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Australia in February
Last Month of Summer

By Larry Rivera, About.com

Participants at the Mardi Gras parade

Participants at the Mardi Gras parade

Courtesy City of Sydney

February is the last month of the Australian summer. Expect generally warm weather in most of Australia tapering to cool as autumn approaches.

At the Top End, February is the middle of the Wet season, so expect rains and some flooding in the Northern Teritory, particularly in parts of Kakadu National Park where some roads become rivers.

Major events

The major Australian event filling almost the whole of February is the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras which culminates in the glittering Mardi Gras parade from Hyde Park through Oxford St to Moore Park.

The Chinese new year usually occurs in February. Chinese new year celebrations are held in major cities with a festival period running through several days and marked by street and lantern parades. Dragon boat races are held at Sydney's Darling Harbour and in some other cities.

There is no Australian public holiday in February.

And, yes, February 14 is St Valentine's Day but, alas, no public holiday.

Beachtime

February is still very much beachtime in Australia. Check out the Sydney and Melbourne beaches. Maybe you'd like to visit Jervis Bay with its white-sand beaches.

Be safe on Australian beaches.

Along the north Queensland coast past Great Keppel Island, be wary of the poisonous box jellyfish, including the deadly Irukandji jellyfish. February is within the jellyfish season of October/November to April/May.

Larry Rivera
Guide since 1997

Larry Rivera
Australia / NZ Travel Guide

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