Ground-breaking plant hybridisation research at the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority has produced a blue kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos) for commercial release in March 2022.

The ‘Masquerade’ kangaroo paw, the only blue variant in existence world-wide, is the result of nearly a decade of development by BGPA plant breeders.

For interviews with Senior Plant Breeder Digby Growns and all the facts behind this stunning new cultivar, download the documents below.

Media Releases:

• Kangaroo Paw a True-Blue World First: announcing the release of the new variant
• Behind the Kings Park Plant Breeding Program: what is it and why do we do it?
• Australian Research Grant Awarded to Unlock the Colours of WA's Floral Emblem: blue kangaroo paw inspires project to map its genome

Quick Facts:

• Quick Facts and Grabs

Photo album:

• BGPAMasquerade1
• BGPAMasquerade2
• BGPAMasquerade3
• BGPAMasquerade4
• BGPAMasquerade5
• BGPAMasquerade6
• BGPAMasquerade7
• BGPAMasquerade8

Media Contact

Scott Heffernan
Communication Marketing and Sponsorship Manager
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
08 9480 3684

Commercial Partner

Ramm Botanicals are Kings Park’s commercial partner in Anigozanthos. Visit their website.

Noongar Words and Definitions

For thousands of years Aboriginal people have been visiting Mooro Katta or Kaarta Gar-up, two of the many names for Mount Eliza, the highest point of Kings Park.

Noongar (also spelt Nyoongar) is the generic term for Indigenous people of the southwest of Western Australia. The area at the base of Kings Park, known as Goonininup, was an important ceremonial and dreaming area for Aboriginal males.

Did you know there are over 14 dialects through Noongar country or that many Perth suburbs are named after Noongar words? Balcatta, Gwelup, Innaloo, Karrinyup, Mundaring, Yanchep ... just to name a few!

Balga

(bal-gah) native grass tree, Xanthorrea preissii

Bardy

(baar-dee) witchetty grub

Beedawong

(bee-du-wong) meeting place

Beeliar

(beel-i-yar) traditional name for the Swan Riverm also Derbal Yargan

Biara

(bi-ar-ah) Slender Banksia, Banksia attenuata

Billabong

stagnant pool / backwater - from the Wiradjuri people of NSW

Bibool

(bib-ool) native Paperbark tree with many uses

Birok

(bi-rok) Aboriginal season of the young in December and January

Bidi

(bi-di) trail

Boodja

(bu-dj-ah) the land

Boodja Gnarning

(bu-dj-ah nar-ning) food from the land

Boyur

(boi-er) Woolly Bush, Adenanthos sericeus

Bungarra

monitor lizard

Bunuru

(bu-noo-roo) Aboriginal season of the adolescence in February and March

Chunyart

(chune-yart) twenty-eight parrot

Coolamons

(cool-a-mons) bowl

Corrobooree

(ker-rob-o-ree) traditional dance

Derbal Yargan

(der-bul yeri-gun) Swan River, also Beeliar, Derbarl Yerrigan

Djeran

(ji-run) Aboriginal season of adulthood in April and May

Djerapin

happy

Djilba

(jil-bah) Aboriginal season of conception in August and September

Djiridji

(jer-i-gee) Zamia, Macrozamia fraseri

Djitti djitti

(jitty-jitty) Willie wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys

Dowak

(doe-whack) clubs

Gija Jumulu

(gi-dja joo-ma-loo) boab from the Gija people in the Kimberley region

Gidji

(gid-gee) spear points

Goomal

(goo-mahl) Common Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus vulpecula

Goonininup

(gu-nin-in-up) fresh water spring at the base of Mt Eliza

Illyarrie

Eucalyptus erythrocorys

Jarrah

(jah-ruh) Eucalyptus marginata

Jorang

marbled gecko

Kaarta Gar-up

(car-tah-gaar-up) traditional name for the distinctive cliff/scarp around Kings Park

Kaarta Koomba

(car-tah-kum-bah) traditional name for Kings Park; Kaarta meaning hill or headland and Koomba meaning big

Kambarang

(cam-bah-rang) Aboriginal season of birth in October and November

Karda

(car-duh) Gould's Monitor Lizard, Varanus gouldii, also spelt Kardar

Karla

(car-lah) fire, campfire

Karri

(ka-ree) Eucalyptus diversicolor

Katitjin

(cut-a-gin) knowledge, traditional knowledge handed down from one generation to the next

Kattidj

(cad-itch) your knowledge

Keitch

(k-each) spear

Kerbein

(ker-bin) Coastal Sword Sedge, Lepidosperma gladiatum

Kodja

(cod-jah) traditional axe made from stone and wood

Koora Koora

(coo-rah) long time ago, the past

Kondil

(con-dill) native Sheoak tree, Allocasuarina fraseriana, good for making kylee (boomerangs).

Koolah

(coo-lah) Native Plum, Podocarpus drouyianus

Kooyamulyup

(koo-ya-mull-up) place of frogs and Men's area

Kooyar Kep

(koo-ya kep) Kooyar - frog; Kep - water

Kulbardi

(cool-bar-dee) Magpie, Gymnorhina tibiceri

Kulunga

(koo-lun-gah) children (also spelt Koolangka)

Kulunga Katitjin

(koo-lun-gah kat-i-jin) children's learning

Kwonnat

(kwon-at) Black Wattle, Acacia saligna

Kylee

(keer-lee) boomerang

Maarm (Maam)

(maarm) man/men

Makuru

(ma-koo-roo) Aboriginal season of fertility in June and July

Mangatj

(man-gi-ch) Menzies Banksia, Banksia menzeii

Marlee

black swan

Marri

(m-a-ree) the red gum, Medicine Tree, Corymbia calophylla

Mayat

(my-yat) red gum from the Marri tree, used to help cuts heal

Meero

(mih-ro) spear thrower

Mia-mia

(my-yah, my-yah) traditional temporary huts

Moonah

(moo-nah) Rottnest Island Tea Tree, Melaleuca lanceolata

Moora Katta

(mur-ah-cart-ah) the place that we now know as Kings Park

Mudja

(mud-jah) Christmas Tree, Nuytsia floribunda

Mungitch

(mun-gitch) Banksia, Torchlight tree

Ngoolaark

(go-lark) White-tailed Black Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus latirostris (also spelt Ngolark)

Noongar

(noo-ngah) first people from south-west Western Australia (also spelt Nyoongar)

Poolgarla

(poor-l-garla) Bull Banksia, Banksia grandis

Teagul

(tea -gull) duck *also Yeaderup

Tuart

(tew-art) native Eucalypt tree used for making tools and other implements

Uilarac

(ill-a-rac) Sandalwood, Santalum spicatum

Warrdong (Wardong)

(wor-dong) crow, Australian Raven, Corvus coronoides

Waitch

(waytch) emu

Wandoo

(won-doo) Eucalyptus wandoo

Wanju

(won-dew) welcome

Wanju marr

(won-dew ma) welcome hand

Wanna borna

(woh-nah bor-na) digging stick

Waugal

(wah-gool) rainbow serpent from the dreamtime

Whadjuk Noongar

(wod-juck, noong-ar) (also spelt Wadjuk) Noongar group from Perth and surrounding regions

Willong

shelter

Wonil (Wonnil)

(wun-ill) Peppermint Tree, Agonis flexuosa, native to the Swan Coastal Plain

Wuanga

(woo-unga) Wattle, Acacia species

Yerderup

(yee-der-up) duck *also Teagul (also spelt Yeaderup)

Yonga (Yongar)

(yon-gah) kangaroo

Yonga Booka

(yong-gah book-a) kangaroo skin cloak

Yonga Waarnginy

(yong-gah ) Kangaroo Story

Yongra

(yon-grah) kangaroos

Yorga

(yor-gah) woman

Yorgra

(yor-grah) women

Yorkas Nyinning

(yor-kis nin-ing) place of rest for women

The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority receives a large number of media enquries. Please review the information provided and contact our Customer Services Officer if you require clarification or further assistance.

Read more ...

The Western Australian Government is committed to quality service to its customers and seeks to ensure accuracy, currency and reliability of information and transactions provided over the Internet but this cannot be guaranteed. Accordingly to the fullest extent permitted by law, the State of Western Australia and its officers and employees are released from liability (including in respect of negligence) for any loss, damage, cost and expense caused by use of or reliance on this website and the information contained on it.

Read more ...

This website is designed to be as accessible to as many people as possible and aims to meet Level AA compliance of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. We recognise that achieving a truly accessible service is a continuing journey for websites. We regularly review the website and encourage feedback on ways to improve the design and content that ensures an effective end user experience for all.

Read more ...

Read more ...

Unless otherwise stated, copyright in all materials on this website is the property of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority and Government of Western Australia.

In addition to any fair dealings permitted under the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, material on this website may be reproduced or communicated to the public for research, study and private non-commercial use provided that the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority is acknowledged as the copyright owner and the material is not altered. You may not deal with the material in a manner that might mislead or deceive any person.

Requests for further authorisation should be made in writing to: