When does spring start in Australia?

When does spring start in Australia?

The start of spring in Australia is September 1, with the Bureau of Meteorology regarding September, October and November as Australia’s spring months.

Applying the northern hemisphere concept of seasons to Australia doesn’t work all that well. This is particularly the case in northern Australia, where the year is usually divided up into the wet season and the dry season. The Aboriginal people of Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, however, have a six season calendar.

Even in the southern states, the period that most people would rationally regard as summer is a lot longer than the winter.

When is spring in Australia?

So defining spring in Australia is a fairly tricky business, as the back end of it can be roasting hot.

The Bureau of Meteorology, however, does attempt to put a definition of the Australian spring dates.

Interestingly, this definition doesn’t follow the traditional definitions of seasons elsewhere, which tend to follow the equinoxes. In the UK, the spring is officially March 21 to June 21, for example.

Obviously, Australia is in the southern hemisphere, so the seasons are in the opposite half of the year. Following the British example, spring in Australia would start on September 21.

First day of spring in Australia

But when does spring start in Australia according to the Bureau of Meteorology? Well, the BOM goes for a rather simpler approach. There’s three months of the year designated as the summer, another three as the Australian winter and another three as the Australian autumn. That leaves three months left for spring – September, October and November.

Spring in Australia, therefore, starts on September 1.

The Australian spring is the best time to visit most of the southern states, although Tasmania and the colder reaches of Victoria such as Wilsons Promontory are best saved for summer. In spring, the likes of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are mostly warm without being too hot. Rainfall tends to be lower than in autumn, too.

A paddlesteamer chugging along the Murray River in the Australian spring
A paddlesteamer chugging along the Murray River in the Australian spring. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions.

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