Meelup Regional Park lies within the Southwest Botanical Province, recognised as one of the worlds biodiversity hotspots. The overall combination of geology, vegetation and flora within the park is highly restricted and unique. A diversity of vegetation can be seen in the park including Jarrah and Marri forests, banksia woodlands, heath, low shrublands, annual herbs, grasses and orchids. Flora occurs on a variety of landforms and soils including lateritic uplands, granite rocks and creeklines.

The vegetation of the Meelup reserve system is considered to be of extremely high conservation value. The diversity of habitat within the reserve system has resulted in a significant range of vegetation and a rich diversity of flora, much of which is not represented elsewhere within the Leeuwin Block major landform.

The vegetation complexes of the reserve system are restricted and poorly reserved. The reserve system supports almost 50% of the remaining extent of the Wilyabrup vegetation complex; this highly restricted complex is associated with expressions of granite in the Margaret River Plateau extent of the Leeuwin Block major landform. All occurrences of this complex support significant populations of endemic and disjunct flora, of which occurrences in Meelup are the largest and the richest (Webb, 2012). The Park contains 480 native flora species including a Threatened Ecological Community - Calothamnus graniticus subsp graniticus coastal heath, 12 threatened or priority listed flora and several species that are endemic (only found here) to the Park.

The best time to see the flora of the park is in the spring when a stunning array of wildflowers are on display. However all seasons have something to offer as many species flower at other times of the year.

For details of these communities and more about the flora of the park refer to ‘The Flora and Vegetation of the Meelup Reserve System’ (Webb 2012) (11.2MB)

Enthusiasts can purchase a field guide to the wildflowers of Meelup regional Park for $3 from the local tourist bureau (Dunsborough, Busselton or Margaret River).