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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: Daydream Island Resort & Spa


Daydream Island Resort & Spa 5 nights from 1,100 per person
Daydream Island Resort & SpaDaydream Island has a tropical climate and is located within the Whitsunday Islands group located on the North Eastern coast of Queensland, Australia.
Learn more about Daydream Island Resort & Spa

Daily housekeeping
On a private beach
Marina
3 restaurants and 5 bars/lounges
Outdoor pool
Fitness center
Beach umbrellas
Beach sun loungers
Beach towels
Children's pool
Pool bar
Swim-up bar





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: Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns


Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns 5 nights from 565 per person
Rydges Esplanade Resort CairnsOverlooking the picturesque Coral Sea on the Cairns Esplanade, unforgettable memories are created in the beautifully landscaped surrounds of Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns, with a variety of superbly appointed rooms, outstanding dining facilities and a myriad of recreational activities.

Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns combines comfort and style with a range of accommodation options from hotel Rooms to fully self-contained apartments. Discover the resort facilities including three swimming pools, children's wading pool, two tennis courts, a complete Health & Fitness centre, Aerobic classes, spa, sauna.

Learn more about Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns

Daily housekeeping
Near the beach
Restaurant and bar/lounge
3 outdoor pools
Breakfast available
Fitness center
Self parking
Pool bar
24-hour room service
Conference center
Business center
Terrace





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: Smiths Beach Resort


Smiths Beach Resort 5 nights from 2,165 per person
Smiths Beach ResortFor the ultimate beachside luxury accommodation Yallingup and Margaret River has to offer.

Situated in the heart of the Margaret River wine region, Smiths Beach Resort is the finest luxury accommodation Yallingup has to offer. Our location also makes us a popular alternative for guests seeking luxury accommodation in Dunsborough and Bunker Bay.

Pure heaven for beach lovers, Smiths Beach Resort is perfectly positioned on the pristine sands of Smiths Beach overlooking the sparkling Indian Ocean. Nestled between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin on the stunning Cape to Cape walking track, this architectural award-winning resort provides an ideal retreat on a pristine beach that is lovingly tended and preserved.

This Small Luxury Hotel of the WorldTM has been carefully constructed to cause minimal impact on the environment and provides our guests with the ultimate in luxury accommodation Dunsborough and Yallingup has to offer. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the minimalist yet stylish beach houses, villas and apartments give the sense of bringing the outside in, and with an ever-changing panorama of shifting sands and ruby red sunsets the scenery is truly breathtaking.

Smiths Beach Resort is the quintessential Australian beachside accomodation experience encompassing world class facilities and an assortment of food and beverage options. Partnering with well-known restauranteur Kate Lamont, the resort features Lamont’s Smiths Beach, incorporating a Gourmet Deli and Café along with fine dining a la carte Restaurant offering guests and visitors a premium range of food and wine from the region and beyond.
Learn more about Smiths Beach Resort

Free parking
Pool
Free WiFi
Kitchen
Non-smoking
Air conditioning





 



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: Lizard Island


Lizard Island 5 nights from 9,265 per person
Lizard IslandIt begins with a special place. Your place - your own personal island retreat on the Great Barrier Reef. Beautiful, natural and wild and the most northern Great Barrier Reef resort, Lizard Island is a place reserved for the fortunate few.

The beaches are plentiful, 24 in all, with fine powdery white sand, undisturbed but for the occasional footprints. Your island is for snorkelling, if you choose, or deep-sea game fishing, or diving at The Cod Hole, one of the world famous dive sites just a short boat ride away. Enjoy secluded picnics on private beaches, five star cuisine and indulging spa treatments.

It's for splendid accommodation - room for only a few but a choice between private villas, suites, or a pavilion. Watching the sunset on a day-bed overlooking the water, it's easy to be lulled into the deep peace that comes with being in your own beautiful world on Lizard Island.

Little wonder your island consistently makes the Top 10 Hotels of the World list.
Learn more about Lizard Island

At the northern most resort on the Great Barrier Reef, and a member of the Luxury lodges of Australia, Lizard Island is truly secluded from the rest of the world. Offering a range of 40 beautifully appointed rooms and suites, this all-inclusive resort offers guests the opportunity to escape to their own private beach for a day exploring the reef.





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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