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Best Time of Year to Visit Australia

Explore > Travel Planning Articles > Best Time of Year to Visit Australia

Date published:
2023-05-07


Ayers Rock, also known as Uluru
Ayers Rock, photo courtesy Pete Edgeler on Flickr.


Michael Cottam  

About the author, Michael Cottam


Founder of Visual Itineraries, Michael lives in Bend, Oregon. He's an avid traveler, scuba diver, photographer, and a private pilot, and also the founder of Bright Yonder, which offers marketing tools to travel agents. He's been to Fiji, Thailand, Vietnam, Seychelles, Kenya, France, England, New Zealand, Jamaica, Belize, Costa Rica, Turks & Caicos, British Virgin Islands, Mexico, and the major islands in French Polynesia. He's been in Rotary for 23 years, currently on the board of the Greater Bend Rotary Club. Here's his LinkedIn and Pinterest.

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Australia is enormous, with a wide range of climates. The northern states are typically warm year-round, while the southern states have cooler winters. December to February is summer; March to May is autumn; June to August is winter; and September to November is spring.

TRAVEL SPECIAL: Comfort Inn Prince of Wales Motel


Comfort Inn Prince of Wales Motel 5 nights from 350 per person
Comfort Inn Prince of Wales MotelThe Prince of Wales is an owner operated establishment located in the heart of the heritage area. Offering 32 individually controlled air conditioned rooms. Including spa suites for those special occasions.

During your stay, Jo-Ann and Michael will welcome you with rooms that are very spacious, comfortable, and tasteful. You will receive personal and friendly service. The staff are also trained and equipped to assist in helping you enjoy your stay.

You will be delighted with our newly refurbished rooms features! With LCD TV's, walk in glass showers, sumptuous beds, 2 spa suites with large corner spas and our comfortable king size beds we ensure your stay is as comfortable and relaxing as possible.
Learn more about Comfort Inn Prince of Wales Motel

Daily housekeeping
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
Pool bar
Room service
Business center
Air conditioning
Front-desk safe
Barbecue grills
Luggage storage
Limited hour front desk





Typical airfares from LAX to Sydney, Australia




Airfares vary by season, but also day of week, and are definitely affected by holidays. The chart above shows the typical minimum and maximum fares for a economy class ticket from Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD), by month.

 
TRAVEL SPECIAL: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cairns


DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cairns 5 nights from 570 per person
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel CairnsBoasting uninterrupted views of the Coral Sea, and a stunning natural setting amidst landscaped tropical gardens, the oceanfront DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cairns is just a short walk from the city center, and Cairn’s business, retail and entertainment districts. The hotel overlooks the picturesque Cairns Esplanade, and is just moments from Cairns Lagoon and Cairns Casino. Enjoy easy access to Cairns Convention Center and lots of attractions, including the World Heritage listed Daintree Tropical Rainforest and the Atherton Tablelands. The Great Barrier Reef departures terminal is 100m away, and Cairns International Airport is only 10 minutes’ drive from our Cairns hotel.

Stylish and comfortable, our guest rooms and suites are flooded with natural light through floor-to-ceiling windows. Enjoy modern amenities, including a refrigerator, a flat-screen TV, a Sweet Dreams® by DoubleTree bed, a large desk and WiFi (fee applies). Our friendly staff look forward to greeting you at check-in with a signature DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie.

Savor Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in The Atrium, which overlooks the hotel’s striking rainforest atrium. Food is comfort. We make it easy for you to enjoy a delicious meal without even leaving the hotel. Whether you are into health food, snacks, or gourmet food all the way, we’ve got something to tickle your palate. Stay in and use our in-room dining service, check out the onsite restaurant, or unwind with after-dinner drinks at the bar.

Exercise with contemporary cardio and weights equipment in the complimentary fitness center, and enjoy a soothing dip in the outdoor swimming pool as you admire beautiful views of the waterfront. Ensure that your meeting, conference or wedding is a successful one by holding it at our Cairns hotel. We provide six air-conditioned meeting spaces, and our friendly, professional team is always on hand to help. Print documents in the 24-hour business center, and take advantage of the latest A/V technology. The lush gardens surrounding the hotel provide the perfect setting for an outdoor celebration or beautiful wedding photos.

Famous as the meeting place of two natural wonders - the Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest - Cairns is a vibrant and colorful destination in the far north of Queensland. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cairns is set in the heart of the city, within easy walking distance of the Cairns Esplanade lagoon, Cairns Casino, the business district and the city’s shopping, tourism and nightlife hubs.

Ride the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to experience unforgettable views over the rainforest canopy. Tour the Atherton Tablelands – a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland; and home to breathtaking waterfalls, deep crater lakes, a colorful tapestry of farmlands and wildlife-rich savannah plains. Enjoy thrills and spills on the Tully River, Barron River or Russell River, which all have rapids from grades 1 - 4. Explore the uninhabited Frankland Island, or experience the world's best reef diving at the iconic Great Barrier Reef.
Learn more about DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cairns

Daily housekeeping
2 restaurants and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
24-hour fitness center
Self parking
Children's pool
24-hour room service
Conference center
5 meeting rooms
Terrace
24-hour front desk





Best time of year to go to different parts of Australia



The famous Sydney Opera House
Photo courtesy Jon Haase.


Sydney, in New South Wales, is in Australia's temperate zone. The Great Dividing Range is a major climate factor, as it creates 4 distinct zones: the coastal strip, the highlands, the Western Slopes and the flat countryside to the west.

Sydney typically sees about 340 sunny days a year, with humidity in summer around 65%.

Pictured above is the famous Sydney Opera House.

Cairns, in Queensland, is pretty tropical--summers are hot and humid, and winters are dry and mild.

Along the coast, you can get cyclones from November through May.

Cairns is one of the places from which you can access the Great Barrier Reef, pictured at right.

Ayers Rock, seen at the top of this page, is in the Northern Territory (which isn't actually the northernmost part of Australia--that's referred to as the "Top End"), has a distinctly different climate, with a wet season running from October to April and a dry season May to September. In winter, nighttime temperatures can fall below freezing; in the summer, daytime temperatures can approach 100F, with cool, dry nights.

 

The Great Barrier Reef

Photo courtesy ynwa2005 on Flickr.

Barossa Valley, wine country northeast of Adelaide
Photo courtesy Amanda Slater on Flickr.
 

Adelaide, in South Australia, has mild, wet winters (averaging about 60F) and hot, dry summers (averaging 84F).

June is the wettest month, but still averages only a little over 3 inches of rain. In the summer, it's not uncommon to have months with no rain.

At left is Jacob's Creek vineyard in the Barossa Valley, one of the important wine regions of Australia.


Melbourne, in Victoria, has a reputation for changeable weather, but generally the climate is temperate with warm summers (averaging 77F), mild spring and fall seasons, and cool winters (averaging 57F).

Pictured are the limestone formations known as the Twelve Apostles, located on the Great Ocean Road about 100 miles west of Melbourne.

Perth, in Western Australia, the rainfall is greatest from May to September. The hottest month is February, averaging 88F; winter temperatures average about 65F. A cooling breeze known as "The Fremantle Doctor" blows in from the sea to keep the city comfortable.

  The Twelve Apostles, about 100 miles west of Melbourne
Photo courtesy Rich Mulvaney on Flickr.

Tasmania, the island southeast of the main continent, the climate is mild and temperate. With no part of the island more than about 75 miles from the water, the ocean has a big effect on the climate. Because it's much farther from the equator than the rest of Australia, the seasons are more distinct. January and February are pretty dry, with temperatures averaging about 70F.

See the Australia tourism website for a detailed description of the seasons in Australia.


TRAVEL SPECIAL: Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains MGallery by Sofitel


Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains MGallery by Sofitel 5 nights from 755 per person
Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains MGallery by SofitelRelax, explore and engage your senses at the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains. Located just 90 minutes west of Sydney in the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains, it features 222 comfortable rooms and 15 flexible event spaces, indoor and outdoor pool, tennis courts, gymnasium, billiards room, three kids games rooms and five stunning onsite dining locations. Enjoy scenic walking tracks along Australian bushland, golf at the adjacent Leura Golf Course or attractions such as Leura Village and Wentworth Falls.

Guests looking for hotels in the Blue Mountains should look no further than Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains. With its spectacular location within the Jamison Valley, the hotel offers guests access to the many wonders of this beautiful region. Guests stayin g at this exceptional Blue Mountains hotel can take a Segway tour, play a round or two at Leura Golf Course or explore the charming villages in the area. There are plenty of walks, or for those seeking adventure, try canyoning, abseiling or rock climbing.
Learn more about Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains MGallery by Sofitel

Daily housekeeping
3 restaurants and 2 bars/lounges
Full-service spa
Indoor pool and outdoor pool
Breakfast available
WiFi in the lobby
2 outdoor tennis courts
Fitness center
Sauna
Spa tub
Room service
Coffee shop/cafe





 



Storms in Australia

In Cairns, on the coast of Queensland, tropical cyclones can occur sometimes between November and May. Around Alice Springs and Ayers Rock, you can see thunderstorms, hail and dust storms in the spring months. In Western Australia, tropical cyclones can occur between November and April--most commonly though in January and February.




TRAVEL SPECIAL: Woodbridge on the Derwent


Woodbridge on the Derwent 5 nights from 1,340 per person
Woodbridge on the DerwentExperience one of Australia's oldest and most historic houses.

Woodbridge on the Derwent offers unique, luxury riverfront accommodation, steeped in history and defined by gracious hospitality. Woodbridge is Tasmania's only Small Luxury Hotel of the World, Tasmania's only accredited 5 Star Hotel, and was listed as one of Australia's Top 10 Luxury Hotels by Business Review Magazine.

1825 Tasmanian Mansion converted to 5 Star Accommodation
Woodbridge was built by the first Chief Constable, Thomas Roadknight in 1825 at a cost of over 1000 pounds. The Roadknights had numerous interests in the valley, including the property Ivanhoe, and the bakery in Bothwell. Thomas Roadknight was later jailed for shooting a servant, and sent to Sarah Island.

On his return in 1831, he sold Woodbridge to George Lindley and it functioned as an academy for young gentlemen, known as Richmond Hill Academy. Then Woodbridge was again offered for sale in 1833 and was purchased one year later by the Assistant Surveyor General, William Stanley Sharland, for 750 pounds.

The Sharland family had been amongst the first arrivals to Van Diemen’s Land and William Stanley married another first settler, Miss Sarah Schaw and they had a large family of four sons and seven daughters, all of whom grew up at Woodbridge.

While Sharland lived at Woodbridge he took a keen interest in all colonial affairs as well as carrying on agricultural and pastoral farming in the Derwent Valley, and in 1857, at the age of 56 years, he was elected MLC for the County of Cumberland and later represented New Norfolk in the House of Assembly.

Upon his death in 1877, Woodbridge passed to his eldest son, William Cockburn Sharland, who like his father, devoted himself to the development of his Derwent Valley properties. Clara and William Cockburn Sharland had five daughters and one son and in 1905 when it was decided that they should be educated abroad, Woodbridge was again sold.

Thereafter Woodbridge passed from one owner to the other, falling gradually into disrepair. In the 1970’s Woodbridge’s glorious out buildings and Dutch barn, collectively know as Alloway Banks, were demolished to make way for the roundabout of the new bridge.

By 2003, when the Grimley's first saw Woodbridge, it was dilapidated and decaying.

It is fitting that Woodbridge had become Tasmania's premier luxury historic accommodation. The restoration has returned Woodbridge to its former glory, and it is again offers the warm and elegant hospitality for which it was renowned.
Learn more about Woodbridge on the Derwent

Free parking
Free WiFi
Non-smoking
Separate bedrooms





Airfare and Resort Prices

High season is from about Christmas through the end of January, when children are on their summer holidays, and the popular resorts fill up with the locals. In the north, June through August is peak season as Australians from the southern areas travel north to escape winter. Typically the airlines will discount airfares April through June.

Water temperature, SCUBA diving and surfing in Australia

On the Great Barrier Reef, you can dive year-round, although the best conditions for diving are from late August to early December. For liveaboard diving, the best time to go is July through November. In the Coral Sea, the visibility is best in June and in September. If you want to see the Minke whales, they're seen mostly from June to August. From April through June, the whale sharks can be seen near Ningaloo, in Western Australia. Australia Tourism has an excellent reference on dive locations and regions here.




How we work with you to plan the perfect trip:

  • We'll talk with you to find out what you're looking for, what you like/don't like, etc.
  • We'll use our first-hand knowledge of the destination to pick out a handful of resorts we think you'd like
  • We'll create a custom mini website for you, with photos, videos, maps, etc. of the resorts we are recommending
  • We'll follow up with you to help you make your decision
  • We'll go to work with our suppliers to get you the best deal available on what you've decided on.
 

Map of all resorts in Australia



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