Due to the vast geographical area that Australia comprises; its weather conditions are kind of the opposite of what we see in the other parts of the world. The geographical strata of Australia can be classified into four zones which are, the coastal strip, the western slopes, the highlands, and the countryside that you will find in the west.
And, the weather conditions throughout this country are divided into 4 seasons which are Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Now, speaking of the time that will be the most suitable season to visit Australia are the Spring and the Summer. These seasons prevail here from the month of September to February. In the season of Spring, Australia remains in its best weather conditions.
From September to November, Spring prevails in Australia. The days are warmer than those of winter and the humidity levels are lower than they are in summer. People of Australia celebrate their festivals during this time. And if you are looking for leisure travel adventures like surfing the seas and sunbathing at Bondi Beach, no other can be better than Spring.
Right after Spring, comes Summer and stays from the month of December to February. At this time of the year, the temperatures range from 15 to 30°C. This time happens to be the best time for wildlife safaris and experience the ambiance during the fabulous New Year celebrations.
We don't know about you, but sometimes, we think a little bit of excitement is needed to break up the monotony of our regular routines. And if you're an Australian resident, or if you are a tourist planning an Australian adventure, we have some ideas here that will definitely get your heart racing.
Are you planning to travel to Australia in search of sun at any time of the year, or rare and endemic fauna? Here are our exciting experiences for your Australian Bucket List.
Here are some travel tips to prepare your Australian bucket list and the different things that Australian culture taught me as I moved from the northern territory to east coast to western Australia to south Australia:
1. Dive down into the Hamilton Island
Hamilton Island located near the Great Barrier Reef offers a unique environment. In the north of the region we find the Daintree jungle, the Whitsundays islands and the tropical islands of Lizard and Hayman. In the south is the cosmopolitan city of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
2. Ride a wave at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia
The gorgeous, secluded coastline at Cosy Corner Beach near Hamelin Bay in Western Australia is a remote location far from any major Australian cities or popular tourist destinations. Be careful in the water though. As beautiful as the ocean appears, there can be great white sharks and extremely venomous box jellyfish in the area, as well as giant stingrays that are usually docile but can pose a threat.
3. Climb Australia's tallest building
Okay, so this isn't one for vertigo sufferers, but if you do have a head for heights, then take a Skypoint Climb up one of one of Queensland's iconic landmarks, the Q1 Resort Building. It takes around 90 minutes from the beginning of the climb to the end, but despite the effort, you will be treated to the breathtaking view of the Gold Coast and beyond.
Dining packages are available on booking, but you might want to eat after the climb, just in case you get an upset tummy while scaling the Q1. It's not you we're worried about; it's the poor folks going about their business down below who don't want that sudden deluge of your dinner!
4. You will love Kangaroo Island in Winter
Going to Australia during this time allows you to enjoy it without having to think about a lot of tourists fighting for space with you. At such time, you will surely see sunbathers whether it is in Ningaloo Reef, Fraser Island, Cable Beach, Bondi Beach, Whitehaven Beach or Kangaroo Island. Weird, right? At this time, you can have access to great hotels at affordable prices.
5. The Australian Alps in Victoria
Have you heard about the Australian Alps? If you haven’t then it is time for you to learn a bit more about the most scenic part of this country. First of all, they have interesting, themed pubs all over the place, so you know you’ll have fun. If you want to experience Australia truly, I suggest you pay them a visit.
The other thing is that the Alps themselves, are quite beautiful. This range is located in southeastern Australia, and it overlaps eastern Victoria, southeastern New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory.
6. The wine regions in Yarra Valley
I bet when you are thinking about wine, the first thought that comes into your head is French or Italian, European in any case, even perhaps Napa Valley. However, Australia might surprise you when it comes to quality wine. Moreover, the wine regions in Australia are quite popular among the locals, and the most famous one of them all is Hunter Valley, Jacob's Creek winery in Barossa Valley and Yarra Valley.
7. You must visit the beaches in Queensland
While you are there, you should definitely visit the numerous, breathtaking white sand beaches Australia has to offer. My personal recommendation would be for you to take a small road trip to the Whitsunday islands and the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia.
Even though it does not qualify as your typical, surfing beach in Australia, it is still a sight to behold. In fact, it’s the largest living “organism” on Earth, and it is spectacular. When you look at the sun shimmering on the water’s surface, you’ll know you made the right choice.
Therefore, what I learned from Australia as well, is to breath in the beauty and relax. Here are the Australian Islands You Need To Explore.
8. Sydney has the best coffee in the world
Do you want to know why Australia has by far the best coffee in the world? It's because it also has the largest Greek population in Melbourne and Sydney. Even though that might not make sense right away, just think about the traditional coffee recipes brought here by the Greeks. Now blend that with Australian techniques and Asian influences.
After years and decades spent on perfecting different types of coffee and working with numerous ingredients and combinations, the Australian coffee scene was born. Honestly, the coffee itself makes it worth it for you to travel to Australia. You can find almost any type of cappuccino, mochaccino, frappucino there, and you should make it a priority to at least try a few different flavors while sitting along the Sydney Harbour watching the Opera House.
9. Swim with the whale sharks on the Ningaloo Reef
There is more to do, of course. You might swim with the whale sharks on the Ningaloo Reef, take a road trip along the Great Ocean Road and see the unique rock formations in the Twelve Apostles or cage dive with a Great White Shark at Port Lincoln.
You can disconnect a few days while discovering typical landscapes of the South Australia in Kangaroo Island. Apart from kangaroos you can see sea lions resting on coves, koalas and penguins. Eucalyptus forests, extensive deep blue beaches, underground caves and a host of other landscapes await you.
You can go into the desert of Australia and find places as incredible as the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and visit the sacred monolith of the aborigines in the northern territory. Also known as Ayers Rock, this huge monolith in the red centre stands out in the middle of nowhere and is a symbol of spiritual importance for some Australian aborigines.
10. Witness the aurora australis in Tasmania
There is more talk of northern lights, but the aurora australis is just as incredible. In the southern hemisphere there are several places to witness this phenomenon as from Antarctica but the most wonderful originate in southern Tasmania in Australia and New Zealand. They can be seen throughout the year, but it is recommended to visit during the equinox.
At up to four days sail through some of the roughest seas in the world, Australia’s Macquarie Island lies right on the geographic and geological border of Oceania and the Southern Ocean. There, you’re halfway to the edge of the antarctic ends of the Earth, where the planet’s largest tectonic plate (the Pacific plate) grinds into the submerged eighth continent of Zealandia and the Indo-Australian plate (the oldest exposed on the globe’s surface) — all that remains on this face of the planet of Gondwana from a ½-billion years ago.
Unusual? The island’s the only Pacific island in the world where the rock’s thrust up from six kilometres below the surface of the Earth, then pushed over the Oceanic plate through another three kilometres of ocean depths — an entire sequence of rock layers from the Earth’s crust to the upper mantle exposed above sea level.
At Macca, 1,500 km from Tasmania and almost an equal distance north of the Antarctic, the average temperature varies between 3-7°C all year. It’s also one of the cloudiest places on Earth, with barely 180 hours of sunshine each year. The winds are near constant year-round at 30 km/h, with rain or snow 320 days per year.
Macquarie Island’s home to thousands of royal, rockhopper and gentoo penguins, plus petrels, albatross, skua and ducks. Add 80,000 elephant seals, with adult males up to four metres (13 feet) long and weighing as much as four tonnes. Each summer, Macca hosts the world’s entire population of 800,000 king penguins.
Among all the islands in the Pacific and Oceania, Macca is completely geologically unique — the only ophiolite found anywhere in an ocean basin — a pristine, sub-antarctic wilderness.
Australia has many exciting experiences just begging to be tried, and while we haven't covered everything here, we are sure you will find something incredible to do to add to your Australian Bucket List.