Exploring Orchids at Dempster Head: A Local Hotspot

Dempster Head, Esperance, Western Australian Orchids

12/08/2025

A local orchid hotspot is the granite headland we call Dempster Head. We also refer to it as the Rotary Lookout for a very obvious reason!!
It being a beautiful, cloudless, sunny winters day, what better way to spent it than searching for the usual orchid suspects.

The first orchid found is the Mosquito orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta) which flower between June and August over a southerly range from Perth to Israelite Bay.
I located my orchids flowering under overhanding bushes on the walk trail edges. The ground hugging circular leaves grow in large numbers and are what you first notice. Then on a closer inspection you discover a few flowering specimens.

Snail orchids are also found scattered around the site. The exact species is difficult to name due to both Pterostylis voigtii and P. meridionalis named as growing in this region.
Both these orchids are smaller, grow in shallow soil pockets on granite outcrops, have bloated appearance, flared petals and slightly thickened lateral sepals.
Either they are the Eastern granite snail orchid or the Southern thick-sepaled snail orchid.
I have named as I believe them to be, however, any assistance in identifying these little guys would be appreciated.

Next up is an orchid that appears to have a restricted range in the Esperance region. The Spectacled donkey orchid (Diuris conspicillata) is listed as growing in shallow soil pockets on coastal granite outcrops in the Esperance area, which Dempster Head is an example of.
They get their name from the dark markings on the inner part of the labellum lateral lobes, which gives an impression of wearing glasses.
They are found scattered over Dempster Head usually in exposed areas but protected by a surrounding prickly shrub.

Another orchid with round ground hugging leaves is found, also growing underneath over hanging bushes.
The Crystal helmet orchid (Corysanthes limpida) is found from Walpole to Israelite Bay growing in sandy soils in coastal woodlands and shrublands.
When you come across the leaves you could mistake them for Mosquito orchids however the flowers are much shorter until they are fertilised, at which time the stem can extend up to 300mm in height.
Similarly to the Mosquito orchids, many leaves may be found but usually only a handful will produce flowers.

Not too bad a day with finding some orchids. Amazingly all orchids found belonged to a different genus.
Pterostylis, Cyrtostylis, Diuris and Corysanthes.

Amazingly I am posting this exactly 1 year later. Today however is not a beautiful fine sunny winters day, but a cold overcast winters day, hence I have time indoors to complete this post.

A Day at the Kepwari Walk Trail: Orchid Varieties Uncovered

Esperance, Western Australian Orchids, Woody Lake NR

25/08/2024

Keeping closer to home today I decide to go and check out the Kepwari Walk Trail. This trail is located in the Woody Lakes Nature Reserve.
I park up at the spot between Woody and Windabout Lakes to commence the trail.

Not far along the track I spy some king spider orchids. They appear to be the Esperance king spider orchid (Caladenia decora).
The Esperance king spider orchid comes in many shape and colour variations. Some will have clubbed petals, some will be mostly red, whilst others have minimal clubbing and may be almost completely creamy-green in colour.
These variations can make a positive ID difficult especially given the related Heberle’s spider orchid (C. heberleana) is found in Esperance and looks very similar.
Let alone it hybridises with the Esperance white spider orchid (C. longicauda subsp. crassa).
C. longicauda and a possible hybrid were also found today.
Other specimens are found further along the track especially the area between Woody and Wheatfield Lakes.

Up on the high ground section which provides a great view over Woody Lake I find some classy Pink fairies (Caladenia latifolia).
Others are found further along as well, with a very pale pink, nearly white one being the highlight.
Also found leaves and spent Mosquito orchids at base of a series of steps and in other patches.

Once down on the flats again and along the track between Woody and Wheatfield lakes the Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava) appears.
The yellow colouring differs between my camera and mobile phone pictures. The duller yellow I feel is closer to real life.

I did not complete the full trail before turning around as it is now lunch time and I’m starving. Orchid photos were taken on the way back to the carpark as well and are included in the pics already listed for each species.
Just before making it back to the carpark I find a small orchid in bud. Pic was taken and I did plan to go back to check what it was when in flower. However, that was forgotten until way too late. Maybe next season.

Orchid Species Found on the Great Ocean Trail

Esperance, List of Orchids Found, Western Australian Orchids

12/08/2024

Today we have finally decided to tackle the Great Ocean Trail. It is a walk/cycle trail from Pink Lake to Twilight Beach, being around 4.7 kms in length one-way.

As we did not start until after 2pm we only achieved the approximate halfway point before turning back. We plan to walk from the other end another day to enable us to record this trail as completed.

The trail wound around the stabilized sand dunes, so was hilly in patches. It was also very weedy in certain sections which impacted the number of orchids found.
I will list the orchids found below, with details of their recorded range and flowering season.

Green Range donkey orchid

(Diuris littoralis)

Distribution: Denmark to Esperance

Season: July to early-September

Pink fairies

(Caladenia latifolia)

Distribution: Kalbarri to Israelite Bay

Season: August to early-December

Esperance white spider orchid

(Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa)

Distribution: Bremer Bay to Israelite Bay

Season: August to early-October

Curled-tongue shell orchid

(Pterostylis rogersii)

Distribution: Binningup to Esperance

Season: June to August

Mosquito orchid

(Cyrtostylis robusta)

Distribution: Perth to Israelite Bay

Season: June to August

Sand hill helmet orchid

(Corysanthes despectans)

Distribution: Bunbury to Israelite Bay

Season: July to early-September

Numerous snail orchids were found along the way. The appearance of the flowers and rosettes varies greatly so positive ID is difficult. Please share your thoughts on possible IDs.

Exploring the Great Ocean Trail: Orchid Discoveries

Esperance, List of Orchids Found, Western Australian Orchids

14/08/2024

We aimed to complete the Great Ocean Trail without delay. Specifically, we focused on the section we had not traversed two days prior.
The beginning stretch from Twilight Beach was rather disheartening due to recent bushfire damage. Regrettably, it appeared that weeds were the first to re-emerge. Beyond the scorched zones, the prevalence of weeds diminished.

We had hoped to discover species different from those found during our last visit, but this was not the case.
The walk was similar in that it went up and down and around the consolidated dunes, which would explain why the same orchids were found as two days ago.

As the orchids found were the same as last time, I will just post one picture of each. The names will be listed. Please visit my BLOG dated 12/08/2024 for other info on the orchids found.
Thankyou

Even though it was slim pickings in the orchid field, we did enjoy the walk in the wonderful great outdoors. Achieved my 10,000 steps 🙂

Discovering Unique Orchids on Esperance’s Coast

Esperance, Pink Lake, Western Australian Orchids, Wind Farm

11/08/2024

A beautiful Sunday afternoon in Esperance so what better way to spend it than looking for orchids.
Where to go today though?
Let’s hit some coastal and near coastal locations to see what we find.

First stop is a coastal Esperance location¹⁰

Walking around the marked trail from the car park Deb spies some Snail orchids growing in the scrub. These small orchids appear to be the Southern thick-sepaled snail orchid (Pterostylis meridionalis). They are found in coastal locations between Stokes Inlet and Cape Arid. Flowering from July to September in coastal woodlands and shrublands. If my ID is correct this is only the 2nd time, we have found these, which is exciting.

We now head down the dirt track to toward the granite headland. In the scrubby raised edges to the path, we are pleased to find some helmet orchids. These ones appear to be the Sand hill helmet orchid (Corysanthes despectans) which is found between Bunbury and Israelite Bay. They flower from July to early-September and grow in sandy soils in coastal woodlands and shrublands. They also occur in SA, Vic and Tas.

Now this is a newly discovered species for us so really excited.

Dorsal sepal does not form a hood over labellum

Further down the track we come across more rounded leaves. These leaves, however, end up belonging to the Mosquito orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta). This is a widespread orchid which occurs between Perth and Israelite Bay. These flower earlier so are nearing the end of their season, being June to August.

At the end of the track/s before reaching the granite another species of snail orchid is found. This one is likely to be the Eastern granite snail orchid (Pterostylis voigtii) which flowers from July to September. It occurs between Stokes Inlet and Cape Arid, growing in shallow soil pockets over granite.

Moving onto another coastal location ¹¹ . Here we first find some more snail orchids. Some had the slight clubbing to the lateral sepals whilst others did not. I believe the former are Southern thick-sepaled snail orchids whilst the later are Eastern granite snail orchids. Pics of both recorded.

Deb is excited to find a shell orchid. From the location of the orchid, I believe it to be the Curled-tongue shell orchid (Pterostylis rogersii). These orchids flower from June to August between Binningup and Esperance in coastal woodlands and shrublands. Another one is found nearby which is greener in colour but appears to be the same species.

An orchid found in various shades was the Pink fairies (Caladenia latifolia). A common orchid found between Kalbarri and Israelite Bay, flowering during the months August to December.

Another 3 species of orchid are also found. 1 of which have been found previously today: The Mosquito orchid. Newly found are the rosette of a Bird orchid and the Banded greenhood (Pterostylis vittata). Pictures taken for future reference.

Moving onto our third location for the day.¹² Here a quick inspection turns up some more Curled-tongue shell orchids.

Labellum protrudes giving the common name

Last location of the day provides wonderful views over Pink Lake. ¹³ Here we are amazed to find the Beautiful donkey orchid (Diuris pulchella) growing so close to the coast. I believed it was an inland orchid as it’s range is listed as being between Salmon Gums and Israelite Bay. These stunning orchids flower from July to September.

Another less colourful donkey orchid is also found. Due to our location, I believe this to be the Green Range donkey orchid (Diuris littoralis). Florabase’s map indicates they can occur in coastal locations. Also, their range is listed in my orchid books as being between Denmark and Esperance. The flowering season is July to early-September so it all fits.

Narrow, often crossed lateral sepals. though not is this case.

Further along the track we come across some more Pink fairies. These ones seem to be pink and white striped which is interesting. Also found a lone Snail orchid, ID unknown. Pics take for recording purposes.

Bloated appearance, thin lateral sepals and 2 cauline leaves

The final orchids found for the day were the large white spider orchids. I now need to decide if they are all the Esperance white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa) or maybe different species. What are your thoughts?

We spend several hours exploring our coastal and near coastal locations. Then, we return home happy as we have located so many different types of orchids.

The Sand hill helmet orchid being the find of the day.

I’ll finish this post with one of the beautiful scenes we enjoyed today…

06/08/2023 ….. Discovering a Diverse Array of Orchids in East Esperance: A Photographic Journey

Condingup Water Reserve, Other Reserves, Sunday Drive, Western Australian Orchids

After one week back at work we need to get out exploring, so as it’s Sunday we head East to Condingup to see if our Curly locks are flowering. At our townsite location we head to the location I had recorded in my Australian Geology Travel Maps app and we locate one in flower.
The Southern curly-locks (Thelymitra uliginosa) is known to occur from Busselton to Esperance, flowering during August and September. It is distinguished by its spiral leaf and the more purple-coloured flowers, rather than the pinkish colour of the other curly locks species.

Further afield we stumble across the Dancing spider orchid (Caladenia discoidea) which is a distinctive spider orchid having forward projecting lateral sepals and a very broad labellum with long fringe segments. They flower between Israelite Bay and Kalbarri during late Autumn to mid Spring.

Another spider orchid found in greater numbers was the Common spider orchid (Caladenia varians) which as the name suggests has a large range from Kalbarri to East of Esperance, similar the C. discoidea mentioned previously. It flowers over a slightly longer season, July to mid-October and as its Latin name suggests is variable in appearance over its extended range.

There was a single spider orchid that has had the tips nibbled off its sepals and petals, so I initially was leaving it out of this post, however after posting it on iNaturalist it appears it is the Cream spider orchid (Caladenia horistes) which occurs between the Fitzgerald River N.P and Balladonia, flowering from August to early-October.

Other orchids found were either at the end of their season or just starting. Those ending were the Hare orchid (Leporella fimbriata) and the Scented autumn leek orchid (Prasophyllum sp. ‘early’) and the Jug orchid (Pterostylis recurva) was just starting. Flowering seasons are March to June, April to June and August to October respectively.

We now move onto our next location, Condingup Peak (Mud Map SE39) which is located in the Condingup Water Reserve. Here we find the small Fawn snail orchid (Pterostylis parva) growing in the moss on or near the granite rocks. These little orchids are found between Albany and Eyre from June to early August and are distinguished by their tiny rosette of stalked leaves, diminutive size and they become reddish with age.

The only other orchid flowering up on the peak was the Banded greenhood (Pterostylis vittata) which is found between Perth and Israelite Bay over a longer season that most other orchids, being late April through to early September.

From here we head out to our Parmango Road locations. First up we are knocked over by the number of curly locks found in flower at a patch we had not found them before. Last year we found spiral leaves so were hopeful of finding one in flower, but we found multiple. These ones included one that was pinkish in colour though it still had the usual stripes to the petals and sepals. It is possibly the Curly-locks (Thelymitra spiralis) which is also found east of Esperance during the months of August and September. The species is recorded as having pale pink petals and sepals which are unblotched.

Two others were found with blotches to the markings which may distinguish them to be the related Eastern curly-locks (Thelymitra maculata) which is also known as the Spotted curly-locks, which fits the look. They flower slightly earlier than the Southern species, however, are recorded only as far east as Ongerup, some 375km to the west of our location. Posted on iNaturalist and in the Western Australian Native Orchids FB group for assistance in identification. The responses were mixed so I will leave the ID as tentative.

Walking back to the Triton we stumble across a better Jug orchid specimen and a couple of Curly-lock pairs which may or may not be different species, due to different colouring. But the surprise find here was a good number of more Common spider orchids in flower.

Back in the Triton we move onto another location along Parmango Road where we spy more orchids. We find many orchids on the longish walk so I will group them together in species rather than chronologically. Firstly, more Southern curly-locks are found, with some showing the different shadings to the alternate petal/sepal/labellum.

Next are spider orchids from the Caladenia filamentosa complex. Telling the correct species from one another is difficult within this complex. The Common spider orchid (Caladenia varians) is the most likely to be found however the Cream spider orchid (Caladenia horistes) is another possibility as is the Western wispy spider orchid (Caladenia microchila) with all being recorded as being found this far east. You be the judge.

A change in colour is a welcome surprise. The bright yellow Common bee orchid (Diuris decrementum) is found between Wongan Hills and Israelite Bay from Aug through to October. The early flowering period is the easiest way to distinguish it from the Bee orchid (D. laxiflora) which also occurs in the same locale but does not flower until September.

A solitary Esperance white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa) is found along the track. These large orchids are found between Bremer Bay and Israelite Bay from August to October.

Another solitary orchid found appears to be a Green Range donkey orchid (Diuris littoralis) which flowers between Denmark and Esperance during July to early September. The only other possibility is the South coast donkey orchid (Diuris brockmanii) which occurs over a similar range but flowers earlier, June to early August. I will leave the positive ID to those more qualified than I.

Unsure why we are finding solo specimens, but the Bluebeard (Pheladenia deformis) is also found all by itself. This is a tiny specimen but is a nice discovery, nonetheless. This is a widespread species, ranging from Murchison River to Israelite Bay in WA, as well as being found in other states.

Leaving Parmango Road we head southwest to a granite outcrop at the Cape le Grand National Park turnoff on Merivale Road. Here we find lots of Bluebeard orchids which is nice, however it was exciting to find a new species for the day. The small Mosquito orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta) is found by searching under bushes for the distinctive round ground hugging leaf. Once you find the leaves you then take a closer look and luckily for us today, we find some in flower. These orchids flower between Perth and Israelite Bay from June to August.

Final orchid of the day is a small snail orchid. Bases on location, size and colouring I will be naming this species as the Fawn snail orchid which was found earlier today at Condingup Peak.

The east of Esperance rarely disappoints and today was no exception. At least 14 species found.

26/07/2023 ….. A week spent wandering – Part 5

National Parks, Torndirrup NP, Western Australian Orchids

Our planned adventure commences today as this is our first full day in Albany, our original holiday destination, that is until we decided to head to Perth for the Lightscape in Kings Park.
So where to first?
After weighing up the many options we choose to head out to the Torndirrup National Park.

First up though we check out the Albany Windfarm. There is a great walk trail that winds around the turbines and goes down to the coast for some spectacular views.

Now have a guess as to what the first orchid found is. Not surprisingly it is the Banded greenhood (Pterostylis vittata) which is a common wide-ranging orchid that flowers from late April to early September. the first specimen was over 300mm in height and had more than 10 flowers open, whilst those found later in the walk were smaller, under 200mm in height and with only 3 flowers.

However, our luck was about to change as I discovered a small patch of Common helmet orchids (Corysanthes recurva) flowering on an open slope in the surrounding heavily vegetated dunes. These small orchids reach 30mm in height and have a ground hugging leaf 10-30mm in diameter. The Latin name alludes to the way the flower is arched backwards to expose the labellum. They are found flowering in forests, woodlands and shrublands between Mandurah and Albany. Prior to 2002 the orchids were included in the Corybas genus.

Next, we head into the National Park and make tracks for the location that includes both The Gap and Natural Bridge, which are both famous landmarks. Beautiful blue skies add to the views, but it is chilly as it is very windy.

Driving back along The Gap Road we pull into the track leading to the Cave Point Lighthouse and Cable Beach. We pull up at the gate and walk up to the lighthouse looking for orchids along the way. We find what we believe to be Mosquito orchid leaves, spent bunny orchids and some Pterostylis rosettes and buds. No photos taken though. On the way back we check out the rocks above the wooden steps down to Cable beach. Here we find sun orchid leaves all over the place.

Time for a bite to eat, so we head off to Goode Beach where we enjoy a picnic lunch. So now where to go? Back to the National Park and first stop is the lookout over Salmon Holes a popular beach fishing location. However, we need to find some orchids, so we move on to the Bald Head carpark and start the walk trail. We are definitely not walking the whole trail as it will take 5 or more hours. We decide to walk to Isthmus Hill for starters then see how much further we go.
The walk trail is very steep in places with overhanging branches, shrubs etc, so glad we are only going a short distance. Looking at the map of the trail it seems we make it to about the 1km mark, so not too shabby.

Now to record the orchids found on our trek. First up we found some snail orchids, which are hard to ID as they are not fully formed. The long lateral sepals rule out quite a few options, however the rosettes are quite different between the orchids found at the lower section of the track compared to those found higher up in the moss of the granite. So possibly two species found.

Now an unexpected find up on the hill was the Scented Autumn leek orchid (Prasophyllum sp. ‘early’) which is found flowering from April to July between Bunbury and Israelite Bay. The related Autumn leek orchid (Prasophyllum parvifolium) is also found during July over a larger region, including Albany. They are distinguished by their colouring with the latter being more coloured. Both may actually be found in my pics.. Thoughts??

Leaves of other orchids were found, so I will post pics of them just for the record. Leaves from the Thelymitra, Caladenia, Pyrorchis, Diuris and Cryptostylis genus were found. So, a return later in the orchid season should produce results.

We trek back to the Triton and move on to the Albany Historic Whaling Station where we enjoy afternoon tea and buy some gifts for the grandies. Next up we head out to Stony Hill which was the location during World War II of a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Signal Station (1939 – 1943) and a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Air Warning Radar Station (1943 – 1945). Just foundations on the granite rock remain.

Orchids were found in the scrub surrounding Stony Hill. The Mosquito orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta) was found hiding on the edges of the track under the overhanging foliage of the coastal scrub. These orchids have a near circular ground hugging leaf and a very unique flower with thin sepals and petals with a very broad labellum in comparison.

As with Isthmus Hill there are also leaves and buds of other orchids found. This time it is some Diuris, Cryptostylis, Prasophyllum and Pterostylis orchids.

Another spot close by is Peak Head carpark. We trek along the trail a bit and make tracks for some more granite rocks. More Mosquito orchids found plus some greenhood orchids and finally some snail orchids that are fully formed. These little guys appear to be the Fawn snail orchid (Pterostylis parva) which flower from June to early August. They occur from Albany eastwards to Eyre, so we find these back in Esperance as well.

It is now after 5pm so we make tracks back to our B&B. We decide to walk to a nearby fish’n’chip shop for dinner. So glad we made this choice as the Buttermilk chicken salad we had was amazing. Would highly recommend Ocean and Paddock on Middleton Beach Road.

04/09/2022 ….. Father’s Day Findings Pt. I

Dempster Head, Esperance, Western Australian Orchids

Father’s Day breakfast enjoyed at my son’s home with his little family. After stuffing ourselves, we all venture up to Dempster Head to walk off the excess joules. 🙂 It is during our walk that we encounter the following orchids.

Spectacled donkey orchid (Diuris conspicillata)

Distribution & Habitat: Restricted to the Esperance area, growing in shallow soil pockets on coastal granite outcrops.

Eastern granite snail orchid (Pterostylis voightii)

Distribution & Habitat: Found between Albany & Israelite Bay, growing in shallow soil pockets on granite outcrops.

White spider orchid ?? (Caladenia sp.)

Unknown species of spider orchid.

Esperance white spider orchid (Caladenia crassa)

Distribution & Habitat: Found between Bremer Bay and Israelite Bay, growing in clay and sandy-clay soils in seasonally moist woodlands and shrublands. Flowers best in the season following summer fire.

Western tiny blue orchid (Cyanicula aperta)

Distribution & Habitat: Found between Dumbleyung and Mt Ragged, growing in sandy, sandy-clay and lateritic soils in woodlands and scrublands.

Pink fairies (Caladenia latifolia)

Distribution & Habitat: Found between Kalbarri and Israelite Bay, growing in sandy and sandy-clay soils in forests, woodlands and shrublands. In inland areas the species grows on low rises beside salt lakes and occasionally on granite outcrops. Also found in SA, VIC and TAS.

Crystal helmet orchid (Corybas limpidus) (Corysanthes limpidus)

Distribution & Habitat: Found between Walpole and Israelite Bay, growing in sandy soils in coastal woodlands and shrublands.

Mosquito orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta)

Distribution & Habitat: Found between Perth and Israelite Bay, growing in sandy, sandy-clay and granitic soils in forests, woodlands and shrublands. Northeast of Esperance the species occupies shallow soil pockets on granite outcrops.

Esperance king spider orchid (Caladenia decora)

Distribution & Habitat: Found between Bremer Bay and Cape Arid, growing in sandy-clay and clay soils in woodlands and shrublands.

Saying goodbye to the kids, grandkids and Deb C, we head north for our next location. Here we check out the burnt patch north of Gibson.

17/07/2022 …. Dempster Head Wander

Dempster Head, Esperance, Western Australian Orchids

Another sunny winters day so what better thing to do than to look for orchids. However, this time I am accompanied on my wander by my latest grandchild, Bonnie and her mum of course. Not too much was found however I will list those found below with pics to confirm the sightings.

Mosquito orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta) is a species found between Perth and Israelite Bay. They flower June to August and can rise to 300mm in height. It has the largest labellum out of the 4 species found in WA.

Mosquito orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta) leaf

Curled-tongue shell orchid (Pterostylis rogersii) is a species found between Binningup and Esperance. They flower June to August and can rise to 200mm in height. It is one of the 7 species found in WA.

Eastern granite snail orchid (Pterostylis voigtii) is a species with a restricted range between Esperance and Israelite Bay. They flower July to early September and only rise to 50mm in height. This species was only named in 2015.

WA Orchid Adventures

Come with me on my Orchid Adventures in Southern Western Austalia

Mosquito

Exploring Orchids at Dempster Head: A Local Hotspot

A Day at the Kepwari Walk Trail: Orchid Varieties Uncovered

Discovering Unique Orchids on Esperance’s Coast

06/08/2023 ….. Discovering a Diverse Array of Orchids in East Esperance: A Photographic Journey

26/07/2023 ….. A week spent wandering – Part 5

04/09/2022 ….. Father’s Day Findings Pt. I

17/07/2022 …. Dempster Head Wander