Kristen have a look here:
http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_a ... /index.jsp
And here:
http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/canberra/climate.shtml
Canberra as an example has 99 frosts per year on average, I think Dave's is in the 30s. Earliest frost on record 7th March which would be like 7th September for you northerners, latest on record 11th November which would be like 7th May. Is that right?
Latest frost free period was until 1st June (1st December) and earliest frost free period was from 31st August (31st February) so basically they have never recorded a winter that didnt have frost from beginning to end of winter, let alone the equivalent of 13th of June for you guys and no frost!
Their lowest temperature on record was -10c and they get snow every few years. I have even been there for a White Christmas with snow falling on the mountains around the city to quite low altitude and bitterly cold, so thats like snow at the end of June and needing a fireplace going. Winter frosts are regularly -5c and -6c for nights on end with one or two nights down to -8c every year. Days are usually sunny with a maximum of around 10c but as low as 2c or 3c occasionally. Summers are a very different beast though, sunny and warm with an average maximum of around 28c in midsummer, up to 38c or 39c with a record of 42c. Owing to its at altitude 600m+ summer nights are usually cool around 12c or 13c, rarely 20+c in a heatwave.
Like I said, its very sunny with an average of 7.6 hours sunlight a day going from 9 hours in high summer to 5 hours in mid winter, one of the highest in Australia. Its because of the sunny climate they decided to build the capital there so its now a city of half a million people, but the clear sunny skies are also why its also very frosty. I knew a Scottish expat who called Canberra home who told me that the winter there reminded him of a Scottish spring, if thats any guide to go by...
Sorry, Christmas light thread hijacked, I should keep my weather fetish for the appropriate forum
it's a Trachycarpus guys 