Meteo Noosa (Sunshine Coast) in agosto

August is the coldest month of the Brisbane year and the forum is genuinely split on it. The optimists describe it as glorious - bright blue skies and low-20s days, which our row's 23.6C average high supports - and point out that this is when you can do a bush walk or a theme park without turning into a dripping mess. The objectors blame the westerly wind, which can make an 18C day feel bitter, and one regular names August among the worst months to visit for that reason alone, suggesting you wait for September or October. Their 4 to 8C overnight figures run colder than our row's 11.5C, so read those as the cold snaps rather than the month. Swimming, both sides agree, is out. The record: 3.9 precipitation days carrying 28.7mm, 9.5 hours of sun and an 18.9C sea.

Noosa's forum generally rates March as a great time to visit - daily temperatures comfortably over 26C, a bit cooler and less humid than the peak of summer, and not as crowded. Some posters flagged February/March as technically the wettest stretch of the year, but the pattern described is an afternoon storm after a hot, humid day rather than extended rain ruining the trip. Overall the consensus was mostly lovely and sunny with a few showery days mixed in, still great for beaches, hikes and outdoor dining.

Forum posters describe September as warming up nicely - typically around 25C by day - but with noticeably cooler evenings, and generally arriving just ahead of the thunderstorms that mark the start of the wet season further into spring/summer. Posters call September one of the lower-rain months of the year on the Sunshine Coast, along with July, and rate it a pleasant, comfortably uncrowded time to visit. Swimming is a genuine question mark this early in spring - some posters say the water still runs too chilly for comfortable swimming in September, so beach time is more about walking and scenery than getting in the water for many visitors this month.