2024 Great Southern Treasures Bloom Festival: Where the wildflowers are returns to celebrate our hidden gems

Wonderous flora will transform the southern region scenery later this month when the wildflowers sprout, kicking off the annual Great Southern Bloom Festival. The Great Southern landscape will come alive with breathtaking wildflowers to admire and a kaleidoscope of experiences featuring art, culture, nature and more at this year’s festival, presented by WCP Civil, from September 21 to October 20. Great Southern Treasures marketing officer Saara Khan said they were excited to celebrate with residents and visitors after eight months of teamwork with Great Southern Treasures, shires and communities. “Bloom Festival is important because it provides an opportunity for smaller, regional towns in the Great Southern to showcase the treasures that make them unique,” she said. “It raises awareness on exploring your own backyard and encourages West Australians to visit rural towns steeped in cultural history and brimming with vibrant flora. “This year we have 59 events ranging from guided wildflower walks, open gardens, art exhibitions, flower craft workshops, private wine tastings and picnics and even a family-friendly game of cricket — truly something for everyone.” Visitors seeking to learn about the Great Southern’s rich Indigenous culture can attend Noongar art, craft and bush cooking plus the authentic markets will provide a unique opportunity to connect with the Noongar community, traditions and culinary delights. Keneang Indigenous elder Billy Riley will share inspiring stories on his cultural tours at Kodja Place and authentic Indigenous markets will provide a cultural experience. Food and wine experiences to tantalise the taste buds include fresh local produce from farmers’ markets for festival-goers to indulge in and a bush cooking lesson for a culturally rich experience.