optional)

No experience is necessary and everyone is welcome.

This event is delivered through a partnership between the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), Nature Conservation Margaret River Region and Friends of the Cape to Cape Track.

It's also part of our Caring for Coast program, funded by the Line In The Sand philanthropic group.

Register now and help make a lasting contribution to the future of this remarkable coastline. See https://natureconservation.org.au/events/ 🌿

13/06/2026

Still plenty of space available at next weekends workshop! …..Looking for help identifying plants, fungi, birds, fish and any other organism you may encounter? NEXT SUNDAY 21st JUNE, our iNaturalist workshop with Melanie Murray will walk you through what iNaturalist is, why use it, and of course how to use it! 🦋🌿🍄🦜🌼

If you are curious about iNaturalist, our upcoming event is for persons interested in learning all about the iNaturalist app - how it can help with identification and collection of data. The hands-on workshop will include theory and practical elements with a focus on using iNat to explore, record your observations, and identify the natural world around you, all while contributing to global diversity knowledge.

Bring your own mobile device (WiFi will be available) and be prepared for a short easy walk through nearby bushland.
This workshop is capped at 25 participants with a preference to WSWA members. Cost is $10 per participant.
Please register by emailing [email protected]

Event details and instructions will be sent out as the date approaches.

12/06/2026

W**D of the month: Bleeding Heart Tree, Homalanthus novo-guineensis❌

A fast growing tree or shrub up to 4 metres with green heart-shaped leaves. Some older leaves turn red. Fruits are small purple berries clustered on stalks. Flowers are green-yellow and appear in long terminal spikes. Flowers in spring. Fruits are clustered blue capsules. Native to the Kimberley and other tropical areas of Australia. This tree has escaped its garden situation, invading wetlands and creeks. Infestations are spreading along road verges and into nearby reserves - these are on the side of the Wadandi Track behind the Margaret River LIA. They are spread by water and birds.

Removal techniques:
Small trees and seedlings can be hand pulled. Cut stumps of bigger trees low to the ground with a hand saw or chain saw and paint immediately with Glyphosate to prevent resprouting. Seedlings may emerge from under removed trees so annual follow up will be necessary

(Thanks to The Denmark Environment Centre)

This information comes from our monthly newsletter, want to know more? Find it here at https://linktr.ee/sw.capes.wildflowersociety

10/06/2026

June’s Plant of the Month – Hakea linearis 💚

QUICK FACTS:
🌿Shrub or tree 2-4m.
🌿Abundant clusters of white flowers with a sweet scent spring to autumn.
🌿Granite, sand, sandy clay, seasonally-wet flats; sun through to shade.
🌿Wildlife attracting: black cockatoos, honeyeaters, pollinators.
🌿Uses: wet areas, fragrant gardens, shelterbelts/windbreaks, shrubberies, wildlife habitat protection.

Each month we feature a local plant that is flowering at the time of publication, will make a great addition to any garden, encourage wildlife, provide habitat, and best of all, contribute to the wonderful diversity that surrounds us. You can start with one local native plant in your garden then see where that takes you!

For more garden inspiration see our "Out and About Plantings" section and seek advice from your local native nursery - local nurseries are listed below.

Find everything you need here: https://linktr.ee/sw.capes.wildflowersociety

08/06/2026

🌿Community planting this Wednesday June 10 @ 10am🌿

Join us for our next planting day!

Quindalup foreshore Staley St & Geo Bay Rd - look for our flag.

What to bring:
▪ Hat and sun protection
▪ Wet weather gear
▪ Enclosed shoes
▪ Comfortable gardening clothes
▪ Good planting vibes!

Morning tea provided. We hope to see you there 💚

08/06/2026

Our June newsletter is out now! 🌿 Read all about local flora, gardening, past and upcoming events, environmental news and more. You can sign up to our mailing list, read this month’s issue and more here: https://linktr.ee/sw.capes.wildflowersociety

07/06/2026

Looking for help identifying plants, fungi, birds, fish and any other organism you may encounter? NEXT SUNDAY 21st JUNE, our iNaturalist workshop with Melanie Murray will walk you through what iNaturalist is, why use it, and of course how to use it! 🦋🌿🍄🦜🌼

If you are curious about iNaturalist, our upcoming event is for persons interested in learning all about the iNaturalist app - how it can help with identification and collection of data. The hands-on workshop will include theory and practical elements with a focus on using iNat to explore, record your observations, and identify the natural world around you, all while contributing to global diversity knowledge.

Bring your own mobile device (WiFi will be available) and be prepared for a short easy walk through nearby bushland.
This workshop is capped at 25 participants with a preference to WSWA members. Cost is $10 per participant.
Please register by emailing [email protected]

Event details and instructions will be sent out as the date approaches.