Territory Trip in Spring

[Gunda]

Guys, just wondering how many of you have experienced the territory, north east corner of WA and the red centre during spring time?  I am planning a trip that was originally planned for the July school holidays however it is now postponed to September.  Plan to leave Newcastle on 31st Aug and head up through Moree and into outback QLD fairly quickly and then slow down around Lawn Hill National Park and then across into NT.  Travelling in a complete campsite Kakadu soft floor with wife & 3 x kids (7,5 & 2).
Anyone got any feedback regarding time of year?

[Rodt]

Don't know anything about the spring but I am sure others will give you an answer. I have family doing a trip in the territory now and they are complaining about the number of flies. If there is that many of them in Winter when there has been some reasonably cold weather god help you in spring

[chester ver2.0]

You will be fine i have been up the middle late August

When we went we actually found it perfect shorts and T shirt during the day but still cold enough at night to justify a fire. if you are an arfternoon napper maybe a little 12 volt fan for the camper

I just found doing the hikes my water consumption was going up and the flies were starting to get a bit annoying. The only other downside is you are on the cusp of a season change so you will have to pack for 4 seasons, which means more clothes and it will be getting to the point that you will sweat some during the day so a wash each night will be required

I have not done the north east but used to work up at Cloudbreak Mine in the Northwest of WA and once again it was a good time to work (if there is ever a good time to work in a mine) not too hot and not too cold. The build up would start mid november and then it was terrible as you were changing your socks 3 times a day due to the humidity

[Wazza999]

When I visited northern SA in early October a couple of years ago, it was very windy. So much so that at William Creek, we had to pitch the tent in the camp kitchen. We were told that windy conditions are typical of spring in the centre. The temperatures were in the early thirties and by the end of the first week Marree temperatures were hitting the mid thirties. In the top-end, the build-up usually starts by late September. We've just on our way back from the centre, we had a frost at the NT/SA border rest area a couple of weeks ago. Yes the flies were friendly but the locals reckon the frosts sort them out.

[Winchy]

We did the Savannah way in September to October 2004. Yep, it was getting very warm from NQ up. The bonus is that most travelers are heading home and the deserted campgrounds are great! I recall fixing a fuel tank leak under my old Patrol at Adels Grove. It was 42° in the shade with stifling humidity but straight into the water to cool off several times. I'd travel at that time again just for the lack of people around.

[Rumpig]

We did a N.T trip in September about 8 years ago, AFL final was on whilst we were at Kakadu and I watched the NRL grand final at Daly Waters Hotel. As we headed North prior to then we hit Lorella Springs, Rhett was shutting up for the year and said the year previous he had been closed for a week already...we didn’t realise it was so late in thier season. There was a few days in Kakadu that were bloody hot (and I work outdoors), we spent one day in the pool at the van park at Kakadu and did a walk late that afternoon...to hot to do during the day. We nearly got heat stroke at Lawn Hill on the alternate walk back atop the escarpment, didn’t take enough water with us (had a bottle each but was nowhere near enough). Upside was everywhere’s pretty quiet visitor numbers wise, bugger all people in the campgrounds, the waterholes were great to swim at being it’s so warm (where we could do it), cracking thunderstorms to watch in the build up. Downside is it’s hot (that’s coming from born and bred Qld’er that worked his life outdoors, not an office worker), and the waterfalls have little to no water coming down some of them or can be stagnant waterholes below them.

[rockrat]

Having grown up in Newcastle and lived in FNQ and the NT as well as working in central north Qld, I can tell you it will be starting to get hot and humid (compared to Newie) and as others have said it might be a bit windy.

That said, I wouldn’t let it stop you going. Generally not much rain that time of year and any time spent out that way will be good.


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