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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: Holiday Inn Darling Harbour Sydney


Holiday Inn Darling Harbour 5 nights from 1,235 per person
Holiday Inn Darling Harbour SydneyStay at the contemporary Holiday Inn Sydney Darling Harbour hotel in the city's popular entertainment district.
The contemporary, heritage-style Holiday Inn Sydney Darling Harbour is a former 1890s wool store in the heart of Sydney's cosmopolitan Darling Harbour. You'll find us opposite Sydney Entertainment Centre music venue, steps from bustling Chinatown and Cockle Bay Wharf. You can hop on a shuttle service to arrive from Sydney Airport, 8km away.

You can whizz around the city centre on the efficient Monorail and Light Rail from the nearby stop at Paddy's Markets, where you'll bag discount clothing and souvenirs. Marvel at sealife through a glass-bottomed boat at Sydney Aquarium, a 10-minute walk away, and take in the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House on a harbour cruise.

Our location on the city-side of Darling Harbour means it's a breeze to get to the Central Business District, 500 metres away, and Circular Quay, 1km away. It's less than a 10-minute stroll to meetings at big companies like PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Nestlé, Telstra and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Events at the huge Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre are 5 minutes on foot from Holiday Inn Sydney Darling Harbour.

Learn more about Holiday Inn Darling Harbour Sydney

Visiting the Holiday Inn Darling Harbour puts you right in the center of all the action. Sydney’s nightlife, famous attractions, high-end restaurants and the breath-taking beauty of the harbor are all just a few steps away. The building was home to a wool store in the 1890s and thus gives this hotel its unique charm.





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: Woodbridge on the Derwent


Woodbridge on the Derwent 5 nights from 1,340 per person
Woodbridge on the DerwentExperience one of Australia's oldest and most historic houses.

Woodbridge on the Derwent offers unique, luxury riverfront accommodation, steeped in history and defined by gracious hospitality. Woodbridge is Tasmania's only Small Luxury Hotel of the World, Tasmania's only accredited 5 Star Hotel, and was listed as one of Australia's Top 10 Luxury Hotels by Business Review Magazine.

1825 Tasmanian Mansion converted to 5 Star Accommodation
Woodbridge was built by the first Chief Constable, Thomas Roadknight in 1825 at a cost of over 1000 pounds. The Roadknights had numerous interests in the valley, including the property Ivanhoe, and the bakery in Bothwell. Thomas Roadknight was later jailed for shooting a servant, and sent to Sarah Island.

On his return in 1831, he sold Woodbridge to George Lindley and it functioned as an academy for young gentlemen, known as Richmond Hill Academy. Then Woodbridge was again offered for sale in 1833 and was purchased one year later by the Assistant Surveyor General, William Stanley Sharland, for 750 pounds.

The Sharland family had been amongst the first arrivals to Van Diemen’s Land and William Stanley married another first settler, Miss Sarah Schaw and they had a large family of four sons and seven daughters, all of whom grew up at Woodbridge.

While Sharland lived at Woodbridge he took a keen interest in all colonial affairs as well as carrying on agricultural and pastoral farming in the Derwent Valley, and in 1857, at the age of 56 years, he was elected MLC for the County of Cumberland and later represented New Norfolk in the House of Assembly.

Upon his death in 1877, Woodbridge passed to his eldest son, William Cockburn Sharland, who like his father, devoted himself to the development of his Derwent Valley properties. Clara and William Cockburn Sharland had five daughters and one son and in 1905 when it was decided that they should be educated abroad, Woodbridge was again sold.

Thereafter Woodbridge passed from one owner to the other, falling gradually into disrepair. In the 1970’s Woodbridge’s glorious out buildings and Dutch barn, collectively know as Alloway Banks, were demolished to make way for the roundabout of the new bridge.

By 2003, when the Grimley's first saw Woodbridge, it was dilapidated and decaying.

It is fitting that Woodbridge had become Tasmania's premier luxury historic accommodation. The restoration has returned Woodbridge to its former glory, and it is again offers the warm and elegant hospitality for which it was renowned.
Learn more about Woodbridge on the Derwent

Free parking
Free WiFi
Non-smoking
Separate bedrooms





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 Darwin Atrium


Novotel Darwin Atrium 5 nights from 460 per person
Novotel Darwin AtriumNovotel Darwin Atrium is conveniently located in the city centre, overlooking Darwin Harbour. This 4 star hotel is a short stroll from the Mitchell Street dining and entertainment precinct and is equally suited for business trips and holidays. Boasting 140 spacious rooms and conferencing facilities, Novotel Darwin Atrium features a magnificent tropical indoor rainforest, complete with cascading vines and palm trees. Try the famous cocktails in the bar or enjoy a delicious meal in the restaurant.

The hotel is well positioned close to local attractions including the wharf precinct, shopping, the Darwin Entertainment Centre, botanical gardens and casino. Facilities include an outdoor swimming pool and a Jacuzzi.

From breakfast to lunch, dinner or a tasty little snack, Novotel provides balanced choices and a la carte service 24/7 at all its hotels. At Novotel, you can count on enjoying a relaxing meal in a friendly, stylish setting.

At Novotel, you're assured of a warm welcome and flawless service. You'll find areas for relaxing and places to work, along with numerous other first-rate amenities.
Learn more about Novotel Darwin Atrium

Free WiFi
Sleeps 4
2 Queen Beds





 



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: InterContinental Adelaide


Special rate and daily breakfast
InterContinental AdelaideThis iconic Adelaide hotel on the River Torrens connects guests with everything that’s special about the city. Culinary feasts await at two award-winning restaurants: enjoy fresh seasonal cuisine at Riverside and Japanese specialities at Shiki. An ideal city retreat, this Adelaide hotel boasts an outdoor pool and luxurious suites with breathtaking views. Step outside and you’re a short stroll from the cultural boulevard of North Terrace, Adelaide Festival Centre and redeveloped Adelaide Oval.
Learn more about InterContinental Adelaide

Enjoy a special rate and daily breakfast.





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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