In Bloom: Where to Find Wildflowers in Tasmania

Tasmania’s wildflower season begins along the coast in spring before climbing into the high country, where alpine blooms can continue well into summer. At Freycinet National Park, coastal heathlands produce flashes of yellow wattle and flowering correa against pink granite. Further inland, Cradle Mountain and the Walls of Jerusalem become extraordinary places to see snow daisies and the red-tipped flowers of Richea scoparia. From the exposed headlands of Rocky Cape to kunanyi / Mount Wellington above Hobart, these are the walks, wilderness areas and national parks worth visiting when Tasmania comes into flower.

Walls of Jerusalem National Park

You have to earn the wildflowers at Walls of Jerusalem National Park. A steep climb through eucalyptus forest eventually gives way to a remarkable alpine landscape of thousand-year-old pencil pines, glacial tarns and immense dolerite cliffs. Come late spring and summer, Richea scoparia transforms the heathlands with crimson, pink, orange and cream flowers, while delicate alpine vegetation carpets the valleys between the peaks. Follow the track through Herods Gate towards the Pool of Bethesda, where ancient conifers stand beside glassy water, or continue towards Lake Ball for sweeping stretches of flowering scoparia. There’s something extraordinary about finding so much colour in a landscape this remote. With no road access and a demanding multi-day walk to navigate, this is Tasmania’s wildflower season at its most rewarding.

Best time to visit: November to February

Sitchu Tip: The 23-kilometre Central Walls Circuit takes approximately three days and is graded 4. Experienced walkers must register before setting out and prepare for rapidly changing alpine weather.

Walls of Jerusalem National Park, Central Highlands, Tasmania

Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park

Cradle Mountain’s jagged silhouette may command the postcards, but summer’s finest details are found closer to the ground. Across its alpine heathlands, Richea scoparia produces spectacular clusters of crimson, orange, pink and cream flowers, with delicate native daisies scattered between the shrubs. The six-kilometre Dove Lake Circuit winds through pockets of ancient rainforest and open heath beneath the mountain’s dolerite peaks, while the Crater Lake Circuit passes Lake Lilla and Wombat Pool, revealing another beautiful side of this remarkable wilderness. At Ronny Creek, wombats graze among the buttongrass, seemingly indifferent to the passing walkers. And should Cradle’s famous summit disappear into cloud, the smaller wonders of its alpine landscape are no consolation prize.

Best time to visit: November to February, particularly December and January.

Sitchu Tip: Allow two to three hours for the Dove Lake Circuit and walk clockwise, as recommended by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service. A parks pass and separate shuttle bus ticket are required.

Cradle Mountain, approximately 2 hours from Launceston

Ben Lomond National Park

Come summer, Tasmania’s favourite ski mountain trades its snowfields for one of the island’s most extraordinary alpine wildflower displays. The adventure begins on Jacob’s Ladder, a series of hairpin bends climbing towards a vast plateau of dolerite columns, ancient boulder fields and remarkably hardy vegetation. Among the rocks, prickly Richea scoparia flowers in brilliant shades of orange, red, yellow and pink, transforming the otherwise austere landscape. Take the five-kilometre Carr Villa to Alpine Village track, which climbs towards Legges Tor, Tasmania’s second-highest peak, passing spectacular wildflower displays along the way. For a shorter introduction, the one-kilometre Summit Link Track crosses rocky alpine country from the village. At 1,500 metres above sea level, even the smallest flowers have an impressive backdrop.

Best time to visit: December to February, with scoparia generally flowering from January into March.

Sitchu Tip: Jacob’s Ladder is steep, narrow and unsealed, with six sharp switchbacks. Check road conditions before driving up, and pack warm layers even in summer.

Ben Lomond National Park, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes from Launceston

Freycinet National Park

Freycinet’s famous pink granite has some competition come spring. Across the peninsula’s coastal heathlands, golden wattles flower alongside fragrant white kunzea, native banksias and an extraordinary variety of orchids. In fact, more than 40 orchid species have been recorded here, including the curious little duck orchid. The four-kilometre Freycinet Walk and Cycle Track winds through heath and woodland beneath the Hazards, with a worthwhile detour to Honeymoon Bay. For something shorter, Cape Tourville’s coastal boardwalk passes salt-weathered vegetation on its way to magnificent views of the Tasman Sea. There’s a beautiful contrast between these intricate little flowers and the enormous granite headlands beyond, especially when the spring sunshine catches both.

Best time to visit: September to December, with coastal heathland flowering from late winter and further species appearing through summer.

Sitchu Tip: The Cape Tourville Circuit is an easy 600-metre walk, taking around 20 minutes. A lovely choice for wildflower spotting without the climb to Wineglass Bay Lookout.

Freycinet Peninsula, approximately 2.5 to 3 hours from Hobart

Tasman National Park

At Tasman National Park, spring’s smallest botanical treasures grow alongside some of Australia’s tallest sea cliffs. Across the peninsula’s coastal heathlands, flowering wattles and native shrubs brighten the landscape, with delicate wildflowers flourishing remarkably close to the ocean’s edge. The Cape Hauy Track is a magnificent place to see them, beginning in woodland at Fortescue Bay before crossing flower-filled heath and climbing towards a headland of enormous dolerite columns. Far below, the Totem Pole and Candlestick rise from the Tasman Sea. For the more adventurous, the four-day Three Capes Track traverses 48 kilometres of coastal heath, eucalyptus forest and extraordinary cliff-top country. It’s a landscape of immense proportions, made all the more fascinating by the tiny botanical details underfoot.

Best time to visit: September to January, with spring especially rewarding for flowering coastal heath.

Sitchu Tip: The Cape Hauy walk covers 9.4 kilometres return and takes approximately four hours. There are plenty of steep stone steps, so wear sturdy shoes and allow time to admire the flowers along the way.

Tasman Peninsula, approximately 1.5 hours from Hobart

kunanyi / Mount Wellington

On kunanyi / Mount Wellington, spring and summer arrive in stages. Around The Springs, Tasmanian waratahs produce brilliant crimson flowers from late spring, their colour especially striking against the pale dolerite columns of the Organ Pipes. Higher up, where the trees give way to exposed alpine heath, Richea scoparia flowers later in summer, its densely packed spikes ranging from cream and soft pink to burnt orange and red. The Organ Pipes Track is a beautiful way to encounter the mountain’s changing vegetation, following the slopes beneath cliffs that rise as high as 120 metres. Above, the summit’s boulder-strewn plateau has its own botanical character, with hardy plants growing among the rocks. All this, barely half an hour from Hobart’s city centre.

Best time to visit: November to March, with waratahs flowering in late spring and early summer, followed by alpine scoparia.

Sitchu Tip: The 7.4-kilometre return Organ Pipes walk takes around three hours from The Springs. For a shorter outing, the 1.7-kilometre Sphinx Rock walk is lovely for late-winter and early-spring wildflowers.

kunanyi / Mount Wellington, Hobart

Central Plateau Conservation Area

On Tasmania’s Central Plateau, the lakes seem to multiply with every passing kilometre. West of Liawenee, the Nineteen Lagoons spread across an immense expanse of glacial tarns, rocky moorland and low alpine heath, where summer produces one of the high country’s loveliest wildflower displays. Around Lake Augusta, prickly Richea scoparia flowers in shades of rose, burnt orange, cream and gold, reaching its colourful peak around Christmas and early January. Look closer and you’ll find intricate cushion plants, their tightly packed foliage forming miniature green mounds among the rocks. Some grow so slowly that a single careless footstep can cause lasting damage. There are few grand landmarks to interrupt the horizon, just an extraordinary succession of lakes, flowering heath and enormous Tasmanian skies.

Best time to visit: December to January

Sitchu Tip: Access Lake Augusta via Liawenee on Highland Lakes Road. Exploring further into the Nineteen Lagoons requires a high-clearance 4WD, and conditions can change rapidly. Check road access before travelling and keep off the fragile cushion plants.

Central Plateau Conservation Area, Central Highlands, Tasmania

From the coastal heathlands of Freycinet to the alpine slopes of Cradle Mountain, Tasmania’s wildflower season is worth planning a trip around. The displays change with the altitude, the weather and the month, so a little timing goes a long way. Explore more of the island’s extraordinary national parks, or start planning your Tasmanian escape. Just remember to stay on the tracks. Some of the loveliest things growing here have taken decades to get there.