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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 22 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: Sea Temple Resort & Spa Palm Cove


Sea Temple Resort & Spa Palm Cove 5 nights from 725 per person
Sea Temple Resort & Spa Palm CoveSea Temple Resort & Spa Palm Cove is your temple for relaxation.

This impressive 5-star Palm Cove resort is located beachfront on the southern end of Palm Cove, and has been created to provide the utmost privacy and tranquility.

Choose from an amazing selection of 126 Asian inspired, beautifully detailed studio rooms or 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments with the option of private plunge pool or rooftop terrace upgrades at this Palm Cove resort.

Sea Temple Palm Cove resort offers a first class day spa so you can drift into bliss - restore, revive, re-invigorate - and above all, relax.

For those who simply want to sit back and soak up the Tropical North Queensland lifestyle, enjoy a cocktail overlooking the central lagoon pool before sunset walk on the beachfront. Sea Temple Resort & Spa Palm Cove is the serenity you've been looking for in a paradise you'll love.
Learn more about Sea Temple Resort & Spa Palm Cove

Daily housekeeping
On the beach
Restaurants and 2 bars/lounges
Full-service spa
3 outdoor pools
Breakfast available
Fitness centre
Children's pool
Spa tub
Pool bar
24-hour room service
Coffee shop/cafe





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: 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





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: Ovolo Woolloomooloo


Ovolo Woolloomooloo 5 nights from 1,050 per person
Ovolo Woolloomooloo
Learn more about Ovolo Woolloomooloo

Parking available
Pool
Free WiFi
Gym
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: 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





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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