Last year we wanted to visit The Great Ocean road Area of Victoria and then into South Australia we didn't because of fires , We visited northern Victoria in late April and May lots of rain and wind . Will we decided to leave it till February 2016 well don't think it would be be smart to go has thing will not look to good around the Great Ocean Road and the Otways after the fire and may still have further fires, When do most people visit these areas safely .
Thanks We were in Bright and Yackandandah Area last Autumn had good weather for a week and loved the place and then got 3 weeks of wind and rain sat it out for a week at Wodonga , Beningo, lockington and Echuca , So with no let up started heading north , But would like to go back to see the Great ocean Road Area and places in between .
We are currently in the South West of Victoria doing a house sit at Portland. Came down late December from NSW via Tocumwal, Shepparton, Bendigo, Castlemain, Ararat, Hamilton. Experienced temps of 37/38/39 until arriving in Portland on New Years Day. Temps in the area have been in the low 20's with an average of 25 since arriving.
P & O will have 2 cruise ships visit Portland since the start of 2016 each with 2000 tourists flooding into town.We will head home via Nelson, Mount Gambier, Hamilton, Grampians National Park then Ballarat to Bendigo and back to Central West NSW. Plenty to do in Portland, Treloar Roses, Portland Strawberries ($11 kilo), Rock Lobster, Colony of Gannets (6000 pairs) just to name a few. But you gotta love the weather for this time of the year may even reach 33 tomorrow before dropping back to 18 for Thursday.
Best time is probably anytime between Mothers Day and Fathers Day. During this time all Victorians move to northern states so you will have no problem finding great places to camp. Make sure you visit Gippsland - it's brilliant (and I'm a Queenslander). Happy camping.
It is a very nice place to visit , But I think you need a lot of luck with the weather , The day I visited the Greens Lake I wonder how the hell people could sit out the bad weather there it was bad enough at Lockington .
Actually - I think it may be an impossibility to nominate a 'best time of the year' to visit good ole VIC.
Summer - Dec/Jan/Feb ... this is when the heat is most likely - and dry strong northerly winds. However, it can be 43degC for two days and then the change comes and the temps drop to 23degC and only 10degC overnight - including some driving wind and rain from the SW. Although a good time to experience the Victorian High Country and/or Gippsland. OH - and of course it is the fire season - so you need to be wary and alert.
Spring - Sept/Oct/Nov ... this is when the weather in VIC is the most changeable - not just day by day ... but during the day. It is spring in particular that brought about the sayings "Four seasons in one day" ... and "Don't like Victoria's weather? Wait an hour!" Everything is now growing and looking pretty - usually green from the winter rains.
Winter - Jun/Jul/Aug ... this is when it is cold, wet, windy, overcast, miserable and unless you like cold weather a good time to head north or almost anywhere else. A time for winter sports or enjoying some of the lovely old townships and spending time in beautiful country pubs with an open fire and good company.
Autumn - March/April/May ... this is when the weather in Victoria is the most stable - well, from a Victorian weather standpoint anyway. There are often many days on end with cool (cold?) mornings around 8degC (but can get down to 4degC) and days usually 23>25DegC. Clear and sunny skies and usually not much wind.
Autumn is the time in Victoria for 'outdoor' activities.
Of course, inland Victoria is like any of the states - get away from the coast by a 100Km or so at any time of the year and the mornings can be damned chilly (except for summer) and the days can be perfect or hopeless.
My advice I guess, after over 30 year of living, camping and travelling around Victoria, is to take a wardrobe of clobber that covers all seasons - no matter the time you get outside. And it is wise to have clobber that allows you to wear it as "layers" .... to add or remove as the day progresses and wanes.
There you have it .... Victoria is a lovely place to visit - it has everything from excellent coastal areas and beaches, excellent mountains, excellent inland plains, excellent waterways - a great place to spend lots of time exploring - just remember to take a variety of clobber.
Cheers - John
__________________
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
I have always found Victoria to be more interesting at the change of seasons, in Spring you get the new growth and when it starts to warm up and you get those balmy nights with insects skimming the top of the water and the animals start to become more active.
In Autumn you get the change of colours two of the better places to see this is Roslyn Park (Bendigo) and Alexandra without forgetting Bright.
Regardless, it's a good place to visit and easy to get around as everything is relatively close.
Actually - I think it may be an impossibility to nominate a 'best time of the year' to visit good ole VIC.
Summer - Dec/Jan/Feb ... this is when the heat is most likely - and dry strong northerly winds. However, it can be 43degC for two days and then the change comes and the temps drop to 23degC and only 10degC overnight - including some driving wind and rain from the SW. Although a good time to experience the Victorian High Country and/or Gippsland. OH - and of course it is the fire season - so you need to be wary and alert.
Spring - Sept/Oct/Nov ... this is when the weather in VIC is the most changeable - not just day by day ... but during the day. It is spring in particular that brought about the sayings "Four seasons in one day" ... and "Don't like Victoria's weather? Wait an hour!" Everything is now growing and looking pretty - usually green from the winter rains.
Winter - Jun/Jul/Aug ... this is when it is cold, wet, windy, overcast, miserable and unless you like cold weather a good time to head north or almost anywhere else. A time for winter sports or enjoying some of the lovely old townships and spending time in beautiful country pubs with an open fire and good company.
Autumn - March/April/May ... this is when the weather in Victoria is the most stable - well, from a Victorian weather standpoint anyway. There are often many days on end with cool (cold?) mornings around 8degC (but can get down to 4degC) and days usually 23>25DegC. Clear and sunny skies and usually not much wind.
Autumn is the time in Victoria for 'outdoor' activities.
Of course, inland Victoria is like any of the states - get away from the coast by a 100Km or so at any time of the year and the mornings can be damned chilly (except for summer) and the days can be perfect or hopeless.
My advice I guess, after over 30 year of living, camping and travelling around Victoria, is to take a wardrobe of clobber that covers all seasons - no matter the time you get outside. And it is wise to have clobber that allows you to wear it as "layers" .... to add or remove as the day progresses and wanes.
There you have it .... Victoria is a lovely place to visit - it has everything from excellent coastal areas and beaches, excellent mountains, excellent inland plains, excellent waterways - a great place to spend lots of time exploring - just remember to take a variety of clobber.
Cheers - John
An excellent response (as were many of the others). Even though we have visited Vic many times in the past we will no doubt go there again & so I have copied this response to consult before planning the trip.
Edit ... We were at Bright one Autumn & though it was beautiful with the carpets of leaves & fantastic colors of the trees it was bloody cold. Perhaps late Autumn.
-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 13th of January 2016 03:02:40 PM
There is no *best* time to visit - we've been in all seasons, and there is always something to admire - the same place can look very different one day to the next, let alone one season to the next.
__________________
The Mobile Madhouse: me (Rosie), him (Troy), a kelpie, a kelpie-dingo, a husky & a rainbow lorikeet.
We are here at the moment. Yesterday was nearly 40. Last night was almost a hurricane. This morning we have had sun, rain wind. Jumpers on, jumpers off. Did manage to dry 3 loads of washing between showers. We are camped at Princetown camping ground. 25 dollars for power and water. Great place. Drove up to Torquay Lorne and Apollo bay. Yesterday we drove down to Port Fairy. On the way, did a helicopter flight over the Apostles. Just beautiful. I was lining up in the office to ask if i could leave the dog there in his cage, when a lovely young tour guide came over and offered to doggy sit while his group also did the flight. What a champion.
My preference for Great Ocean Road would be about October - little creeks still flowing after winter rain, area green. Too dry along there in autumn for my taste.
We are here at the moment. Yesterday was nearly 40. Last night was almost a hurricane. This morning we have had sun, rain wind. Jumpers on, jumpers off. Did manage to dry 3 loads of washing between showers. We are camped at Princetown camping ground. 25 dollars for power and water. Great place. Drove up to Torquay Lorne and Apollo bay. Yesterday we drove down to Port Fairy. On the way, did a helicopter flight over the Apostles. Just beautiful. I was lining up in the office to ask if i could leave the dog there in his cage, when a lovely young tour guide came over and offered to doggy sit while his group also did the flight. What a champion.
Apollo Bay is spectacular! We loved it there. Port Fairy has some amazing old buildings (including an Apocathery's Hall). We drove into Lorne, grabbed groceries, and ran; too many people for us.
Have you stopped at Kennet River? The birds there will land on you to be fed - rosellas & sulphurs. Airey's Inlet is a nice place to stop - can't remember cost, but it was a lovely park.
__________________
The Mobile Madhouse: me (Rosie), him (Troy), a kelpie, a kelpie-dingo, a husky & a rainbow lorikeet.
