Australian Winter |top|

Starting around May and lasting through August, a great migration occurs. Like birds seeking warmer climes, a stream of caravans and motorhomes—often disparagingly yet affectionately called "Grey Nomads"—heads for the centre. They are chasing the sun, fleeing the coastal chill for the stark beauty of the Outback.

But drive an hour inland—to the Blue Mountains or the Victorian high country—and winter remembers its name. The grass turns white with a frost so heavy it creaks under your boots. The air has a clarity that hurts, a cold that isn't wet but blue . You can see your breath for the first time all year. Overnight, the world is rimed and brittle. Wombats grow thick, low-bellied coats. Kangaroos steam on frozen paddocks at dawn, their hot breath clouding around patient faces. In a place like Canberra, the fog sits in the valley for days, muffling the world until the only sound is a single currawong’s bell-note, cold and pure. australian winter

: Waterproof leather boots or clean sneakers are the standard to keep feet warm on damp, chilly days. Indoor Survival Features Starting around May and lasting through August, a