Without even leaving the Greater Sydney Area, there’s plenty of places to see the rainbow of wildflowers that grow each spring. From Berowra and Ku-ring-gai in the north to Georges River and Royal National Park in the south, and just about everything in between the Blue Mountains and the coast, too, here’s where we’ve had great bushwalks and seen beautiful blooms along the way.
Six places to see wildflowers in Sydney
Kamay Botany Bay National Park
Recommended walks: Cape Baily Track (6.4 kilometres)
Why we like it: Ticking off two big boxes, the coastal walks in Kamay Botany Bay National Park are great for both whale watching and seeing wildflowers. During the summer months, the tracks here are lined with fuzzy flannel flowers swaying in the sea breeze. You’ll also get similar views to the Coast Track down in Royal National Park with much fewer people. So you actually can stop and smell the flowers.
✅ We’ve been here!
Georges River National Park
Recommended walk: Ridge Walking Track (2.4 kilometres)
Why we like it: One we only discovered recently, this small national park in Sydney’s south had plenty of flowers along the track. Following the Gorges River along an elevated ridge, you’ll be treated to plenty of flannel flowers, bottle brush and more splashes of colour against the green bushland.
✅ We’ve been here!
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Recommended walks: Barrenjoey Lighthouse (2.6 kilometres), Mount Ku-ring-gai Track to Berowra Station (9.3 kilometres), Sphinx Memorial to Bobbin Head Loop Track (9.5 kilometres)
Why we like it: Much quieter than spots like Royal National Park and Kamay Botany Bay in Sydney’s south, Ku-ring-gai is the first of a few spots north of the Sydney that are stunning whether it’s wildflower season or not. The track between Berowra and Mount Kur-ring-gai station is actually amongst one of our favourites.
✅ We’ve been here!
Berowra Valley National Park
Recommended walks: Berkeley Fire Trail (9.2 kilometres), Lyrebird Gully Circuit (9.7 kilometres), Cowan to Berowra via Berowra Waters (12.9 kilometres)
Why we like it: With plenty of ups and downs to keep things interesting, walks in the Berowra area are definitely a workout. So when we’re looking for good scenery, good flowers and a good sweat, this is where we head. While our favourite walks here are pretty long, you can either do part of them (just turn around a bit earlier) or take a shorter track in the area.
✅ We’ve been here!
Malabar Headland National Park
Recommended walks: Malabar Headlands Track (6 kilometres)
Why we like it: Close to the city, home to two beaches, colourful graffiti along the way and, of course, wildflowers this Malabar Headland has plenty to offer. In the spring, there’s plenty of flannel flowers to be seen along the track. It’s also one of the only places you can see the Port Jackson malee.
✅ We’ve been here!
Muogamarra
Recommended walks: We haven’t been here yet, but there’s a few in the area ranging from 2.1 to 9.3 kilometres.
Why we’d like to visit: Open for just six weeks per year, Muogamarra Nature Reserve is said to be one of the best places to see wildflowers each spring. From mid-August to late-September, the nature reserve just north of Cowan allows visitors to witness more than 900 varieties of native plants. This includes waratahs, angophoras, old-man banksias, pink boronias and native orchids.
Visiting here isn’t free though, even with our NSW National Parks pass. In 2024, tickets were $25 for adults for a tour or $15 for a self-guided tour. Parking was another $5 on top of that. But, if it’s as beautiful as it’s said to be, surely it’s worth it.
🔜 We haven’t been here yet.
When is the best time to see wildflowers?
Although there’s plenty of flowers that bloom all year round, spring is the best time to see wildflowers. In the Greater Sydney Area, September and October are when blooms at at their peak. But, you can see flowers from as early as August and into November, too.
What wildflowers are in the Sydney region?
There’s plenty of wildflowers in the Sydney area, but here are some that we frequently see on the above walking tracks during the spring months.
- Banksia
- Bottle brush
- Egg and bacon (dillwynia retorta)
- Flannel flowers
- Grey spider flower
- Mountain devil
- Patersonia
- Waratahs
- Wattle
Willing to travel a bit further?
If you’re willing to make a day trip or full weekend of it, here’s a few other spots we recommend for wildflowers in spring.
- Blue Mountains: Blooming slightly later than the national parks near the coast, the Blue Mountains are riddled with wildflowers. On a really lucky season, you may even get to see the elusive pink flannel flower.
- Warrumbungles: Moving a bit closer toward the desert, you’ll get slightly different varieties out here but still with plenty of colour. We especially loved the wildflowers growing along the Sculptures in the Scrub walk in the nearby Timmallallie National Park. (Read more about the area here)
Is it illegal to pick wildflowers?
In short, yes. It’s illegal to pick any protected plant species in New South Wales thanks to the Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Even if it’s not part of the act, it’s best to just leave the plants, or anything else you come across be. Whether it’s a rock, a leaf or a colourful flower, taking anything from national parks isn’t allowed.
