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 22 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: Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney


Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney 5 nights from 860 per person
Harbour Rocks Hotel SydneyIn the heart of Sydney lies the Harbour Rocks Hotel, an intimate four star, 55 room boutique hotel steeped in the history of the famous Rocks precinct.

The Harbour Rocks Hotel is the perfect Sydney hotel accommodation choice, a popular home for many travellers and the perfect base from which to explore the city.

Ideally located in 'The Rocks' and just a short stroll from some of Australia's best icons the Sydney Harbour Bridge & Opera House.

This Sydney boutique accommodation offers a variety of rooms to choose from to suit the needs of both the business and leisure traveller.

Learn more about Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Breakfast available
Fitness center
Self parking
Coffee shop/cafe
Babysitting
UNESCO Sustainable Property
Terrace
24-hour front desk
Coffee/tea in a common area
Air conditioning





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: 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.





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: Hamilton Island Reef View Hotel


Hamilton Island Reef View Hotel 5 nights from 1,230 per person
Hamilton Island Reef View HotelWith large, comfortable, modern rooms, the Reef View Hotel offers a perfect getaway for couples, families or groups of friends.

Spacious, comfortable and with most rooms boasting incredible sea views, the Reef View Hotel offers stylish and family-friendly Hamilton Island accommodation.

Why you’ll love the Reef View Hotel:

<b>Large rooms</b>
All of the Reef View Hotel’s rooms are large and well-appointed, with private balconies.

<b>Beautiful views</b>
Every room offers a stunning view - either out over the sparkling Coral Sea, or the island’s lush tropical gardens.

<b>A range of options to suit your budget</b>
The Reef View Hotel boasts several room types depending on your budget.

<b>Close to everything</b>
The Reef View Hotel is located directly opposite Catseye Beach and is close to many of the island’s restaurants, activities, and entertainment.
Learn more about Hamilton Island Reef View Hotel

Daily housekeeping
On the beach
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
Free airport shuttle
Free area shuttle
Free ferry terminal shuttle
4 outdoor tennis courts
Fitness center
Sauna
Beach towels





 



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: Novotel Melbourne on Collins


Novotel Melbourne on Collins 5 nights from 620 per person
Novotel Melbourne on CollinsLocated in the heart of Melbourne, the contemporary Novotel Melbourne on Collins is perfectly positioned on stylish Collins Street, right in the centre of the city. Be it the diverse range of heritage listed buildings, theatres, boutiques, large department stores or renowned parks and gardens, the best of Melbourne is easily accessible by foot or a short tram ride away. The iconic MCG, Rod Laver Arena, Tennis Centre, Telstra Dome, Princess Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Regent Theatre and Federation Square are all within close proximity to the property.

The hotel offers 380 beautifully appointed rooms and suites - each peaceful space designed for natural living. Comprising nine dedicated conference and event spaces, business centre, Michel's Restaurant & Bar, fitness centre and direct access to Australia on Collins shopping centre, Novotel Melbourne on Collins is a preferred destination for both business and leisure travellers.
Learn more about Novotel Melbourne on Collins

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Indoor pool
Breakfast available
Fitness center
24-hour room service
Coffee shop/cafe
In-room childcare
24-hour business center
Conference center
5 meeting rooms
UNESCO Sustainable Property





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