Best Time of Year to Visit Australia

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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• Airfare by month
• Travel specials
• See all resorts in Australia
• Temperature by month
• Precipitation by month
• Best time to go by region
• High season/low season prices
• Map of all resorts

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: Rendezvous Reef Resort Port Douglas

Rendezvous Reef Resort Port Douglas 5 nights from 630 per person

Port Douglas is the ideal destination for your next family vacation - fun, affordable and with something for everyone. Laze away the days on the white sands of the famous Four Mile Beach, stroll through the Sunday markets, or stop for lunch at one of the cafes scattered along cosmopolitan Macrossan Street.

Port Douglas is the only place on earth where two world heritage listed jewels collide - The Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.

Rendezvous Reef Resort Port Douglas is located just two minutes from the main village and a short stroll from Four Mile Beach. Set amongst 15 acres of lush tropical gardens, our resort offers a great selection of leisure facilities, including two lagoon-style pools, a 25 meter lap pool, a children's pool, gymnasium and barbeque area.

You'll never be short of space and privacy while staying in our Port Douglas resort. Each two story villa offers 110 square meters of living space. Choose from our affordable One, Two and Three Bedroom self-contained Port Douglas villas, each with balcony or patio. In addition, our tour desk team are happy to help fill your days with fun and adventure while you discover the wonders of Tropical North Queensland.

Enjoy the convenience of self catered accommodation within a full service resort. Rendezvous Reef Resort Port Douglas will provide you with a tropical family holiday to remember.

Learn more about Rendezvous Reef Resort Port Douglas

73 smoke-free apartments
Housekeeping (on request)
Near the beach
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
Fitness center
Children's pool
Coffee shop/cafe
In-room childcare
Airport shuttle
Area shuttle

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: Mandalay Luxury Beachfront Apartments

Mandalay Luxury Beachfront Apartments 5 nights from 1,335 per person

For the perfect Port Douglas luxury beachfront accommodation, Mandalay Luxury Beachfront Apartments offer a unique foreshore location with all the facilities and services you expect on your tropical holiday.

Located in quiet seclusion, the cool apartments of Mandalay Port Douglas are nestled amongst lush tropical vibrant gardens. Access to the seemingly endless stretch of Port Douglas beach is through an easy walkway framed by tropical beach flora.

Mandalay Port Douglas luxurious and comfortable apartments exemplify the beach style and relaxed elegance which make Port Douglas one of the most sought after destinations in the world.

Learn more about Mandalay Luxury Beachfront Apartments

Mandalay Luxury Beachfront Apartments is a relaxing, 5-star retreat in Port Douglas, within easy walking distance of the wonderful restaurants in and around the Marina Mirage and Macrossan Street.

Best time of year to go to different parts of Australia

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.

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.

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: Hilton Adelaide

Hilton Adelaide 5 nights from 680 per person

Overlooking Victoria Square, Hilton Adelaide is set in the heart of the city’s entertainment, shopping and dining precincts. The Central Market, Chinatown and Gouger Street - Adelaide’s most vibrant dining destinations – are also minutes away. Host a business or social event in our flexible meeting spaces. After a busy day unwind in the recreational area featuring a gym and a heated outdoor pool. Retreat to a stylish room with all you need for a relaxing stay.

Good to know
Centrally located overlooking Victoria Square
In the heart of Adelaide's business, shopping and dining precincts
Fitness Center, heated outdoor pool, tennis court and running track
Seriously South Australian® restaurant, 2 bars and 24-hour room service
19 versatile meeting rooms with space for up to 500 residential delegates

Learn more about Hilton Adelaide

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
Outdoor tennis court
Fitness center
Valet parking
Self parking
24-hour room service
Coffee shop/cafe
Business center
19 meeting rooms

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: Cairns Harbor Lights

Cairns Harbor Lights 5 nights from 630 per person

Cairns Harbour Lights is a luxurious Cairns waterfront hotel offering the ideal Cairns Esplanade accommodation.

Managed by Mirvac Hotels and Resorts, Cairns Harbour Lights offer a unique property combining spacious, serviced, self-contained apartments and modern hotel.

Whether you are an adventurous family, honeymoon couple or jet-setting corporate this Cairns hotel is ideally located for all your needs.

Our spacious and contemporary Cairns apartments have fantastic views of either Cairns Harbour or Parklands. Choose from studio, one or two bedroom apartments or penthouse accommodation.

Learn more about Cairns Harbor Lights

Daily housekeeping
Marina
Outdoor pool
Fitness center
Sauna
Self parking
Room service
Babysitting
UNESCO Sustainable Property
Terrace
24-hour front desk
Air conditioning

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.

Map of all resorts in Australia