Advice required re around Australia trip

Hi there. There will be many experts on this question! If you travel from Sydney through the souther regions in February, you'll see the area (SA, WA Southern parts) at its driest and brownest for years. But the alternative is to go North and experience the delights of the tropical, Monsoonal, climate. But, if you reach the North (Darwin, Kimberley etc.) before late June, you'll find fewer travellers to compete with.
Going the other way, clockwise, will bring you South to Perth and the trip home, right in the middle of Winter, which has its own 'features'.
The one basic rule seems to be, if you go at the 'best time', everyone else will be there for the same reason. And if you take the brave step of choosing differently, you'll find less competition, and still be able to have a ball (probably for less money too).
Also, your route would have you in the Kimberly at the peak season, which would present some problems, even if you are aiming to camp away from caravan parks.
As a dog owner, I can say things get a bit rough up North in the peak season: By the time you eliminate caravan parks that wont take bookings, and caravan parks that wont take dogs, and also excluded national parks for obvious reasons, you are facing a small field of options! You will find free camping options (read the literature, like the "Camps Australia Wide 4" book), as long as you are selective.
One BIG POINT to you, as a dog owner: think and plan about ticks before you leave Sydney: the North has a great potential to populate your pooch with the nasty things.
Sorry, no 'answers' here, but hope the thoughts help your thinking.

We did it exactly the way you describe with one exception. We went down south for the early part of the trip and travelled around Victoria and the east of SA, then headed East along the Murray from SA to Echuca in Vic then headed North through Central NSW and around Aus Anti Clockwise.

Yep there were heaps of others doing the trip but the weather was perfect the whole trip. If you go North during the Monsoon you'll end up flooded in, out etc. especially if it's a "wet" wet.

We also spent 5 months on a cattle station during the wet later on and it was spectacular but we had a nice air conditioned homestead to live in with our van safely tucked away under the house.

We plan to do another trip next year around but we'll go clockwise this time and probably spend the Wet at the same Homestead we looked after last time up the top.

Gday,
Here is how I would do it.......
A week before your ready to go, have a look at the forecast.
If its cold were you are and you're sick of it, chances are North would be the way to go...and vice versa.
I think the best holidays are the ones you play by ear. I find its the places you find on the way you didnt know about are usually the ones you would like to stay at rather than the planned stops.
So you either have to miss those places and stick to your plans or chuck the plans out the widow.
If thats the case the only thing that governs your trip is the weather, so let the weather decide for you.
My old man called, just 10 mins ago, There plans were Adelaide-Alice(xmas)-Darwin-Tennant-Three ways-Queensland and down the East coast back home.......He Just rung from Tennant and is comming back to Alice till Mt Isa (or some where over there) opens the road or He'll make other plans..........Bugger the Plans I reackon....

Good luck in what you choose.

Cheers

Some caravan parks in Darwin actually close for the 'wet season' for a good reason !

Go south first and drive direct to West Australia where you can "start your holiday" because it's just soo different here compared to the Eastern states (speaking as a born an bred Eastern states guy)

Start at Esperance and go North

Mainey . . .

It sounds like you will be reaching SA still in Feb. I'd then tour the Eyre Peninsula, cross the Nullarbor - it will still be hot, but no matter when you do it, 'tis long driving spells broken by short bits of sightseeing, so that should be bearable. That will get you to SW WA while the weather should still be good. Then make your way north up the coast, with side detours. Yes, you will be "up there" in winter, when it is busy, but that is hard to avoid if you do not want to have high humidity and risk of cyclones and floods.
After the Top End, the choice would be either Central Aust or north Qld coast, on the way home.
You are not going to do it all in one trip - unless you stay on the road. Maybe make a list of your priority places in order, then list what would be the best time of year to be experiencing each, then see if that suggests a viable route to you?