Even though you are in Australia, it is still hard to advise you, because we need to know about your climate (are you at sea level or in the mountains?)

From what I know about your weather year, it may be that the temperatures are too high. Even when the days get short, sages will not bloom if the temperatures are too high. This was the case in the USA during the summer and autumn of 2006.

I live on the plains in Adelaide, South Australia. Climate here is Mediterranean temperate. Think Greek Isles (or California)..hot dry Summers, with temperatures 20 - 45C . Cool damp Winters with a daytime temperature range of about 10 - 15C. We get one or two frosty nights during Winter, but they are rarely severe (I've seen it snow once.. on holidays in Victoria)
We had an unusually warm and dry Spring last year followed by a very hot Summer. The trend has continued into Autumn, so I guess that is why the poor thing is sulking.

Is Salvia iodantha "Baton Rouge" the same plant as S. iodantha "Luis Saso"?

"Baton Rouge" and "Louis Saso" are quite different. I found the first in a suburban Baton Rouge garden when it was a non-blooming plant. It took me a while to identify it because ti is the last of the forms to bloom.

The second is supposed to be a hybrid of iodantha with longistylis or some similar sage. It was named after the founder of Saso's Herb Garden in Sarasota, CA. This one is more likely to be found in the trade.

The other two are the forms from northern Sonora and collected by Southwestern Native Seeds (probably more accurately S. townsendii) and a form collected by the Huntington Library and Botanical Garden, with a peloric flower at the spike terminus. This causes the spike to be short and dense.

The SwNS form is the hardiest and earliest to bloom, but has the smallest flowers.

Thanks, Rich. I decided to go ahead and buy the Baton Rouge. I already have Luis Saso (hybrid with S. tubifera, I thought?), but it hasn't bloomed yet. My Annie's form of S. iodantha bloomed quite well, and I really liked it. It's a good source of winter hummingbird food.

I'd love to see a picture of the spike of the Anne's Annuals form of iodantha. Don Mahoney at Strybing has the Huntington form, and I need to get it back. I need to check on how far the Light Brown Apple Moth quarantine has been extended before I look up sources of plants I need to replace.

The monthly Strybing sale is this Saturday; I may make it. They tend to sell what is actually blooming, so no S. iodantha yet. I just bought some plants from UCSC's arboretum, so I really need to plant more before I buy more...

Below is a link from Annie's, with picture.

Here is a link that might be useful: S. iodantha, Annie's Annuals