Visiting Oz in your winter

It looks pretty mild to me, in fact even nice for walking around and "bushwalking" as one site says.

If one wanted to see some part of the Great Barrier Reef, what are some places there - I guess the more northerly parts would even be warn enough to swim, even in August?

I put this in the Lounge and got a suggestion to come here, sorry for the off topic nature.

While I've never been that far north, I have it on good authority from a friend who grew up there that Cairns is the place to go to if you want to see the Barrier Reef. I've been only as far north as the Sunshine Coast in winter and coming from the chilly climate of Canberra, I found it mild enough up there to go for a swim, but my relatives who live there were all decked out in coats and shivering so it depends on what yr used to, I guess...

I remember Cairns from "A Town Like Alice." And Green Island.

as it is mild, some could say warm, with a day below 25c being uncommon. It is also the dry season up there. Australia does not get cold, as you in the northern hemisphere know cold. Where I live, Sunshine Coast just north of Brisbane, if it is below 18c in winter it is a cold day. Our winter evenings may even drop to below 10c some nights.

The reef starts at Bundaberg and extends north all the way up the east coast from there, so plenty of opportunity to do so. One recommendation from me if you are near Hervey Bay (google it) around August you HAVE to go whale watching there. It is a blast when you get wet from whale spit as they surface next to your boat.

enjoy your time here

Peace

If you waited another year or two, it might not be worth seeing. Ocean warming is killing it, and Kevin Rudd isn't
about to do anything to save it.

after emigrating from Scotland I got used to Oz weather very quickly and hate the cold here in Melbourne in winter. That said all my US friends (from NY and other North East states) all laugh at me when I whine about 10 degree (celsius) temps. If you're going to be active then I doubt you'd find it too cold. Anywhere north of Brisbane though is always reasonably warm even through winter.

Port Douglas is the closest town to the Barrier Reef and has heaps of accommodation ranging from hostels to very pricey resorts. I just got back from a trip up that way and can't recommend Wavelength Charters (http://www.wavelength.com.au/) for a reef trip highly enough. Small boat and very knowledgeable guides. I went out with a few boats because I found I absolutely loved the reef and they were by FAR the best. Avoid the huge boats at all costs - you end up spending the whole time with hundreds of other people's fins in your face and don't see the best parts of the reef.

In the tropical north the only time you can swim most places is in winter as summer is stinger season. The water in FNQ (far north Queensland) is always warm, as an example the water temp in Cairns in August is around 25 degrees (celsius). If you're anywhere in the Southern states in winter I'd advise a wetsuit unless you really liked the cold though.

I've since done more research and figured out Aus. is mild in winter compared to my experience in the U.S.!