When you’re planning a big lap around Australia, you want to see the best that each state and territory has to offer. While you can never predict the weather, there are many seasonal variations that are worth taking into account.
Like most people we don’t enjoy the cold, so we wanted to chase the sunshine as much as possible. Besides, who wants to be stuck inside because it’s constantly raining?
We chose to travel clockwise from Melbourne after considering the following seasonal information for each state and territory.
South Australia
The average temperature in summer in South Australia is 28 degrees, perfect for coastal sightseeing, camping in national parks and visiting wineries.
Western Australia
Crossing the Nullarbor into the west during early autumn means the weather is still pleasant enough to explore the beaches south of Perth and the Coral Coast.
The popular Gibb River Road 4WD track in the Kimberley region opens late May or early June, and closes from October when the wet season kicks in, so we’re planning to drive the road at the beginning of winter.
From June the wildflowers are in full bloom in the north of WA, sweeping down the state to finish on the south coast in November. Hopefully we’ll catch a glimpse before heading to the Northern Territory.
Northern Territory
The dry season begins in April and ends in October. Skies are generally cloud free, with daily temperatures in the low 30s. Because of this, we plan to explore this region around July. It can still get chilly in the evenings (below 10 degrees), but that’s not a problem for us Melburnians!
Far North Queensland
The dry season (May to October) appears to be the best time to visit, with fresh tropical breezes and an average temperature of 27 degrees. We plan to 4WD Cape York around August, as the roads should be open around then and we should have a smaller chance of getting caught in heavy rainfall.
New South Wales
The east coast is beautiful for most of the year, but passing through in spring will hopefully let us enjoy the coast and the gorgeous Blue Mountains without too much humidity.
When you’re planning a big trip, also think about any special events you want to see during your travels. We hope that our research and careful planning stands us in good stead for an enjoyable journey!
Drew and Court are a Melbourne couple who are travelling around Australia for the next 10 months. They’ll be writing about their experiences for Without a Hitch, giving us the real story of life on the road.
In their next article, Drew & Court discuss the little things that make their van a “home away from home”.
