best time of year to visit Western Australia

Submitted: Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 17:58
ThreadID: 95825 Views:2614 Replies:8 FollowUps:3
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My question to the forum members who live in WA, what is the best time of year to do a trip up the west coast? A time when there are bugger all people at Cape Peron, Steep Point, Ningaloo and Karajini NP and NO school holidays. Heat and flies dont bother me but crowded places do.
Any suggestions? I was thinking around October - November.
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Reply By: blown4by - Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 18:07

Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 18:07
That would be OK just getting pretty hot by then and the possibility of some esrly cyclonic rain
AnswerID: 486828

Reply By: Dennis Ellery - Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 18:28

Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 18:28
For comfort, avoiding school holidays, the best time to go to Northwest WA is during the winter and Southern WA during the summer – doesn’t seem much point doing it the other way around.
AnswerID: 486832

Follow Up By: Michaeljp - Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 18:47

Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 18:47
If its comfortable to travel then there will be to many others traveling aswell. I'm looking for a time when its a bit quieter. Comfort is not a consideration.
Im a seasoned traveler, ive been to WA about 11 times in the past 23 years mainly to the Kimberley's and usually early in the season, May - June. Not many travelers up there at that time, im thinking there all a bit further south waiting for the roads to open up. I leave Sydney when the first road report says the GRR is open.
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FollowupID: 762050

Reply By: Member - Cruiser74 - Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 18:58

Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 18:58
G'day Michael,

Dennis is right but then you have to time it so you miss the crowds. First rule of thumb is to AVOID school holidays at all costs especially North in winter and South in summer. You may be able to find some out of the way spots to camp with few people but they are few and far between if you don't know the area and the roads between destinations can be extremely frustrating. Not to mention double demerits and police/radars everywhere (you should be driving safely anyway but it's just an added pressure).

I'm like you, I dislike crowded places. My job is quite stressful and am constantly dealing with people so the last thing I want on my getaway is being surrounded with heaps of people, generators going, kids screaming etc etc....don't get me wrong 90% of folk are extremely friendly but am much happier when it's just me and the missus...SO...the best thing to do is do your research. Karijini is an absolute zoo around March/April, I work nearby and the petrol station in Tom Price actually ran out of fuel (ULP) one weekend last month. Go around the shoulder periods around a week after the school holidays or a couple of weeks before and maybe just out of season and you should be good! Hope you have some luck
AnswerID: 486836

Reply By: Motherhen - Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 23:10

Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 23:10
Hi Michael

We have visited those areas in May-June; climate nice, and avoids the peak of the migration north in July. I haven't been in October-November as i do not cope well in the heat so cannot comment about how many would go then - ie after the October school holidays.

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AnswerID: 486856

Reply By: Ron N - Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 23:17

Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 23:17
Michael - We stayed at Eco Beach for a week, in early November 2010. It was great - no crowds, and the weather was around 25 deg to 36 deg, which I find very pleasant.
I can't stand cold, and neither can I stand crowds.

Cheers - Ron.
AnswerID: 486859

Reply By: Member - Ups and Downs - Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 09:05

Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 09:05
A few years ago we were up to Kununurra and back to Perth October-December.

Hot, yes 45 degrees for 2 weeks at one stage around Pt Hedland and I have a video of the thermometer at 56.3 in the shade at the Pentacost River crossing.

But almost everywhere we had the place to ourselves, maybe a few Germans but that was all.

Mary's Pool us plus 2
Marble Bar Caravan Park us plus none
Cleaverville us plus 3
Cape Keraudren us plus 4
etc

It was dry so maybe some of the attractions weren't at their best but we thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing.

Paul
AnswerID: 486870

Reply By: Bill BD - Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 11:41

Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 11:41
If you don't mind heat you can go North during the Southern summer BUT you have to accept the possibility of being rained in by, or even being involved in, cyclone activity. Other than that go for it.
AnswerID: 486886

Follow Up By: Michaeljp - Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 12:13

Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 12:13
Thanks for all the replies. I was expecting it to be very hot at that time of year but i didnt count on storms. I'll keep watching the weather reports this year and see how they go in preparation for next year. It might just have to be may / june again like the past 20 something years.
Thanks again.
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 13:45

Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 13:45
The cyclone season starts November 1st, but it's uncommon to get a cyclone in November. It has happened, but it's not common.
W.A. usually gets between 2 and 7 cyclones a year that affect most of the Northern part of W.A., with the heaviest impacts being between Broome and Exmouth.
A mild cyclone usually brings a lot of rain and road closures, a severe cyclone means a lot of destructive damage.

The W.A. cyclone season just gone was an average season with 5 cyclones. Heidi was the 1st on 11/01/12, and Lua, the last, on 13/03/12 - and the most destructive to hit Australia since Yasi.
Fortunately, Lua hit areas that were relatively uninhabited, so the damage bill was less than usual.

The forecast for 2012/2013 cyclone season won't be issued by BOM until October 2012, but the Americans are talking about a mild El Nino effect in the Pacific, which usually means only a moderate cyclone season for Australia.
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FollowupID: 762112

Reply By: cobber - Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 13:01

Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 13:01
Being a parochial West Australian any time of the year is a good time to visit WA,
AnswerID: 486893

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