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The Best Times of Year to Visit Sydney & the GBR .

TIME : 2016/2/16 13:39:03
Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef are separated by the Tropic of Capricorn, with Sydney being temperate and the Queensland coast mostly tropical. So there are some differences in climate that could affect your travel.

In the tropical north, temperatures do not change a great deal over the year, but the amount of rainfall does.Sydney has some of the best weather in Australia, with on average seven hours of sunshine a day, winter (July-Sept.) temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius, and summer (Nov.-Feb.) temperatures hovering around the high 20s to 30 degrees Celsius. It rains regularly; around a third of each month sees some precipitation. Spring and fall are the best months, when it’s not too hot to walk along the city’s pavements and not that cold that you can’t sit outside and enjoy the views.

Kayaks waiting on the sand at Mission Beach in Cairns, Queensland.

Taking everything into account, fall to winter is probably the best time for exploring the northern coastal regions. Photo of Mission Beach © Chris Van Lennep/123rf.

In the tropical north, temperatures do not change a great deal over the year, but the amount of rainfall does. Summer temperatures range between 24 and 33 degrees Celsius, while in winter they’re between 14 and 26 degrees Celsius; the summer is the wet season, the so-called “green season” stretching from the onset of the monsoon, usually in November, and ending in May. The rain makes it hot and humid, at times quite uncomfortable. So, again spring and fall are the best options, avoiding the worst of the rain as well as the worst of the heat.

In Australia, the big summer vacation is between mid-December and early February, with all schools and universities breaking for nearly two months.In Australia, the big summer vacation is between mid-December and early February, with all schools and universities breaking for nearly two months. This has an effect on number of people traveling as well as hotel prices, so be prepared to pay extra and see some crowds on the beaches.

For diving, snorkeling, and swimming, the ocean will be at its coolest in winter, dropping to around 24 degrees Celsius, but generally offers great visibility. In June and July, dwarf minke whales are commonly sighted. Between September and December the water warms up and many coral reef species breed, which can result in cloudy water around October. Manta rays are commonly spotted in the Coral Sea from April to October. The stinger (jellyfish) season is November to May/June, when it is advised to stay within stinger nets (provided on the most popular beaches) when swimming or to dress in stinger suits when out snorkeling on the reef. Taking it all into account, fall to winter is probably the best time for exploring the northern coastal regions.

Travel map of Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef


Excerpted from the First Edition of Moon Sydney & the Great Barrier Reef.