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Frequently Asked Questions

Why have a conference on the reef in an Australian Winter?
1)
  • The best time to visit the Whitsundays is between May and December.
  • Weather does not dictate when to visit the Whitsundays, school holidays do. This is not school holidays so it is cheaper and not over run with Kids.
  • It will be a welcome break for researchers in the southern states who will have suffered almost 4 months of winter, and have another 2 months to go before they see sunshine again
  • The NHMRC Grant Panels will be over in Australia for most of us.
  • It is summer holidays in Europe and America so our colleagues can visit easier from there and make it a holiday.
It is winter in Australia in August- Won't it be cold?
1)
  • The simple answer is no, but nothing is guaranteed. The average temperature is 10 degrees hotter than melbourne at that time of year. And the temperatures are comparable to a European summer.
Wasn't Queensland ravaged by floods and cyclone Yasi?
1)
  • Queensland is back in Business after the floods (mostly) and the place is still as beautiful as ever. The Islands weren’t affected. The island was evacuated for Yasi, but the Whitsundays were skirted. August is the dryest month with an average rainfall below 50 mm, and cyclone season is from November to May, so floods and cyclones wont be a problem.

Won't the water be too cold for swimming and diving?
1)
  • No. The watrer temperature will be an average of 23 Celcius. In context this is 3 degrees hotter than the water temperature ever gets in Melbourne in summer and is the same as the water temperature in Barcelona in summer.
I don't dive. What is the point of going to the reef?
1)
  • Simply put, great science. No really, you don't need to dive to enjoy the reef. Most life is between 0 and 10 metres so snorkelling is a great way to enjoy the reef.
What about sharks?
1)
  • There are sharks on the reef but the big man-eaters prefer colder water (below Sydney).  
I have heard stingers are a problem in Northern Queensland?
1)
  • Stingers are jellyfish that like the warm water of the tropics. The slightly cooler water in winter drives them back up north so stinger season only runs from October to May in the Whitsundays. But officially you can get stung anytime. 
What about sailing?
1)
  • The Whitsundays is famous for great sailing. Cyclone season is November to May so there is no danger there. Check out race week in Hamilton Island which is on around the same time  

email questions to info@awcd2011.org