Each spring the heath and wallum country of the Great Sandy region bursts into colour. Across the national parks, K'gari (Fraser Island) and the Cooloola coast, low nutrient-poor sandy soils support a surprisingly rich community of wildflowers that put on their best show as the weather warms.
When to go
The bloom runs from roughly August to October. Cooler, damp winters tend to bring a stronger display.
What to look for
Watch for banksias and grevilleas heavy with nectar, the papery blooms of wallum heath, boronias, bottlebrush, and — for the sharp-eyed — delicate native ground orchids tucked among the heath. The flowering also brings a flurry of honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds.
The walking trails through the national parks and along the Cooloola coast are the best way to see it. Stay on the formed tracks: the heath is fragile, and much of it grows nowhere else.