Popular Kooyoora Wildflower Show returns for Naturally Loddon festival

Published on 07 September 2017

The Friends of Kooyoora are preparing for another busy event as the group gets ready to host its 11th Wildflower Show from 23 to 24 September.

Held at Inglewood’s Eucy Distillery Museum, the show continues to be popular among locals and visitors keen to learn more about the native wildflowers found in Kooyoora State Park. The event is part of the 2017 Naturally Loddon Spring Festival.

Event organiser Wendy Murphy said the display would include a range of native wildflowers, including wattles, eucalypts, grevilleas and the more common species found around the area.

“Last year we had 70 or so species that were on display,” she said.

“However weather is a factor as to how many species we display, as it can hinder volunteers in collecting the flowers. What’s flowering at the time is also very dependent on weather conditions leading up to the show.”

All local wildflowers chosen for display are collected through a permit from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

In addition to the wildflower display, the weekend will include plant, book and local produce sales, the return of the photo competition, free bus tours and local environmental group displays.

Ms Murphy said the Friends of Kooyoora butterfly booklet will also be on sale. The booklet is a guide to local butterflies that frequent the Kooyoora State Park.

“It was quite popular last year and we had to do reprint and note names for copies,” she said. “So the booklet will be available again this year.”

The Wedderburn Conservation Management Network will also have a display at the event which will highlight its projects, as will the Loddon Plains Landcare Group.

This year’s photo competition will once again include open, under 18 and under 12 categories. Each category includes the themes of native flora, native fauna and landscape. Judging is by people attending the wildflower show.

Ms Murphy added that the free bus tours would be offered during the weekend, if weather permits.

“We have two bus trips each day – one in the morning and in the afternoon. It is an opportunity to showcase the flowers of the environment and look at the different birds and insects,” she said.

“We are also hoping to have an expert on the bus to talk about the birds, the insects and tell us about the flowers.

“Last year we were limited as to where we could go due to the weather, so we’re hoping this year’s weather will be better,” Ms Murphy added.

Ms Murphy said that despite last year’s weather, the Kooyoora Wildflower Show experienced a good crowd.

“We clear at least 100 people for the weekend and we had that again last year,” she said. “We’re hoping that this year will also see good attendance.

“Probably about 60 per cent of people who go to the event are local, meaning around a 70 to 80-kilometre radius.

“But we also get people from further away, especially from Melbourne and Horsham, and even east from Wangaratta and that area. They come every year to see what’s going on.”

The Kooyoora Wildflower Show will be held from 10am to 4pm each day. Entry into the show is $5 (free for children under 18). Food will be available to purchase, with the Eucy Distillery Museum catering during the event.

To find out more (and for forms for the photo competition), visit www.kooyoorafriends.org.au or call Wendy Murphy on 0417 338 578.

Running from early September until the 28 October, the Naturally Loddon Spring Festival features 15 family-friendly events spread across the Shire. To obtain a festival brochure, phone the Loddon Visitor Information Centre on 5494 3489 or visit www.loddon.vic.gov.au.