Pink Flannel Flower, the generic name Actinotus forsythii, is a very special plant. In general, pink flannel flowers only occur in scattered parts of eastern Australia, from the Blue Mountains to north-eastern Victoria. They favour heath and open forest areas at altitude, mostly near the cliffs and ridges. While not endangered as a species, they appear so infrequently that many bushwalkers have never seen them. The seeds can lay dormant for up to 40 years on end, waiting for a special confluence of events forming the right conditions for their emergence – a year or so after bushfire followed by an early spring rainfall, which is exactly what the flower’s home turf experienced last year.

During February - March 2021, the pink flannel flowers started to bloom in the Blue Mountains area. I asked many Blue Mountains local residents, they all said they had never seen them before. During the flower blooming period, I went to Blue Mountains 14 times, shot many pictures of these rare flowers. This photo was from one of those many Blue Mountains trips.

Amazing sunset light shined on the beautiful pink flannel flowers at Narrow Neck in Blue Mountains.