Albany to the Stirling Ranges

21st September 2014

We got off to a very early start this morning and arrived at the Stirling Range Retreat by 9:00am.  The camp is very basic, but we are here for the guided walks to find examples of the diverse range of wildflowers in this biodiversity 'hotspot'.  The park covers an area of 116,000 hectares and contains 1,500 species of flora, 87 of which occur nowhere else in the world.

Mt Toolbrunup in Stirling Range NP

Numbats have been re-introduced to the wild near here too, but we are unlikely to be fortunate enough to see one of those.

Mt Hassell, Stirling Range.  The walk is hard and goes right to the top of the granite outcrop visible

When we arrived there were very high winds, but none of the forecast rain, so we unhitched the van and set off on a gravel road drive which winds through the peaks. The highest peak is a little over 1,000 metres, so not high, but this is the highest point in WA which for the most part is very flat.

We returned from this drive just as the rain started, which has now really set in but the wind has died down.