Summer at the Pinnacles

How hot is the Pinnacles in summer?

Hot. February is the warmest month, with an average high of 30.8°C at Jurien Bay, and the open desert floor can feel hotter than the coast.

The nearest long-running weather station is Jurien Bay, and the Bureau of Meteorology averages for 1969 to 2026 are below. Rain barely registers: January averages under one rain day. Nights are mild, around 16 to 18°C, which makes the drive home after sunset comfortable.

Our advice is blunt. Skip the noon arrival in February. Pale sand bounces the light back up, the Desert View Walk has almost no shade, and an hour out there at 1pm feels like three. Bring a hat, sunscreen and more water than you think, and walk the loop late in the day.

Searching for summer tips? The NPS advice you will find is for Pinnacles National Park in California, a different park in a different hemisphere.

Is there fire danger at the Pinnacles, and how do you check alerts?

Yes. DBCA warns of extreme fire danger in summer, and parks and trails may close on days rated Extreme or Catastrophic. Check alerts.dbca.wa.gov.au and emergency.wa.gov.au on the morning you travel.

DBCA's fire safety advice is plain: trails and parks may be closed when the Fire Danger Rating is Extreme or Catastrophic, and you should not head out on those days. The DBCA park alerts page shows park closures and road closures on a map or a list, and points you to Emergency WA for live fire warnings and incidents.

No fires may be lit in Nambung at any time of year. Mobile coverage has gaps, so DBCA suggests the free Emergency+ app and a personal locator beacon. On a tour, the operator makes the call. If the park shuts, ask what happens to your booking; every tour on this site has free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Are the flies bad at the Pinnacles in summer?

They can be. Bush flies are most numerous in WA's south-west in summer, and a head net is the cheapest fix there is.

The flies arrive in spring, often blown in on easterly winds that carry them up to 300 km a day, according to UWA researchers. Hot, dry weather suits them and they die out in winter. There is no official Pinnacles fly advice; this part is our call. Pack a fly net for any visit from late spring to March. They fold into a pocket.

Guests report the same. One German reviewer of the lobster tour summed up a good day with a single tip: "Maske mitnehmen! (Fliegen)", bring a face net, for the flies. The sand dunes adventure lists a fly net among its inclusions. Bush flies are day fliers, one more point in favour of a sunset visit.

Why is a sunset tour the best way to see the Pinnacles in summer?

It skips the heat. Summer sunsets at Cervantes fall between about 7:08pm and 7:26pm, so a sunset tour reaches the pillars as the sand cools and the light turns orange.

The sunset and stargazing tour shifts its departure through the year to catch the last light, says the listing, then serves a picnic dinner with a glass of wine and brings out a telescope, weather permitting. The pub dinner version arrives in the late afternoon "to avoid crowds and heat", eats in Cervantes and goes back into the park for the stars, returning to Perth about 11pm.

Summer skies have their own draw. Australia's Coral Coast lists January to March as the summer Milky Way season and November and December for the Large Magellanic Cloud on moonless nights. Driving yourself? Coral Coast says visitors must leave the park by 9pm, which leaves about 90 minutes after a January sunset. Watch for kangaroos on the road home.

Timed for the last light, with a picnic dinner, a glass of wine and a telescope after dark. Departures move with the season.

★ 4.7 · 9 hours · from $139

Explore the sunset and stargazing tour → Tour details

Is the Pinnacles open on Christmas Day?

The park lists no closed days, but the Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre closes on Christmas Day. Every other day it opens 9:30am to 4:30pm.

That comes from DBCA's Discovery Centre page. The loop drive and the pillars sit outside the building, so plan the day around the centre being shut, not the desert. Several stops that tours use close too. Caversham Wildlife Park, the first stop on the koalas and 4WD day, is shut on Christmas Day, so check that date with the operator.

One local tradition: Hangover Bay, inside Nambung, got its name from people spending New Year's Day there after the night before, says the DBCA guide. It has barbecues, toilets, shade and a swimming beach.

When are the WA school holidays in 2026-27, and do you need to book?

WA public school summer holidays run from Friday 18 December 2026 to Sunday 31 January 2027, and Term 1 starts on Monday 1 February. Book tours for those weeks early; self-drive needs no booking.

The dates come from the WA Department of Education's future term dates: Term 4 ends on Thursday 17 December. Perth families head north in those weeks, and beds in Cervantes, the nearest town, go first. There is no camping inside Nambung.

For tours, book early and keep it flexible. Every tour here offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and the wine day and the dunes day cap groups at 12. Driving yourself is simpler: A$17 per car at the gate, no booking. The 2026 fees post has the details.

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