Is there anything more Aussie than a barbecue with your mates in the summertime? Picture: a coupla of XXXX Golds, a charred snag wrapped in fluffy white bread, and the great outdoors. Thanks to our warm weather and months of sunshine – not to mention our lush parks and pristine beaches – Australia is made for alfresco entertainment (just watch out for bindis). Now, the best places for outdoor cooking and dining in the country have been revealed, with the top spot going to the NSW town of Wagga Wagga. Just under a five-hour drive from Sydney and known for its leafy green parklands and idyllic Murrumbidgee River, Wagga Wagga enjoys more than 50 per cent sunshine throughout the day and a massive 13 hours of sunlight during the summer months, making it a prime spot for fresh-air shenanigans.
The study, conducted by outdoor pizza oven brand Gozney, looked at Australia’s 40 most populated locations and analysed a bunch of factors, including the average daily temperature, the days of rainfall, total daylight hours, and of those daylight hours, how many of them are actually sunny. They used this to determine the top outdoor dining destinations, with second place going to Perth. On average, WA’s capital has just one day of rain per month in the summertime, making it a top-notch place for fun in the sun. Victoria also got a nod, with Shepparton taking home third place. Located on the Goulburn River, the regional city boasts gorgeous sunny and warm days – just be sure to Slip, Slop, Slap. Continuing to prove west is best, Western Australia won the state wars with the most locations in the top ten, with Rockingham and Mandurah snagging fourth (tied with NSW’s Albury) and fifth places, respectively. You know what that means? It’s time for a trip to WA.
Little old Sydney came in 14th place, with an average of seven rainy days during the summer months. Home to the colourful Royal Botanic Gardens, the magical Wendy’s Secret Garden and Parramatta Park, our city has more ace picnic and barbecue areas than you could throw a Havaiana at, so we’ll take it.
Below, you can check out the top 20 Aussie locations for outdoor dining and entertaining. As for us? We’re off to the local butcher.
1.Wagga Wagga
2. Perth
3. Shepparton
4. Rockingham
4. Albury
5. Mandurah
6. Armadale
7. Bendigo
8. Bunbury
9. Adelaide
10. Tamworth
11. Orange
12. Newcastle
13. Canberra
14. Sydney
15. Melbourne
16. Maitland
17. Ballarat
17. Queanbeyan
18. Port Macquarie
19. Geelong
20. Blacktown
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