Do you even have anything worth calling winter in Sydney?🙂 I mulch with compost all year round. Anytime I have compost ready I spread it. I'd say you're overthinking this. There's never a bad time to use compost imo.

Just Started, I put compost on bginning in late November and finish the job in February. I want the compost to slowly break down clear into spring. In early March, I add granular organic fertilizer, and about a month later, I add Plant Tone. I think this schedule works very well in my garden. But I agree with floral above that compost is good anytime of the season. Diane

Thanks all for input. I will put in a layer of thick compost around the bushes again. The only thing is that I am getting water shoots out of some of my bushes even at beginning of winters. Will see.

Winters temps here are around 1-2 Degree Celsius. So yeah. No snow and slightly on milder side.

I will be adding compost around the bushes as soon it is warm and sunny.

OT: All composts are not created equal it seems. Cheaper ones look most like simple compost. The more expensive I go, I see bone meal, slow release fertilizers and what not added. They have lots of fine fibers and look like water retaining stuff.

I restrict myself to the cheaper crumbly ones.

I didn't realise you were talking about bought compost. I assumed this was homemade. Hence my reference to spreading it when it's ready.

Are those temps your winter minima? Because if they're averages I'm finding surprised to hear that Sydney's colder than my area in winter.