Australia has its seasons in reverse to the majority of the world. When it is winter in Europe and America, it is summer in Australia, and vice versa. While it may be difficult to imagine Australians sunbathing on the beach and swimming and surfing in the ocean in December, that is generally how they spend their Christmas holiday.
Australia is a huge country, around the size of the contiguous United States, and it has several distinct climactic zones. The different climates create different types of landscapes: desert, mountain, rain forest and sunny beaches. Also, to the surprise of some, it does snow in Australia, there are winter snowfields in several states; and one of the most popular skiing areas is the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales. Australian's ski season runs from June to September.
Although Australia does receive some snowfall, it is one of the driest places in the world, second only to Antarctica. Mulka Bora in South Australia is one of the country's driest places, averaging around 4 inches of rain per year. In some parts of the huge, dry interior of the country, known as the Outback, it has not rained in several years. On the other hand, sudden downpours in the Outback can cause flash flooding and fill huge salt flats with water.
Most visitors to Australia arrive in Sydney; and the best time to visit the city and the surrounding area is the summer. Airfare tends to be lowest however, from around mid-April to mid-August. It is important to keep in mind that Australians often take their main vacation somewhere between Christmas and the end of January. Similar to the UK, Australians consider Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, to be a holiday.
Much of the vast interior of Australia is hot, and some inhabitants have created inventive ways to deal with the heat. The small town of Coober Pedy in South Australia is famous not only for being the opal mining capital of the world, but for having most of its homes and businesses underground, in order to escape the fierce summer heat. The advantage of a home carved from the rock is that the temperature remains constant year round; it also saves on air conditioning bills.
A driving trip through the Outback is an unforgettable experience. It is a good idea to carry extra water with you as well as such essential items as spare fuel, towing ropes and perhaps a satellite phone. The town of Alice Springs makes a great base for exploring the Outback and nearby Uluru (Ayers Rock). Alice Springs experiences some of the country's highest temperatures, often reaching 100F degrees. Keep in mind that even though it can be hot during the day, temperatures can plunge overnight.
Parts of Northern Australia enjoy a tropical climate; much of Australia is closer to the equator than many people think. Winters in this part of the country are generally mild and pleasant, around 70F degrees; while summer temperatures can easily reach 100F. In this part of the country, summer is the rainy season. If you are visiting during June, July and August, expect bigger crowds.
One of the biggest attractions in Northern Australia is the huge Kakadu National Park, a World Heritage Sight covering over 4 million acres. The dry season, which occurs May through October, is definitely the best time to go, although you should try to book your tours and accommodation about a year in advance, if possible. However, Kakadu is also a wonderful experience in the wet season, which is generally November through April. Crowds are fewer and the rains can cause waterfalls to swell and create spectacular lightning storms.
No visit to Australia is complete without seeing one of the wonders of nature, the Great Barrier Reef. It is impressive any time of the year, but July through November is considered to be the best time; there is less chance of rain and the temperatures are a little bit cooler. The waters around the Barrier Reef are some of the clearest and cleanest in the world. If you are diving to see the reef, as thousands of vacationers do, August through January is peak visibility time.
Also, if you are visiting the northern coast of Australia, especially the northern Queensland area, you should be prepared for possible cyclones. These strong winds are caused by warm sea temperatures and generally occur from November to April. If a cyclone is likely, the local TV stations will broadcast a warning. It is strongly suggested that you should take shelter immediately or evacuate the area in the case of a cyclone.
Australia is absolutely a land of extremes, and that includes the climate. However, regardless of the weather, a trip to the Land Down Under is an unforgettable experience.
Craig Elliott is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to vacations and the travel industry such as http://www.flightcentre.ca/holidays/australia/ Australia Travel | Flights to Australia
Knowing Australian Wines
Drink the wine that you like.
Buying a House in Australia from Overseas
A buyer's agent who specialises in working with overseas investors can assist people living overseas who are looking to Australia for investment properties. There are no property purchasing restrictions for Australians living overseas, while foreign nationals who hold a permanent residence visa may also purchase selected property.
Tempranillo's Role As A New Varietal Wine In Australia
Tempranillo is the premium red wine grape variety from the Rioja region in Spain. It is now challenging Sangiovese as the up and coming star of the red varietal wine scene in Australia.
The Most Elegant Hotels in Sydney, Australia
Sydney is a one-of-a-kind travel destination complete with beautiful beaches, world-class sporting events, breathtaking architecture and museums specializing in numerous periods of history and art. Due to the diversity of those attractions, Sydney, the largest city in Australia, has many hotels, including two, three, four and five star luxury hotels which cater to even the most discerning guest. To that end, every possible amenity is made available to ensure that visitors to Sydney leave with nothing to desire except to extend their memorable vacation.
Debt Relief Options in Australia
The level of personal debt of Australian individuals is now higher than ever previously. People are borrowing more and are paying more for housing, mortgages. rental etc. Certainly the Reserve Bank of Australia has recognised this as a problem when it made a decision to raise the Australian interest rates by another 25 points. Continued compulsive spending by consumers, coupled with other inflationary pressures brought on by the high price of petrol will only make it harder for ordinary Australians to make ends meet.
Skilled Migrants Essential to the Development of Australia?s Economy
Australian businesses have been able to identify and attract much needed skills with greater success under the Government's Migration Programme in 2005-06. Due to improved targeting by the Government of skilled migrants there has been a 500 per cent increase over the previous year in the number of Skilled Independent migrants with occupations in short supply in Australia. ?Skilled migration is critical to Australia's future. It is not overstating it to say that skilled migrants are the engine room of the economy,? the Minister says.
New Kenzo Online Store Launches in Australia
Now you can buy designer fragrances from Kenzo direct.
Australian hosting service
Hosting services are very popular nowadays and are rapidly catching the attention of all. The Australian hosting service is one of the most trusted and capable hosting services. They provide different types of web hosting services as per your need. They provide quick and effective service. Their work also boasts of exemplary quality and all the people engaged in these services are extremely dedicated.
Quality Holiday Accommodation for Your Stay in Noosa, Australia
If you are thinking about your next holiday and where you would like to go, have a serious look at visiting the Noosa Holiday region in Australia. This is the one place where you will find all of Australia?s best natural attractions, all in the one place, and complemented by top class accommodation. Noosa is situated in the state of Queensland, in Australia?s north and enjoys a superb sub tropical climate. Here is a place where fantastic beaches meet the chic and sophisticated Noosa resort lifestyle of the rich and famous. The result is spectacular. Noosa has iconic status on the Australian holiday calendar. The beach and point break are a magnet to experienced surfers from around the world, especially when the swells are big from the east,...
Australian Hits $821,670.69 Jackpot With Losing Poker Hand
Absolute Poker makes online poker history as Australian hits $821,670.69 Bad Beat Jackpot.
Australian Online Security Company, TrustDefender, Named a 'Global Rising Star' in MIS Magazines' 'Annual Strategic 100' Issue
Leading Australian online security company, TrustDefender has been named in MIS Magazine's 'Top 25 Global Rising Star' list in the magazine's recently issued 'Annual Strategic 100' issue.
Secure Your Place in Australian Cyberspace in an Easy to Use, Economical Environment
NameYourDomain.com.au is a newly launched online marketplace that helps facilitate the buying and selling of .au domain names. The site offers a range of ways to auction domain names, from conducting normal auctions to allowing a user to buy out a domain at a price stated by the seller.
Luxury Australia Travel - 7 Of The Best Attractions To Visit On Your Melbourne Australia Travel
Luxury Australia travel has got to be one of the best ways to see one of the most fascinating travel destinations in the world This huge continent which is split into 6 states and 2 territories covers an area of some 7,617,930 square kilometers or 2,941,299 square miles
Dayport Secures an Order from Sky News Australia/NZ
Dayport has secured an order from the Australian News Channel (ANC) - based in Sydney, Australia - for its PUBLISH solution with additional Data Centre Services and Consumer Player.
46c a Day to Make Australia Carbon Neutral, Says Murdoch University Sustainability Expert Peter Newman
Just 46 cents a day is all it would cost each Australian to make the nation carbon neutral.