SnRSeattle

Well, we are contemplating our return trip to Oz (after having a super, fabulous trip there last July) and wondering what part of the year, if any, are best for us to go to southern Australia, which we missed last time, AND the GBR, which we LOVED last time and want to snorkel again, not necessarily in the same places (Frankland Islands, Lizard Island, and Agincourt Reef)but somewhere similar. We had coolish but sunny days in Sydney in July--would Melbourne/Adelaide be similar or colder? We met a lot of "southies" up in FNQ, so I'm thinking cold, but, being from Seattle and hot-weather wimps, we don't want to go to Queensland if it is beastly hot (anything over 85 F with humidity) or likely to have a cyclone. Ooo, ooo, ooo, just thinking of going back to Australia is making me so happy. We contemplated going to New Zealand, but there is so much of Australia we didn't see, we didn't want to start in on a new country yet.
Thanks for advice, I know it's on the forum somewhere but it didn't come up with my searching,
Sally in Seattle

alice13

That's a tricky one. If you went to the reef in July and had good weather you were lucky! Melbourne weather is, as you know, notorious for being fickle. "Four seasons in one Day", as they say.

I think I would say early October. MLB should be OK (Adelaide too) and not yet the build up to the rains in FNQ.

Have you thought of going to Tasmania instead of the cities of the south?

RalphR

Late October/ early November would be a good time for the southern Barrier Reef, e.g. Heron or Lady Elliot Island (great snorkeling!!!) Down south, weather will definitely be improving by then.

marg

November through to late April would generally be good weather for southern Australia. Having said that, we had the worst storms (rain, winds, hail etc) in February this year - the middle of our summer. Melbourne weather is usually fairly changeable.
Our autumn (March to May) is usually warmish, little rain and good for touring.

pat_woolford

Hi Sally - average daytime max. temps. in FNQ over 85F would be months of Jan/Feb/March/Nov/Dec. Then, its likely to be windy in June/July/Aug - as you would remember from last July, which was particularly windy and much cooler than usual. To the point where Scandinavians were complaining about the "cold" - as you know it wasn't cold by most standards but they were expecting balmy tropical weather, which it certainly wasn't. But how do you know - right now its blowing 20-30 knots and has been for a few days, due to ease in a day or so, its less at Heron at the moment but increasing there as it lessens here. And the dreaded February just passed turned out to be one of the driest on record, hot, but ideal reef conditions on most days. So April is still "iffy", May will probably be drier, the next three likely to be windy which could easily carry into September which leaves October, but I'd be inclined to give it to November which fits in better with the southern states' weather.

SnRSeattle

Thanks, Alice, Ralph, Marg and Pat W. I will put your replies in my Oz Trip #2 (of many, I hope.) Won't be Nov. 2005, unfortunately, having spent travel money on a trip to Grand Cayman. But look for us in 2006 (although DH is toying with the idea of going to Antarctica. Not likely to be much snorkeling there, though, huh???)
I'm excited about starting a new Oz file--
Sally in Seattle

thomasol

Hi Sally,
I live in melbourne and yes it is very fickle but March to right now is the best time with reasonably stable weather for Victoria/Tasmania and Sth Aust. Ive been to Tasmania in Jan-March and thats OK too as it can be fairly cool there. My trips to the reef and FNQ (far north Qld) have always been in Sep-Nov so how you will combine the two is tricky. Early in the year is pot luck with cyclones and hunidity Dec to April. Hope to get to Canada one day!!!