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Best Time of Year to Visit Australia

Explore > Travel Planning Articles > Best Time of Year to Visit Australia

Date published:
2023-03-14


Ayers Rock, also known as Uluru
Ayers Rock, photo courtesy Pete Edgeler on Flickr.


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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: Castaways Resort & Spa Mission Beach


Castaways Resort & Spa Mission Beach 5 nights from 620 per person
Castaways Resort & Spa Mission BeachNewly refurbished Castaways Resort & Spa is your absolute beachfront escape. Bound by the Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics Rainforest, Castaways Resort & Spa is the perfect destination for couples, families with children and groups traveling together. Click on the images in the right hand columns for stunning high definition videos of Castaways Resort & Spa, the beach directly in front of the resort and a secluded rainforest swimming area and walking trails just 6km from the resort.
Learn more about Castaways Resort & Spa Mission Beach

Daily housekeeping
On the beach
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Full-service spa
2 outdoor pools
Breakfast available
Fitness center
Free beach club on site
Beach umbrellas
Beach sun loungers
Beach towels
Beach bar





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: Sofitel Brisbane Central


Sofitel Brisbane Central 5 nights from 725 per person
Sofitel Brisbane CentralHotel Sofitel Brisbane Central
French luxury and local cuisine in the worlds most exciting cities

Located within walking distance of the city centre, Eagle Street Pier, South Bank Parklands and the Convention Centre, Sofitel Brisbane Central also offers direct access to Central Station, with easy transportation to the airport and Gold Coast. Its many attractions include 433 elegant rooms, a fitness centre, heated pool and spa, plus delicious restaurants and bars. Sofitel Brisbane Central is the largest meeting facility in Brisbane with 11 conference rooms accommodating up to 1,000 people.

With its exceptional location in the heart of the city, Sofitel Brisbane Central offers access to many of Brisbane's finest attractions. Guests staying at this spectacular Brisbane hotel have Central Station on their doorstep, allowing them to explore the city, and access its surrounding suburbs and Brisbane Airport. Guests are within easy reach of many of Brisbane's excellent restaurants, bars, cafés and shops, as well as attractions such as the Botanic Gardens, Treasury Casino and Suncorp Stadium.
Learn more about Sofitel Brisbane Central

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Full-service spa
Outdoor pool
Rooftop terrace
Breakfast available
Fitness center
Valet parking
Self parking
24-hour room service
Coffee shop/cafe
In-room childcare





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: Alkina Lodge


Alkina Lodge 5 nights from 2,005 per person
Alkina LodgeExperience the Great Ocean Road
Designed to create an exclusive and intimate experience, Alkina Lodge offers the discerning traveller private luxury accommodation on the Great Ocean Road.

Located at Wattle Hill on the Great Ocean Road, just 20 minutes from the 12 Apostles, 30 minutes to Port Campbell and less than 3 hours from Melbourne, Alkina Lodge is close to other major attractions including the Great Ocean Walk, the Great Otway National Park, Wreck Beach, The Redwoods, Apollo Bay and Johanna Beach. You’ll find Alkina Lodge the perfect base from which to explore the dramatic scenery, sweeping beaches and ancient rainforests the Great Ocean Road is renowned for.

Enjoy stunning ocean views from the master bedroom of your lodge, wake up to the sight of kangaroos feeding just outside your bedroom window, and appreciate the abundance of native birdlife, from bold laughing Kookaburras and petit Blue Wrens, to Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and cheeky Magpies. On a clear night, our signature sky windows afford spectacular vision of the Milky Way; the celestial beauty is pristine as there is no ambient city light at Alkina Lodge. Our luxury accommodation on the Great Ocean Road is like no other.

Our three four-bedroom luxury lodges can accommodate from one to 24 people, and are fully self-contained and fitted with only the most luxurious of features, including a Gaggenau equipped kitchen, Bose audio, magnificent art and photography, bespoke wood fireplace, and fine European furniture.

Designed by award winning architects, Glenn Murcutt and Wendy Lewin, Alkina Lodge has been designed and built with sensitivity to the local landscape, and compliments the surrounding natural environment. The stunning use of light and space brings a touch of the outdoors inside, and with it a sense of balance and harmony – contemporary design that works with the land, not against it.

Discover the art of indulgence at Alkina Lodge, luxury accommodation on the Great Ocean Road.
Learn more about Alkina Lodge

3 homes
Near the beach
Room service
Terrace
Garden
Library
Self-serve laundry
Multilingual staff
Concierge services
Picnic area
Barbecue grills





 



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: Reef View Hotel


Reef View Hotel 5 nights from 1,210 per person
Reef View HotelThe Reef View Hotel has many amenities, including a 35-metre swimming pool, the Reef Lounge bar, and in-house Pool Terrace Restaurant serving buffet breakfast, light lunches and à la carte dinner menu. Reef View Hotel guests have complimentary use of non-motorised water sports and the hotel has a Tours and Activities desk, lobby shop and fully serviced Business Centre.

Choose from a range of rooms and suites at the four-star Reef View Hotel Hamilton Island. All rooms are spacious and well appointed, with a furnished balcony, internet access and bathroom with separate bath and shower. Garden View rooms have leafy views and ocean glimpses, while each Coral Sea View room has spectacular views over Catseye Bay and nearby Whitsunday Island. The Reef View Hotel on Hamilton Island is the perfect destination for your next Great Barrier Reef holiday or Whitsunday Island getaway.
Learn more about 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





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


Michael  

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. He's been a Rotarian for 20 years, currently on the board of the Greater Bend Rotary Club. Follow Michael on LinkedIn, Pinterest and Twitter.

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