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Orchids of Jirdarup is both a celebration of the extraordinary orchids of Kensington Bushland and a lasting record of the plants that call this special place home.
Nestled within the Jirdarup Bushland Precinct in Victoria Park, Kensington Bushland is a precious remnant of Perth’s original landscape. Within its 10.87 hectares of jarrah–banksia woodland, around 30 species of native orchids have been recorded — some familiar, some elusive, some unseen for decades, and some only discovered here in recent years.
Through stunning photography, stories, scientific knowledge and community observations, this book invites you to discover these remarkable plants up close. It explores their diversity, beauty, habitats, seasons and the intricate relationships that allow them to survive, while recognising the deep cultural connection of the Wadjak Nyoongar people to this Country.
But this is more than a catalogue of orchids.
It is a tribute to Jirdarup Bushland, to the orchids that emerge from it each year, and to the people who have spent decades exploring, documenting and protecting this extraordinary place.
Thanks again to the Wettenhall Environment Trust, the major sponsor for this project. Thanks also to WA Landcare and Zaneta Mascarenhas MP for their support.
Background
After the first survey of the Kensington Bushland by staff of the WA Herbarium in 1980 identified six orchid species, Friends of the Bushland have continued to add to that list and update records as species are renamed or previous records have been reviewed.
During 2025, a concerted effort was made by weeders to locate and identify all orchids that they find. A patch of hare orchids (Leporella fimbriata) were seen for the first time. In July 2026, not only was the blue fairy orchid (Pheladenia deformis) seen for the first time since 2010, a patch of shell orchids (Pterostylis aspera) which are now quite rare in metropolitan Perth was found. The list below of 33 species includes all those recorded unless they have been subsequently reclassified as a different species. Researchers are welcome to contact us for further information, but most of it is included in our book Orchids of Jirdarup.
Update since August 2026
So delighted to be out of date – in September 2026 a clubbed spider orchid (Caladenia longiclavata) was seen for the first time since 2002! How good is that?
If you have further information or questions, contact us [email protected].
