Motorists warned of dangers of picking flowers on busy WA highway
Wildflower fans are risking their safety by stopping to pick and photograph everlastings on a popular WA highway, authorities say.
Western Australia's South West region has seen a surge in motorists stopping to pick wildflowers along the Bussell Highway, despite warnings from authorities. The state's transport authority planted native everlastings to enhance soil quality, but people are enjoying the flowers so much that they are removing them, which is both dangerous and illegal.
Main Roads WA has expressed concern over this risky behavior, urging people to leave the flowers alone and avoid creating hazards on the road. The agency encourages people to refrain from picking the flowers due to safety concerns and the importance of allowing seeds to return to the soil. The City of Bunbury and the South West Wildflower Society have also noted the popularity of the everlastings, but they stress the importance of preserving the flowers for future generations.
Commercial flower seed supplier Jen Egerton-Warburton criticized the practice as rude and inappropriate, emphasizing that picking wildflowers is not on. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions confirmed that Western Australia's native everlastings are protected, with penalties for unlawfully taking native flora reaching up to $50,000.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
