We will travel through parts of the Wheatbelt north of Perth visiting many nature reserves and places of natural beauty and historic interest. At this time of year we can expect to see many varieties of Australian orchids, other wildflowers and hopefully the stunning wreath flower.
This tour will run with a minimum of 2 people Day 1
The tour will begin at Midland Train Station at 8am (you are welcome to park/ meet us in Gidgegannup if you wish - exact location will be given to you once you have booked, or contact us directly for the cost of a pick up from your accommodation)
From here we will head North towards Moora stopping at a nature reserve along the way before arriving in time for morning tea. We will then go to a reserve in the area before continuing our journey North, stopping at an area renowned for its everlastings and other spring flowers and orchids. We will arrive at our accommodation for the next 3 nights, a homely farm cottage near Perenjori, in time for dinner. L,D

Day 2
We will depart our accommodation after breakfast and spend the day exploring some lesser known local nature reserves that have not disappointed us in the past. We have found many different species of orchids and wildflowers as well as everlastings. We will return to our accommodation in time for sunset.
After dinner we will head outside to do some Astro photography (weather permitting). The farm is in a totally dark sky area so it's perfect for photographing the Milky Way has several locations that give us great foreground interest for Astro. B,L,D
Day 3

Today we will head north stopping at a couple of nature reserves that are well known for their spring flowers. We will then continue to Coalseam Conservation Park (if we have confirmation of flowers in bloom) in time for lunch or continue with exploring the numerous nature reserves in the area. Time permitting we will visit an old homestead which has rustic farm equipment and a ruined building.
(If we have not done Astro on the previous day we will do it tonight - weather permitting). B,L,D
Day 4

Today we will say goodbye to our farm home and head back towards Perth.
We will stop at several reserves, including a couple of granite out crops which are known to be home to several varieties of wild flowers including reserves around Wongan Hills.
We will arrive back at the Midland Train Station by approximately 6pm and Gidgegannup 30 minutes later. B,L
Abbreviations: B Breakfast; L Lunch: D Dinner
Please note:
The itinerary is subject to change depending on access and local advice on flowers in bloom. Wildflowers are wild and therefore subject to the forces of nature. They are unpredictable blooming one day and gone the next. We know many great spots for wildflowers and have been very successful in the past in finding orchids and other flowers, we can't guarantee what we will find.
We hope to see wreath flowers on all trips but this is more likely in September and a larger variety of orchids is normally in bloom in August.
All levels of photographer are welcome. If you wish to bring a non photographer with you they will be made welcome but will either have to join us on the road and have the patience to go at the rate of the photographers or be happy to stay at the farm for the day with a good book or a jigsaw puzzle. A small discount will apply if they do not require any photographic input and share the room with the photographer, please contact for details at info@CTLPhototours.com

What's included:

Transportation from Midland or Gidgegannup.

Accommodation in a homely cottage on a farm (*shared bathroom and toilet)

All meals as listed

Bottled water/tea/coffee

Photographic input and tuition from Anna-Mair Francis

Entry fees



What's not included:

Snacks

Alcohol (you may bring some if you wish)

Pick up can be arranged (contact us directly for cost)

If you wish to hire a tripod you can do so for $10

Travel insurance

Travel expenses to and from Perth;

Pre and post tour accommodation (we can arrange hotel accommodation in Midland,please enquire for details);

All other private expenses (e.g. camera batteries, memory cards, any other purchases);



Tour Information
Fitness: We will be doing some bush walking over some rocky ground so a moderate level of fitness is required. Orchids grow at low levels so for the best shots you need to be able to bend or kneel down to get the shots. A camping stool can help to get lower if you are unable to do this.
Vehicle & Equipment: Our tour vehicles are chosen for comfort and ability to go over all terrains. They are fully checked and covered by all state government requirements for Passenger Transport Vehicles.
Single Travellers: On Capture the Light Photographic Tours single travellers will be allocated a room to themselves in the cottage if you pay the single supplement but will still have to share the bathroom and toilet. If you are happy to share a room with another single of the same sex we will try and match you with someone and then the single supplement will not apply but if we can not match you with another single then the single supplement will be applied.
Accommodation:
*Accommodation on this tour is a comfortable homely cottage on a farm. It sleeps up to 10 people (5 bedrooms) with shared bathroom facilities configured as 1 king bed, 2 Queen beds and 2 twin bed rooms or a 3 bedroom cottage (3 bedroom 1 queen, and 2 twin bed rooms) with shared bathroom.

Meals: All meals are included throughout the tour - including morning tea. There will be fresh fruit and water available throughout the day. Please contact us directly if you have a special dietary requirement so that we can cater accordingly.

Weather: This tour runs during the wildflower season which is through the Winter/Spring. It is generally between 16 - 18 degrees during the day but can get quite cool at night with temperatures going as low a 3 degrees.

Clothing: You will need closed in shoes with a good grip. Layers are a good idea as the temperature changes during the day. Waterproofs and an umbrella are also recommended as it does rain at this time of the year.

As we will be spending a lot of time at low levels it is a good idea to bring a kneeling pad ( we do have some you can borrow if you wish)