A river of pink, yellow and white spilled over the red dry earth of the embankment. It ebbed and flowed through the scrubby trees and into the bush as far as I could see. Orchids peeped out from their hiding places by the trunks of the overhanging trees, and everlastings turned their yellow faces towards the last golden tendrils of the sun’s orb.

It is September, and I have come to Camel Soak on the Rabbit Proof Fence, thirty kilometres east of Perenjori on the north eastern edge of Western Australia’s wheatbelt to photograph the wildflowers.

Influenced by rain and sunshine and boasting up to 12,000 known species, the Western Australian wildflower season spreads over several months starting from July in the north till November in the south and draws visitors from all over the world. Walking through the bush during spring you see the browns and greens of the bush erupt in a dazzling display of colour. A wildflower tour could extend from a few days to several weeks or months, or in the heart of Perth visitors can stroll through the Botanic Garden in Kings Park or visit the annual Wildflower Festival in September/October.

To get the best from your wildflower photography trip, start by planning around the time of year and how far you want to travel. The wildflower season is dependant on seasonal weather variations, and each region has unique wildflower species due to environmental differences such as soil type, fauna, plant systems, geography, and weather. Whilst on the road it is a good idea to visit local tourist information centres for the latest information on what is flowering where, as the best locations can vary depending on the season and rainfall.

Armed with a camera, map, a wildflower tourist guide, identification books, and camping gear, our tour took us through one of the State’s most spectacular wildflower areas, the “Everlasting Trail”, which is also rich in heritage interest. Be sure to carry spare camera batteries, several memory cards or plenty of film, as the photographic opportunities are endless. A laptop computer for downloading and viewing images would also be useful.

You don’t have to be a professional photographer to create stunning wildflower photos. Planning, time and care to compose and focus will produce good results.

To get the most out of any wildflower drive, you should stop the car on the roadside verges or nature reserves and walk into the bush, as it gives you the opportunity to find flowers you won’t see whilst driving along the highway. Even areas which appear arid at first glance can reveal hidden treasures. Many flowers are more exquisite close up.

The vastness of Western Australia and the spread and multitude of wildflowers means that every trip will be different. Subsequent trips took us to the Dryandra Woodland near Narrogin in October, and the Karri forests of Pemberton in November, whilst early rains produced spectacular wildflower displays during trips to Marble Bar and Karijini National Park in July. Every time you take to the road, you will find something new and interesting and the wildflower trail and wildflower photography becomes addictive.