Hi there, I'm planning a trip to Australia leaving London end of November and want to start in Cairns buy a camper and travel down the coast to Melbourne hopefully kiting all the way. Am I mad is this going to be 6 months wasted on average wind, or is Windguru totally wrong and the wind will be good or hopefully great? I'm fed up of getting wrong info from sites. I want info from real humans that have been and done it I'm an advanced kiter and was planning to go back to Brazil then on to the Carribean but really fancy a change please can someone help me with some honest information!
you'd be better off flying into brisbane. buy a camper and go south from there (or north to the sunshine coast and then south to melbourne). the reliable wind in cairns and north queensland has finished by november.
or fly to perth and travel the west coast for more reliable winds.
Stamp makes sense. If there was an international airport in between brisbane and cairns that would be the go as the winds are generally reasonable from mid coast south for that time of year. As you have 6 months though, maybe a domestic flight from Cairns to Rockhampton then start your trip. If you flew in to Brissie you'd only miss out on a few good spots though, Tannum Sands, Agnes Waters, Elliott Heads, Hervey Bay and the Sunshine Coast. West coast winds can be more reliable, but there is much more to see and do on an east coast trip. Enjoy though, the rest of us will be working
What stamp said, north of Bundaberg/1770 is crap from Nov. No wind, stinger suit needed too, and hot water.
West coast great, easier to sleep free in van, 4wd van better, much bigger distances and less towns in between. More wilderness and stunning scenery. Wind blows slightly more and when it blows generally 5-10kts stronger than east coast.
East coast - more backpackers, more regulation (not allowed to kip anywhere in a van, have to be sneaky), more towns, less hot, much less flies, less monotonous highway driving. Plenty to see/do, great coast and beaches, but less mindblowing/wild. More likely 20kts than 30.
Kiteboy Dave is right about not being able to sleep in ya van! I had a hellava time trying to free camp in my van, got moved on by security every morning at about 4am (especially in Sunshine coast, Byron). Was jealous of my mates tinted out panel wagon - looked cool as, never got moved on because it had tradie signwriting on the side of it.
Campgrounds are bloody expensive over there too!
The west coast wont dissapoint. The distances to travel between towns are not an issue, especially is you're chasing the wind to isolated stunning spots.
The people are friendlier too
Free-camping is easy. If you take the time to speak to the locals and take a bit of interest in their day-to-day existences they typically will help you find the spots which you generally wont hear about otherwise.
The girls are HOT as!
I agree west coast. but not Aus!
Mate. Come to NZ. Lots of wind. Lots!
I am in Taranaki and it has the best wind/swell combo in the southern hemisphere!
Spring westerlies are going off this year. They should still be charging well into december and then get more mild jan/feb.
You can free camp but there are some places that you are not alloud.
There's plenty of epics places to ride within a few hours drive of each other.
heres a teaser of local conditions.
I agree with Plummet.
Go to NZ and leave Australia alone.
Australia's sh!t. Weak inconsistent winds and no waves to speak of.