The beauty of the Midlands Region is many faceted.
It's the green curve of a wave or the purity of the white sands
on the western coastal strip, the golden glory of a ripe wheat
crop or undulating hills covered with native trees. But the aspect
of beauty that's common to all parts of the region is the abundance
of wildflowers - native blooms of every kind and every colour.
The most exciting thing about travelling through the Midlands
is that you'll never know what to expect.
In the Midlands there are wildflowers almost everywhere
you look on the roadside, in paddocks and the extensive reserves
of natural timber in the eastern part of the region, and in the
vast national parks set aside for the enjoyment of native bushland.
Wildflowers are generally at their peak from September to November.
Along the coastal strip you'll find the Moore River,
Watheroo, Drovers Cave, Badgingarra and Nambung National Parks.
Badgingarra is famous for its concentration of wildflowers and
Nambung is known worldwide for its vast area of limestone formations,
`The Pinnacles'.
The Midlands is also the region in which you will
find the aptly named phenomenon, Wave Rock. This 50m high granite
rock formation is believed to be 2,700 million years old. The
wave-like appearance of the rock has been created over the centuries
by the elements eroding the surface bit by bit, and forming the
undercut of the rock. The distinctive vertical bands of colour
have been caused by rain washing chemical deposits down the sloping
face of the rock.
Many of the towns in the Midland Region have undertaken
extensive restoration programmes in recognition of those early
years of human endeavour. York, New Norcia, Toodyay and Wagin
have well established historic centres and here you can turn back
the history pages for a taste of colonial adventure. The region's
history does not stop here and you will be surprised how many
of the smaller communities have equally inspiring stories to tell.
Back in 1887 when the first payable gold was wrenched
from the ground at Southern Cross, Western Australia's history
changed course. As gold fever swept the country, the state's poplation
increased four fold in less than ten years and a new outlook emerged.
However, by early in the 1900s the gold supplies began to dwindle.
The mines and towns closed down and most of the prospectors vanished
as quickly as they had arrived.
Indeed the romance of the gold nugget still continues
today as the region is experiencing a modern gold rush. A number
of those former ghost towns have once again become bustling communities.