Need expert help?

Piper Fenton   Meet Piper, one of our travel experts for Australia.


Piper is the founder of honeymoon specialty travel company Remarkable Honeymoons, and an award-winning agent with almost 30 years experience. She's a Virtuoso agent, and winner of WeddingWire's Couples Choice awards every year from 2014-2022. She is well versed in international travel after having visited dozens of countries in her career, and also through her studies abroad living in both Mexico and France. From the Orient Express, to tenting in Nepal, to flying the Concord, she's had many wonderful travel experiences.


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.

Skip to:

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: Shantara Resort & Spa Port Douglas


Shantara Resort & Spa Port Douglas 5 nights from 1,325 per person
Shantara Resort & Spa Port DouglasShantara Resort & Spa Port Douglas Accommodation is a contemporary, small boutique, resort-style complex offering up-market self-contained Port Douglas apartment accommodation with personalized service in a friendly and relaxed environment. Shantara is a 5 star rated Port Douglas holiday apartment complex.

Located 400 meters to Port Douglas' famous Four Mile Beach with its palm fringed beach, relax or swim in the warm calm waters. Take a stroll to Macrossan Street (400metres) that offers an array of trendy gourmet restaurants, cafes and boutique shopping to suit all tastes.

Shantara Resort & Spa Port Douglas accommodation offers you a choice of spacious studio rooms or large comfortable one bedroom self-contained apartments, with either an outdoor Jacuzzi in a private courtyard or direct pool access. 2 bedroom apartments are also available on request.

Shantara is an adult haven, ideal for couples looking for a tranquil and relaxing getaway, we welcome teenagers over the age of 16 years.
Learn more about Shantara Resort & Spa Port Douglas

54 smoke-free apartments
Daily housekeeping
Near the beach
Full-service spa
2 outdoor pools
Fitness center
Beach towels
Airport shuttle
Area shuttle
Terrace
Air conditioning
Garden





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: Mantra Trilogy


Mantra Trilogy 5 nights from 640 per person
Mantra TrilogyAccommodation perfect for a Far North Queensland holiday, Mantra Trilogy is located on the Cairns Esplanade on the door step of a variety of the areas greatest attractions. Within minutes walking distance to some of Cairns best restaurants, the Reef Casino, Cairns Central Shopping Mall or the newly developed Cairns Lagoon, our Esplanade Cairns accommodation ensures you will never be short of things to do.

Each of our 230 rooms are fresh and comfortably furnished with spacious balconies and some with ocean views. Mantra Trilogy offers hotel rooms or one, two and three bedroom apartments each fully air-conditioned to fight the heat and our Cairns accommodation have the added convenience of fully equipped kitchen and laundry facilities.

Onsite guests can laze on the sun deck by our beautiful resort style pool overlooking the ocean. Take advantage of our location by catching a charter boat out to the reef which departs from Cairns Marina daily which is just a short walk down the Esplanade from the hotel.

Learn more about Mantra Trilogy

222 smoke-free apartments
Weekly housekeeping
Outdoor pool
Fitness center
Children's pool
Room service
Airport shuttle
UNESCO Sustainable Property
Terrace
24-hour front desk
Air conditioning
Garden





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: Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort


Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort 5 nights from 905 per person
Novotel Cairns Oasis ResortBeautiful tropical surrounds and modern contemporary style is waiting for you at Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort.

Each of the resorts 314 rooms feature a private terrace or balcony facing either the lagoon swimming pool, lush tropical gardens or Cairns city.

The city location is ideal with easy access to the award winning Esplanade and Cairns attractions.

Learn more about Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort

The Novotel Oasis is a 4.5-star resort featuring a gorgeous lagoon pool, complete with a sandy beach, children's pool and a swim-up bar. The hotel is a short walk from the Esplanade, Cairns city center and the Reef Casino.





 



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 Harbourside Kiama


The Sebel Harbourside Kiama 5 nights from 640 per person
The Sebel Harbourside KiamaOverlooking Kiama Harbour, this stylish 4.5 star South Coast resort reflects both the modern and the historic aspects of Kiama. By combining the beautifully restored 1871 heritage-listed bluestone Infants' School building as a conference and meeting centre, with a sleek resort building of contemporary waterfront accommodation, the resort is the perfect year-round holiday, recreational and event getaway.

Offering 88 beautifully detailed guestrooms over 3 levels including 77 king rooms, 8 two bedroom, fully self-contained apartments and 3 disability guestrooms, all apartments offer a delightful choice of ocean, garden or town views.

This South Coast resort is located just a short stroll from the famous 'blowhole', the stunning Bombo Headland and historic terrace shops, and is surrounded by magnificent examples of Victorian architecture. This wonderful recreational region also provides several well-known surf beaches and coves, and the spectacular Carrington Falls, Seven Mile Beach and Minnamurra Rainforest are in close proximity.


<b>Destination</b>
The Sebel Harbourside Kiama is characterised by the regions dramatic coastline, pristine beaches, beautiful harbour and Kiama's natural unspoiled environment.


Kiama Blowhole:

The Kiama Blowhole is a blowhole in the town of Kiama, It is the town's major tourist attraction. Under certain sea conditions, the blowhole can spray water up to 25 meters in the air, in quantities that thoroughly drench any bystanders.


Markets:

Kiama Seaside Markets - held on the 3rd Sunday of each month from 9am – 3pm at Black Beach with a fantastic array of local arts, crafts and collectables. For Stall bookings please phone 0457 773 063 to book your stand or for further information contact Kiama Visitors Centre on 02 4232 3322

Kiama Produce Markets - held on the 4th Saturday of each month at Black Beach from 8am – 1pm with delectable gourmet food and produce. Phone for stall bookings on 02 4232 0464


Kiama Coast Walk:

A stunning 22km pathway accompanying our sparkling coastline! With its spectacular ocean views, inviting detours and proximity to amenities and public transport, the Kiama Coast Walk is the perfect way to explore and enjoy our region.


Wineries & Food Tours:

The Shoalhaven Coast wine region has been strongly developing over the last 15 years, with 15 vineyards scattered over the area.

Crooked River Winery in Gerringong is a great place to start, with it's favourite Chocolate Pajama Wine (Port) it can be found just off the Princes Highway on Willow Vale Road. Roselea Vineyard on the Princes Highway at Gerringong invites visitors to enjoy private wine tasting by appointment. If your heading further south, pop into the award winning Coolangatta Estate Winery.


Jamberoo Action Park:

Splash into Jamberoo Action Park , for a slipping and sliding day of fun of jam-packed, heart racing water rides and attractions.


Illawarra Tree Top Walk:

The Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk is the only one of its kind in New South Wales and one of only a handful of steel canopy walks in the world. Located just outside the village of Robertson, a trip to the Fly is a perfect day trip. The gentle walk commences on the rainforest floor and continues onto the steel walkway and into the rainforest canopy (averaging 30m from the forest floor) offering a unique experience that captures the beauty of the regions native fauna and flora.


Minnamurra Rainforest Centre:

The Minnamurra Rainforest is a multi award winning attraction located in Budderoo National Park, a short fifteen minute drive west of Kiama past the village of Jamberoo. Visitors can experience the spender and beauty of this rare remnant of subtropical and warm temperate rainforests which is representative of the once extensive rainforests of the Illawarra region.
Learn more about The Sebel Harbourside Kiama

Daily housekeeping
Near the beach
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Breakfast available
24-hour fitness center
Room service
UNESCO Sustainable Property
Terrace
24-hour front desk
Garden
Snack bar/deli
ATM/banking services





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



X

abc

xyz

X

abc

xyz