Discovering Unique Orchids in Goldfields Region – Final day of our Pub Crawl trip

List of Orchids Found, Nature Reserves, Numerous days, Road Trip, Victoria Rock NR, Western Australian Orchids

15/09/2024

We check out of the York Hotel in Kalgoorlie, then say our goodbyes to Bob n Jan who are heading straight home to Esperance.
Deb and I on the other hand have more orchid hunting to achieve on our return home.

First point of call is Victoria Rock Nature Reserve at 10am on this beautiful Sunday morning. For the next 2hrs or so we wander around the rock and surrounding woodland. The flies are terrible, so we actually wear our head nets on this exploration. We are rewarded for our perseverance with some good orchids found.

In no particular order the following orchids were located and photographed:

Little laughing leek orchid (Prasophyllum gracile),
Dainty brown rufous greenhood (Pterostylis tryphera),
Desert mignonette orchid (Microtis eremicola),
Ant / Clown orchid (Caladenia roei),
Yellow granite donkey orchid (Diuris hazeliae),
Lemon-scented sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera) and
Granite sun orchid (Thelymitra petrophila).

Numerous hybrid orchids were an exciting find.
Parents are the Lemon-scented sun orchid and the Granite sun orchid, both of which have been found at this location.

*Thelymitra antennifera x T. petrophila* (Yet to fully open)

Onwards to our next location, we head south down Victoria Rock Road and turn left onto the Hyden-Norseman Road.
Upon reaching the Coolgardie-Esperance we make a right turn, then pass through Norseman.
Our next location, Bromus Dam is to the right of the highway some 30kms south of Norseman.
We head straight for the McPherson’s Rocks granite outcrop and start our exploration.

We are fortunate to find the following orchids in flower:

Cream spider orchid (Caladenia horistes),
Little laughing leek orchid (Prasophyllum gracile),
Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava) and
Yellow granite donkey orchid (Diuris hazeliae).

We need to keep on moving closer to home, so we make tracks south along the highway as far as Circle Valley to check out the woodlands surrounding the salt lakes.
Here we find the Short-sepaled spider orchid (Caladenia brevisura) in good numbers with one lonely Midget greenhood (Pterostylis mutica) and a all but spent spider orchid (ID unknown).

Well, that is our final stop on the Pub Crawl road trip done and dusted.

Our trip with Bob n Jan started back on the 7th of September.
We stayed overnight in some interesting pubs:
Newdegate Hotel
Kukerin Community Hub
Cuballing Tavern
Hotel Beverley
Greenhills Inn
Koorda Hotel
Palace Hotel – Southern Cross
York Hotel – Kalgoorlie

A wonderful road trip enjoyed with good friends.

Orchid Hunting Adventures, Southern Cross to Kalgoorlie: Pub Crawl Day 8

Condarnin Rock NR, List of Orchids Found, Nature Reserves, Numerous days, Road Trip, Western Australian Orchids

14/09/2024

After a restful sleep we grab breakfast at the local cafe, the Southern Star Cafe. Then we again hit the road. Bob and Jan head off for Coolgardie, whilst we use good old Google Maps to find a possible orchid location.
Condarnin Rock Nature Reserve is chosen. We take the road south just after the burnt out Yellowdine Roadhouse.
It turned out to be a good choice as we discovered the following orchids:
Narrow-lipped dragon orchid (Caladenia mesocera),
Clown / Ant orchid (Caladenia roei),
Dainty blue orchid (Cyanicula amplexans),
Spoon-lipped rufous greenhood (Pterostylis spathulata),
Yellow granite donkey orchid (Diuris hazeliae),
Lemon-scented sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera),
Granite sun orchid (Thelymitra petrophila),
Little frog greenhood (Pterostylis occulta) and
Little laughing leek orchid (Prasophyllum gracile).

Numerous spider orchids from the Filamentosa complex were also found.
I however find identifying these orchids very difficult so will provide my options for the species names and pictures of the orchids.
Any assistance in naming these would be greatly appreciated. I have also posted then on iNaturalist for similar assistance.

Ironcaps / Mystery spider orchid (Caladenia paradoxa)
Chameleon spider orchid (C. dimidia)
Glistening spider orchid (C. incensum)
Western wispy spider orchid (C. microchila)
Banded ironstone spider orchid (C. saxicola)
Common spider orchid (C. varians)

From here we drove directly to Kalgoorlie where we caught up with Bob n Jan at the York Hotel, which is out last pub of this road trip.

It has been a blast!!!!

Orchid Hunting Adventures, Koorda to Southern Cross: Pub Crawl Day 7

List of Orchids Found, Numerous days, Road Trip, Western Australian Orchids, Wundowlin NR

13/09/2024

Breakfast in Koorda before we head east toward Mukinbudin, where we make our first orchid hunting stop at Wundowlin Nature Reserve.
Orchids discovered at this location include:
Lemon-scented sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera),
Dainty blue orchid (Cyanicula amplexans),
Little laughing leek orchid (Prasophyllum gracile)
and
Chameleon spider orchid (Caladenia dimidia).

Passing through Mukinbudin we come across an amazing mural featuring black cockatoos and Blue beard orchids, painted by Tammi de Rooy @tammiderooyart, which by the way is the feature image of this post.
Next, we head southeast towards Westonia.

On the way we make another orchid hunting stop at Boodallin Soak located in the Westonia Common. After a quick check of the well Bob n Jan head into Westonia for an explore whilst we explore the granite outcrop.
Orchids found include:
Yellow granite donkey orchid (Diuris hazeliae),
Little laughing leek orchid,
Western wispy spider orchid (Caladenia microchila),
Midget greenhood (Pterostylis mutica),
Dainty blue orchid,
Slender rufous greenhood (Pterostylis macrosceles)
and
Pink candy orchid (Caladenia hirta subsp. rosea).

After arriving in Westonia we enjoy lunch with Bob and Jan at the Cafe/Supermarket. They then go to check out the museum whilst we explore the Woodlands & Wildflowers Heritage Trail for orchids. This walk trail is also contained in the Westonia Common.
Orchids found include:
Dainty blue orchid with an Albino form found,
Little laughing leek orchid,
Ant / Clown orchid (Caladenia roei),
Granite sun orchid (Thelymitra petrophila),
Spoon-lipped rufous greenhood (Pterostylis spathulata) and
Spider orchids of the Filamentosa complex.
Unable to identify with a high probability of correctness, so have posted 4 pics of the various forms found.

Nearly 3pm so we had better keep moving. We hit the Great Eastern Hwy and venture eastward as far as Bodallin¹where we make another exploration stop.
Many more Filamentosa complex spider orchids are found.
I’ll not attempt to name them, but I’ll use iNaturalist.com for assistance and make edits as needed. Other than C. microchila and C. dimidia already listed today other possible species are:
Glistening spider orchid (Caladenia incensum),
Banded Ironstone spider orchid (Caladenia saxicola),
Common spider orchid (Caladenia varians).

Other orchids found include the
Dainty blue orchid,
Ant / Clown orchid,
Little laughing leek orchid,
Yellow granite donkey orchid,
Hairy-stemmed snail orchid (Pterostylis setulosa),
and
Little frog greenhood (Pterostylis occulta).

It is nearly 4pm so we move onto our next overnight accommodation, where we again catch up with Jan and Bob.
The Palace Hotel in Southern Cross was a comfortable hotel with great meals. We hit the sack content.

WA Orchid Adventures

Come with me on my Orchid Adventures in Southern Western Austalia

Dainty