It's an Aussie paper, so spring for them is fall for us. Hence, "northern spring" = fall for them. They could've just used a month and forgone all the confusion, but that would've been too easy.
}:-)4
Christ, I guess saying October would have caused someone an apopleptic fit. I wish I would have been a journalist then I sure would have known how to say them big fancy-like words and such.