'A pot of gold' as small orchids delight avid hunters

Orchids bloom beneath undergrowth in WA's Midwest as wildflower season begins Sun 2 Aug 2026 at 11:01am In short: Flower hunters anticipate a great season for native orchids in Western Australia. A variety of the species are in their "prime" at the moment. What's next? Western Australia's Midwest region is preparing for an influx of visitors during the peak of wildflower season. While colourful carpets of wildflowers are yet to bloom as regional Western Australia anticipates a bumper season, hidden gems are emerging. Native orchids are tucked away in the green undergrowth. Geraldton-based nature photographer Bill Belson said the challenge of spotting the elusive blooms was part of what made them special. "When you do find them, you really feel like you've found a pot of gold,"he said. The 64-year-old said he had been taking photographs since he was a teenager, and his love for nature and images went hand in hand. Mr Belson said hunting for plants and animals to snap was like "therapy" for him. "Get out into the bush, get the exercise, get the fresh air, and go and find some of these beautiful gems," he said. "Sometimes you can go out and photograph nothing, but that's okay … I still enjoy it." Mr Belson said there was magic in capturing the change in season. "As soon as that rain comes, everything turns green, the birds come alive," he said. "Then, when the flowers come out, you get the vibrancy of different colours, different plants coming at different times. "It's just like letting you know that life is back." Mr Belson said he would still search for orchids in amongst the flourish of pinks, yellows and whites. "It's always good to just keep your eyes open." Tourists flock for wildflowers In Morawa, about 360 kilometres north-east of Perth, volunteer wildflower tour guide Leonie Aspin said orchids were flourishing this season. "This year is definitely an orchid year," she said. "The percentage is so high, it's quite amazing." The avid wildflower enthusiast said spider orchids were in their "absolute prime", while blue fairy orchids, donkey orchids and pink candy orchids were also prolific in the area. Ms Aspin said tourists could easily overlook the understated flower. "These things are tiny, like 5 centimetres, 10 centimetres, and they don't realise [the orchids are there]," she said. "It's a good time at the moment to spot them because you don't have the competition of the wildflowers at their peak time." Ms Aspin said volunteers at the Morawa Visitors Centre were preparing for "chaos," expecting hundreds of people to flock to the town of about 450 people. "It's just all hands on deck, and it's just the crazy season,"she said.