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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: Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour


Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour 5 nights from 1,285 per person
Pullman Quay Grand Sydney HarbourSet majestically on the eastern shore of Circular Quay, this superbly located 5-star Sydney apartment style hotel is set in the midst of Sydney's key attractions including Sydney Harbour, Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens and the Opera House.

Each apartment is designed to take full advantage of the spectacular views.

Quay Grand Suites Sydney also provides function and meeting facilities for up to 140 guests. With its breathtaking location at Circular Quay, 5-star hotel service and superb catering, it is the finest venue for glamorous wedding receptions, cocktail & dinner parties and successful meetings & conferences.

Quay Grand Suites Sydney also offers two unique dining and entertainment options - Quadrant Restaurant offers an imaginative Australian and Mediterranean menu and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Alternatively ECQ Bar is an ideal spot to catch up with friends at the end of a busy day, or to simply relax over a quiet drink, coffee or light meal. Both offer spectacular harbour views and five-star service.
Learn more about Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Indoor pool
Breakfast available
Fitness center
Sauna
Valet parking
Spa tub
Room service
In-room childcare
Business center
Limo/town car service





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: Oaks Lagoons


Oaks Lagoons 5 nights from 500 per person
Oaks LagoonsJust 3 minutes stroll to Four Mile Beach, the new Oaks Lagoons Port Douglas is a relaxed getaway which aims to please with its friendly service, relaxed ambiance and unique 'lagoon' lifestyle.

There are six lagoon-style pools, from which guests can swim to their apartment balconies, as well as barbeque facilities within a lush landscaped setting to make the most of the tropical breezes.

At the Oaks Lagoons, accommodation styles vary, from hotel rooms with large corner spas, to 1 and 2 bedroom apartments complete with gourmet kitchen and laundry facilities. There are also rooms with the 'swim out' option or apartments with their own private plunge pool and spa. All rooms offer air conditioning, king beds, broadband connectivity and balcony.

Oaks Lagoons is the ideal base for exploring the Reef, getting active with fishing, sailing and kite surfing, or simply lounging by the pool. Guests can also hire push bikes to get around to the sophisticated boutique shopping, cafés and restaurants in Port Douglas.
Learn more about Oaks Lagoons

Daily housekeeping
Near the beach
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Full-service spa
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
Babysitting
24-hour business center
Airport shuttle
Area shuttle
Shopping center shuttle
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: Hotel Ibis Sydney Darling Harbour


Hotel Ibis Sydney Darling Harbour 5 nights from 645 per person
Hotel Ibis Sydney Darling HarbourIbis Sydney Darling Harbour is in the heart of the tourist district of Sydney, with many of the 256 hotel rooms offering spectacular views of Darling Harbour and the city. Star City Casino, Sydney Aquarium, the Maritime Museum and the Powerhouse Museum are all within walking distance. The hotel features Internet access, a restaurant, bar and easy access to the Monorail and Lightrail services.
Learn more about Hotel Ibis Sydney Darling Harbour

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool access
Breakfast available
Self parking
Room service
UNESCO Sustainable Property
Terrace
24-hour front desk
Air conditioning
Car rentals on site
Front-desk safe





 



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: The Sebel Suites Brisbane


The Sebel Suites Brisbane 5 nights from 4,444 per person
The Sebel Suites BrisbaneFor elegant Brisbane hotel accommodation, look no further than The Sebel Suites Brisbane with its distinctive boutique style Brisbane accommodation and newly refurbished guestrooms.

The Sebel Suites Brisbane hotel features 164 fully refurbished Brisbane studio rooms, one bedroom apartments and two bedroom apartments, along with all the guest services you have come to expect of an International hotel, as well as some self-catering conveniences unique to apartment-style accommodation.

The hotel's recreation deck has a heated lap pool, sauna and gymnasium with spectacular views of the city skyline.
Learn more about The Sebel Suites Brisbane

Daily housekeeping
Near the beach
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
WiFi in the lobby
Fitness center
Sauna
Valet parking
Self parking
Children's pool
Room service





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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