Each spring, the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park bursts into colour. The Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali people call this time of year Petyan, the season of wildflowers, running from late August to mid-November. Across the ranges, more than 1,000 species of flowering plants come into bloom, close to a third of all the flora found in Victoria. For caravanners and campers, it is one of the best reasons to point the van west this year.
Start in the north, where the Flat Rock Walk near Mount Zero offers an easy introduction to the season, with wildflowers scattered along the track and sweeping views back over the plains. Nearby, the Grampians Flora Botanic Garden in Halls Gap is worth a slow wander, with self-guided walks through native plantings that make it easy to put names to the flowers you will spot later on the trails.
Head further into the Wartook Valley and you will find one of the park’s signature displays. Grampians thryptomene lines the roadsides here, its tiny flowers turning from white to soft pink and light brown as spring goes on. Roses Gap Road, Pohlners Road and Lodge Road are all good routes to drive slowly, windows down.
Pomonal, on the eastern edge of the ranges, is known locally as the garden of the Grampians. Come spring, the town hosts its long-running Native Flower Show, and the surrounding walking trails are a good spot to look for native orchids among the heath.
Closer to Halls Gap itself, the walk to Boronia Peak and the road up to Boroka Lookout both put on a good show of wildflowers, while the Delleys Dell to Silverband Falls track is worth adding if you are keen on ferns as well as flowers.
In the south, the drive along Halls Gap–Dunkeld Road and the climb to the summit of Mount William (Duwul) reward walkers with pea flowers in purple, pink and orange, alongside bluebells and flowering heaths. It is some of the best wildflowers viewing in the Grampians National Park, and a good excuse to take the scenic route rather than the highway.
The Grampians is home to more than 75 native orchid species, some found nowhere else on earth. Keep an eye out for the Flying Duck Orchid, Grampians Spider Orchid and Golden Moth Orchid, along with the Ornate Finger and Hornet orchids. Shrubs to watch for include the bright pink Grampians boronia, endemic to the park, and the white to pink blossoms of Grampians thryptomene. Along the tracks, you may also spot blue tinsel-lilies and the climbing purple coral-pea threading through the undergrowth.
Wildflowers are only part of what makes spring such a good time to visit the Grampians. The region is one of Victoria’s oldest wine regions, with vines here dating back more than 160 years and some of the country’s longest continuously operating cellar doors. Spring cellar door visits pair well with a slow drive between wildflower spots, and the region’s breweries and distilleries add their own local flavour, from crisp lagers to small-batch ciders.
It is also a good season for local produce. Farmers markets pop up around the region through spring, with fresh olives, spring lamb and other seasonal goods worth stopping for on the way through. Add in spring racing carnivals, food and wine festivals, and the odd canola field in full yellow bloom on the drive in, and there is plenty to fill a few days beyond the walking tracks.
Spring in the Grampians is best enjoyed at a slower pace, and a caravan or holiday park nearby makes that easy. Find a caravan park near the Grampians to base yourself for a few days of spotting wildflowers, walks and Gariwerd’s spring colour.
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