Explore Stirling Range National Park: Hike, Sightsee, or Drive Through Rugged Beauty
Steeped in cultural significance for the Minang and Goreng people, Stirling Range National Park offers a diverse range of experiences for visitors. This park, boasting Western Australia’s only major mountain range south of Perth, promises challenging hikes, breathtaking scenery, and abundant wildflowers.
The park’s name, Koi Kyenunu-ruff, translates to “mist rolling around the mountains” in the Aboriginal language, reflecting the frequent presence of mist clinging to the peaks. Towering over 1,000 metres above sea level, these mountains rise dramatically from the surrounding plains, creating a spectacular backdrop for exploration.
Spring and early summer bring the park to life with vibrant wildflowers. Enjoy these floral displays and diverse birdlife from the many walking and hiking trails, lookouts, and picnic areas scattered throughout the park. For those seeking a less strenuous option, a scenic 42-kilometre drive winds through the heart of the park on mostly unsealed but graded roads, offering opportunities to stop and admire the scenery along the way.
Accommodation options are available near the park’s northern boundary at Stirling Range Retreat or Mount Trio Bush Camping and Caravan Park.
Bluff Knoll, also known as Bular Mial, holds cultural significance for the Minang and Goreng people. Signage on the Eastern Lookout provides information and stories about this important site.
The Stirling Ranges stretch for 65 kilometres and culminate in Bluff Knoll, the park’s highest peak at 1,059 metres. The park’s ancient geology, with bedrock composed of metamorphosed sandstones and shales formed from an ancient sea, is estimated to be 2.5 to 2.9 billion years old.
The range’s southern location and height create a unique climate, occasionally even receiving snowfall in winter. This unique environment also fosters the formation of unusual and sometimes spectacular cloud formations.
The combination of climate and soil types has resulted in an exceptional diversity of wildflowers within the park. With over 1,500 species recorded, including 123 orchid species, Stirling Range National Park is a haven for flora enthusiasts. Many of these wildflowers are found nowhere else on Earth.
Stirling Range National Park caters to a variety of interests. Hikers, sightseers, trekkers, rock climbers, and nature lovers alike will find something to marvel at within this beautiful and pristine park.
Want to find the best trails in Stirling Range National Park for an adventurous hike or a family trip? Trail Hiking Australia has the top trails for walking, hiking, running and more.
