If you live in or are travelling through regional Australia, you already know fly season isn't a myth. Here's when it hits, which parts of the country get it worst, and the easiest way to actually enjoy being outside without waving your hand in front of your face all day.
When is fly season in Australia?
Bush flies build up through spring and peak over summer, roughly October through March, though warmer inland regions can see them for most of the year. Numbers spike after rain followed by warm, dry weather — ideal breeding conditions — which is why fly season can hit hard and fast rather than building up slowly.
Where are flies worst in Australia?
Bush flies are a nationwide problem, but a few regions are notorious:
- Western Australia — particularly the Wheatbelt, Goldfields and Pilbara, where livestock and dry heat combine to breed large numbers
- Regional and outback New South Wales and Queensland
- South Australia's pastoral regions
- Perth and surrounding areas in late spring and summer, especially after rain
Coastal cities generally get a lighter fly season than inland and rural areas, but nowhere with livestock or bushland nearby is fully spared.
Why flies are so drawn to your face
Bush flies aren't after your food — they're after moisture, sweat, and the salt on your skin, which is why they target your eyes, nose and mouth specifically. Sweat from walking, jogging, or working outside makes you more attractive to them, not less, so the harder you're working the worse it tends to get.
How to keep flies off your face without repellent
Chemical repellents work for a while but wear off with sweat, need reapplying, and aren't something everyone wants on their skin all day, especially with kids. The simplest fix that doesn't involve spraying anything is a physical barrier: a fly net hat with fine mesh netting sewn into a wide brim.
A few reasons this works better than most people expect:
- The wide brim keeps the netting away from your face, so it doesn't stick to your lips or eyelashes
- A sewn-on net has no gaps for flies to get through, unlike a loose net pulled over an existing hat
- The same wide brim shading your face from flies also shades you from UV, so you're covered for sun and flies at once
- Nothing to reapply, wears off, or run out of
Getting ready for fly season
If you're heading into spring or summer anywhere flies are a known problem — Perth, the Wheatbelt, outback NSW and Queensland, or your own backyard after rain — it's worth sorting out fly protection before it becomes a daily annoyance rather than after. Browse the Aboriginal-designed fly net hat range and pick a style that covers both the sun and the flies in one hat.
Related: Aboriginal-Designed Fly Net Hats and Fly Net Hat vs Bunnings & Kmart Fly Nets.