An Australian journal of fire and steel
Fire, steel and the Australian backyard
Barbecue GrillsIndependent long-form writing for Australian backyards, balconies and campgrounds.
Climate
Heatwave timing, southern winters and the calendar that actually governs an Australian barbecue.
Four northern-hemisphere seasons do not describe this country. A January cook in western Sydney is a logistics problem. A July cook in Ballarat is a heat-retention problem. The wet in the Top End is a rust problem. This hub writes the calendar back onto the grill.
See cooking through an Australian heatwave and winter barbecue in southern Australia.
A July cook in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, the ACT or southern New South Wales is a heat-retention problem. Wind, a lid and the early dark decide the menu more than the recipe.
Tom Bellear · 14 July 2026
A 42°C backyard is a food-safety problem before it is a recipe problem. Cook early, keep food cold, drink water, and use the oven when the yard is the worse kitchen.
Jess Nguyen · 8 January 2026