Monsoon season and travelling

Submitted: Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 07:31

ThreadID: 87367 Views:2048 Replies:7 FollowUps:7

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claretandblue

Hi,

We're going to be heading off on our trip around Australia starting around September, we would have liked it to be sooner but with selling the house and getting geared up we çan't go earlier.

We live in Port Macquarie, NSW. After researching it seems that most travellers go anti-clockwise. With the monsoon season being November to April, that means that we'll be hitting the NT probably around that time.

So we're after a bit of advice please? Do we stay the Queensland side of it until the season passes? Do we brave it....is it really that bad? Or do we go the other direction from NSW to Victoria? We could head up as far as possible in QLD and start our trip and then the areas that we've missed we could see at the end of the trip?

We really don't want to rush it through the NT to try and get through the area, so any advice would be great.

Thanks
Rachel

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Reply By: Notso - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 09:00

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 09:00

In all honesty, unless you like rain, humidity, heat and all that goes along with it, stay down south until after the wet.

You could always head around clockwise instead. We did that for our second trip and it worked well. Otherwise stay down south till the wet breaks up then head around that way you still get the best of all the water but the conditions are more predictable.

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Follow Up By: claretandblue - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 16:00

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 16:00

Thanks very much for your advice, greatly appreciated :)

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Follow Up By: oztours - Wednesday, Jul 06, 2011 at 08:15

Wednesday, Jul 06, 2011 at 08:15

We are heading to the nt at the same time! and last time went there we spent nov and dec in the top end it was brilliant!! i say go for it!

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Follow Up By: Notso - Wednesday, Jul 06, 2011 at 10:00

Wednesday, Jul 06, 2011 at 10:00

We spent 6 months during the wet minding half of a cattle station, it was great, but for touring and sight seeing the wet is too unpredictable.

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Reply By: Member - Tony Z (NSW) - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 09:50

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 09:50

Hi claretandblue, they do say go anticlockwise, I think it's to reduce the amount of fuel use. You travel with the prevailing winds. The advantage of going clockwise that I found is that you are travelling on the ocean side of the road for the best views of the scenery (ie-great ocean road- southern WA- north QLD). You do not have to make right hand turns over the oncoming traffic when you see a nice lookout to stop at.As was said you do not want to be in the top end in the wet season if its anything like 2010/2011 you'll be washed away
Just my thought enjoy you trip
Tony

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Follow Up By: claretandblue - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 16:01

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 16:01

Thanks Tony, you've been a great help :)

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Reply By: Polaris - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 14:16

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 14:16

"Do we brave it....is it really that bad? "

With the extreme weather events in Qld in January and February this year, I'm wondering if you ever follow the news on TV or read a newspaper.

YES - it is that bad!

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Follow Up By: claretandblue - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 16:00

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 16:00

People making comments like that puts you off using forums! We moved here from the UK 2 years ago and yes, we have "followed the news on TV and read a newspaper", but my question was referring to the monsoon season in NT and not the recent flooding in QLD.

Thank you to the 2 previous helpful posts though.

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Follow Up By: Notso - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 16:50

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 16:50

Don't let that put you off, there is the odd grumpy old person on the forum but as you can see there are plenty who help out.

Basically I reckon if the post annoys you then just ignore it!

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Reply By: snoopyone - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 17:48

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 17:48

One of the regulars on here C & S went north into the monsoon and were stuck in Darwin for 6 months approx.

10 days was enough for me in the heat and humidity.

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Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 19:38

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 19:38

Hi guys.... one thing that will goven what you do is what you will be "living" in, the northern tropics are awsome to be in during the wet, an experiance not to be missed .... but ....... if you are tenting it will kill you, if a camper trailer you will go insane and if a small caravan again you will go mad but if a nice big van with air conditioning and yes A/C is a MUST, you will be fine and love the wet .......
The things that dictate where and when you travel are basically your likes and dis-likes, comfort threshold, tow vehicle and "thing" you plan to tow......
Cheers guys
Joe

AnswerID: 459189

Reply By: wendys - Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 22:13

Monday, Jul 04, 2011 at 22:13

Strongly advise you come south, and go clockwise. The southern spring, summer and autumn is the best to travel the southern coasts, from NSW, through Vic and SA and the southern part of WA. You could keep watch on the Wet season, and head north from southern and mid WA, once you know conditions will be ok.and the roads you want open after the Wet. Some years this is earlier, some later, depending on the incidence of cyclones and how much rain there has been.
How long do you plan to be travelling? We were several years on the road, and used to zig zag south and north, depending on the seasons.

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Follow Up By: claretandblue - Tuesday, Jul 05, 2011 at 06:54

Tuesday, Jul 05, 2011 at 06:54

We think after the last few posts that we will definitley be heading South first.
We are looking at 12 months for the trip but who knows?
Thanks for the advice.

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Reply By: Member - Alastair D (NSW) - Tuesday, Jul 05, 2011 at 10:11

Tuesday, Jul 05, 2011 at 10:11

Rachael,
The wet season is never the same year to year. Sometimes early or late, long or short, mild or very wet. I would suggest that you keep your travel plans flexible and keep listening to the weather forecasts when the wet approaches. If you do not want to stay in the north through the wet then just head south when the forecast indicates it is about to happen.

I chose to stay in the Kimberley through the wet in the 70s when I was on a slow trip around Aus. The first year I had headed south when the wet approached, the next year I decided to stay and experience it first hand. One of the most memorable experiences of my life. It gets very oppressive during the buildup but if you keep busy doing things and stay well hydrated then it is ok. When the rains come it is amazing to see the transformation.

Whatever you do I am sure you will enjoy it.

cheers

AnswerID: 459214