Most of the world follows astronomical seasons (equinoxes and solstices) or meteorological seasons (fixed three-month blocks). Australia does something else entirely. For government records, weather forecasting, and school holidays, Australia sticks to meteorological seasons – but with a twist compared to the Northern Hemisphere.
| Season | Approx. Months | What’s happening | |--------|---------------|------------------| | Birak | Dec–Jan | Hot, dry – fires used for hunting | | Bunuru | Feb–Mar | Hottest part of year – coastal living | | Djeran | Apr–May | Cooler, dewy mornings – red flowers bloom | | Makuru | Jun–Jul | Cold, wet – peak mating season for birds | | Djilba | Aug–Sep | Warming, wildflowers explode | | Kambarang | Oct–Nov | Dry, hot – snake season, longer days | season dates australia
If you ask an Australian “When does summer start?” you might get two very different answers. One comes from the calendar. The other comes from the bush, the beach, and the Indigenous knowledge systems that have read the land for 65,000 years. Most of the world follows astronomical seasons (equinoxes