Fitzgerald River National Park Park

Address: Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia (Shire of Ravensthorpe)

Website: https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/fitzgerald-river

Hours: Park open year-round

Admission: Park entry free; fees for guided walks, camping permits, and park facilities may apply

Fitzgerald River National Park is a large protected area on the south coast of Western Australia noted for its exceptional plant diversity and scenic coastal landscapes. It covers several hundred thousand hectares and is one of the state’s major conservation reserves.

The park contains extensive coastal heath, granite outcrops and beaches, with large seasonal wildflower displays and a high number of endemic plant species. Visitors explore walking trails, lookouts and short drives to see heathlands, cliffs and stretches of remote coastline.

Conservation and scientific interest have driven management of the park because of its botanical richness and variety of habitats. The area is managed as a national park to protect its flora, fauna and coastal ecosystems.

Situated on the south coast of Western Australia, the park lies between the coastal towns and agricultural areas to the west and east and fronts the Southern Ocean.

• Botanical significance: Covers a large, botanically rich area of southern Western Australia with a very high number of native plant species, including many local endemics, and is renowned for wildflower displays.
• Coastal heath and viewpoints: Coastal scenery includes rugged cliffs, beaches and heathland, with accessible walking trails and lookouts for viewing wildflowers and coastal vistas.

The park is approximately 400 km southeast of Perth by road; nearest towns include Ravensthorpe (west) and Hopetoun (southwest). Access by sealed and unsealed roads-4x4 recommended for some areas.

• Drive the Ravensthorpe-Hopetoun Road for access to the park's western beaches and heathland panoramas.
• The wildflowers in spring (August-September) are exceptional - time visits to match the bloom calendar for peak displays.
• Roads inside the park are unsealed in places; high-clearance vehicles recommended for remote access.