Wirrimbirra White waratah

Extremely rare in the wild, the Wirrimbirra White owes its recognition and commercial success as a cut flower (especially for the export market) to the founder of Wirrimbirra, Thistle Harris - who was the first to propagate the plant.

Thistle had heard rumours of a white waratah and had been searching for it for almost 20 years when a single white waratah plant was found by two water board employees in the late 1960's in the bushland near Robertson.  One flower was taken to the Thirlmere pub (10 minutes drive from Bargo) and put on display on the counter.  Thistle, who was staying at the Sanctuary at the time (she lived in Sydney), heard about the flower and convinced the workers to tell her of the approximate location of the plant, and the Water Board to grant access. 

Cuttings were taken and Thistle successfully propagated several specimens.  These were planted at Wirrimbirra, burnt to the ground in a bushfire in 1977, and regenerated.  They are no longer growing at the Sanctuary, but every Wirrimbirra White waratah (and it is believed, most of all the white waratahs now grown) has as its ancestor that one plant.  You can buy a Wirrimbirra White at the nursery (as well as other colours).

(With thanks to the investigative work of  RON TINDALL, reported in a feature written by him in the Illawarra Mercury Nov 7, 1998.)

(Photo courtesy of Kate at Bilpin Waratah Farm.  Used with permission.)