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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: Hotel Ibis World Square


Hotel Ibis World Square 5 nights from 555 per person
Hotel Ibis World SquareHotel Ibis World Square offers Sydney accommodation perfectly located in the heart of CBD.

Located right in the heart of Sydney, next to the World Square Shopping Centre, our Sydney accommodation is within an easy walk to Darling Harbour, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and Chinatown. The Hotel Ibis World Square is close to Sydney's shopping precincts, the Entertainment Centre, the Capitol Theatre, George Street cinema complex and many more.

The Hotel Ibis World Square is also located near a variety of trendy restaurants and bars which suit for all tastes and budgets. Most importantly, these unique restaurants and bars are all within short walking distance from our Sydney accommodation offering a wide variety of choices at affordable prices.

The monorail, Sydney Light Rail and Central Railway are all nearby, providing easy access within the city and beyond. The Hotel Ibis World Square is the perfect accommodation from which to explore and enjoy Sydney whether your stay is for business or pleasure.









Learn more about Hotel Ibis World Square

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Fitness center
24-hour room service
Business center
UNESCO Sustainable Property
24-hour front desk
Coffee/tea in a common area
Front-desk safe
Snack bar/deli
Laundry service
Self-serve laundry





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: Kewarra Beach Resort & Spa


Kewarra Beach Resort & Spa 5 nights from 1,290 per person
Kewarra Beach Resort & SpaA romantic nature resort and spa on the beaches of the Great Barrier Reef.

The resort accommodation at Kewarra Beach Resort and Spa is unique, exclusive and special. Beautifully appointed individual deluxe bungalows and spacious suites are discretely situated throughout the 30 hectares of lush tropical gardens. Arrive in Cairns and relax in beach front resort accommodation nestled between the Great Barrier Reef and the pristine tropical rainforests of North Queensland.

At Kewarra Beach Resort and Spa you will enjoy private beach front accommodation or deluxe rainforest nature accommodation in a beautiful tranquil environment that reflects the very essence of tropical Australia.

We are the only private beach resort spa of this kind within easy reach of Cairns, Palm Cove and Port Douglas, and we pride ourselves on being ranked #1 on Trip Advisor for the Cairns district in Queensland Australia.

We look forward with great pleasure to welcoming you soon to our tropical paradise.
Learn more about Kewarra Beach Resort & Spa

A secluded tropical hideaway in North Queensland set on 38 acres of lush botanical gardens this private beachfront resort provides the ultimate Australian vacation experience.





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: Palazzo Versace


Palazzo Versace 5 nights from 1,230 per person
Palazzo VersacePalazzo – the definition of luxury, glamour and sophistication.

In Milan, Italy, the Palazzo Versace is the home of Versace, one of the most legendary fashion brands in the world. When it came to opening the world’s first fashion-inspired hotel, there was only one possible name: Palazzo Versace.

Palazzo Versace Gold Coast is everything you would expect in a hotel from the world of Versace: an exclusive waterfront setting, spectacular architecture, opulent accommodation, a design distinguished by Versace bespoke furnishings and Italian craftsmanship, extraordinary service and an ambience of pure glamour. It is home to three-award winning restaurants, a famed day spa, fitness & wellbeing centre, a private marina, the Versace Boutique, meeting and event facilities and the first water salon cabana experience in Australia.

Acclaimed as Australia’s premier leisure destination, the Gold Coast is renowned for its glorious sub-tropical climate and cosmopolitan enjoyment of life. Nestled between the beautiful Pacific Ocean and the sparkling Gold Coast Broadwater, one of the world’s top 5-star luxury hotels offers an exclusive chance to be immersed in the Versace lifestyle.
Learn more about Palazzo Versace

Daily housekeeping
Marina
Near the beach
2 restaurants and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
24-hour fitness center
Valet parking
Pool bar
24-hour room service
Coffee shop/cafe
Spa services
In-room childcare





 



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: Mercure Welcome Melbourne


Mercure Welcome Melbourne 5 nights from 390 per person
Mercure Welcome MelbourneAffordable Accommodation in the heart of Melbourne City
Mercure Welcome Melbourne hotel offers you affordable budget accommodation and a base from which to explore all the attractions and events in Melbourne city and the CBD.

Melbourne is undoubtedly Australia's best destination for shopping, dining, drinking, entertainment and sport – so your hardest decision on holiday will be…"what shall I do today?" Fortunately, staying in the hotel you'll be right in the heart of all this and more - you'll have direct access to all the best things to do in Melbourne city!

You'll love our modern 3.5 star hotel accommodation, providing you with comfort, convenience, and great-value, budget rates that leave you more to spend on Melbourne city's many attractions!

Learn more about Mercure Welcome Melbourne

Housekeeping (on request)
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Breakfast available
Room service
Coffee shop/cafe
UNESCO Sustainable Property
24-hour front desk
Car rentals on site
Computer station
Laundry service
Self-serve laundry
Concierge 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



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