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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: Lenna of Hobart


Lenna of Hobart 5 nights from 740 per person
Lenna of HobartIdeally located on Hobart's waterfront amidst the colour of Sullivan's Cove and historic Battery Point and just a stones throw away from fashionable Salamanca Place and city centre. The stately National Trust mansion was built in 1874 whilst the accommodation wing, adjacent to the mansion provides a welcoming combination of traditional elegance and modern facilities.

View our self contained apartments at Salamanca Terraces, located just across the street from Lenna. Ideally situated on Salamanca Place, adjacent to Hobart's picturesque waterfront and historic Battery Point, Salamanca Terraces offer the complete cultural and heritage experience.
Learn more about Lenna of Hobart

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Breakfast available
Room service
Room service
Business center
Terrace
24-hour front desk
Garden
Computer station
Lobby fireplace
Front-desk safe





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: Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort


Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort 5 nights from 800 per person
Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection ResortStay with Riley, a five-star luxury hotel in Cairns, and rediscover fun. Live in the moment and indulge in the little luxuries. Leave your worries at check-in and stake your claim by the pool. Welcome to the great escape - stay a while.

Learn more about Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort

Housekeeping once per stay
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
24-hour fitness center
Self parking
Pool bar
Spa services
Massage/treatment rooms
6 meeting rooms
24-hour front desk
Air conditioning





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: Hilton Adelaide


Hilton Adelaide 5 nights from 680 per person
Hilton AdelaideOverlooking Victoria Square, Hilton Adelaide is set in the heart of the city’s entertainment, shopping and dining precincts. The Central Market, Chinatown and Gouger Street - Adelaide’s most vibrant dining destinations – are also minutes away. Host a business or social event in our flexible meeting spaces. After a busy day unwind in the recreational area featuring a gym and a heated outdoor pool. Retreat to a stylish room with all you need for a relaxing stay.

Good to know
Centrally located overlooking Victoria Square
In the heart of Adelaide's business, shopping and dining precincts
Fitness Center, heated outdoor pool, tennis court and running track
Seriously South Australian® restaurant, 2 bars and 24-hour room service
19 versatile meeting rooms with space for up to 500 residential delegates
Learn more about Hilton Adelaide

Daily housekeeping
Restaurant and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
Breakfast available
Outdoor tennis court
Fitness center
Valet parking
Self parking
24-hour room service
Coffee shop/cafe
Business center
19 meeting rooms





 



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: Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne


Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne 5 nights from 455 per person
Hotel Grand Chancellor MelbourneSituated on Lonsdale Street in the heart of the city centre, the Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne provides guests with gracious hospitality and incomparable service at great value. The hotel is rated four star and is perfectly located within the vibrant theatre district where you will enjoy all the delights Melbourne has to offer - live theatre, cinemas, Chinatown, and of course the exceptional shopping facilities; are all within easy walking distance.

Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne has recently earned Green Star accreditation for its focus on:
-Energy efficiency
-Waste minimisation and management
-Water minimisation
-Guest education

Learn more about Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne

Daily housekeeping
2 restaurants and bar/lounge
Outdoor pool
Rooftop terrace
Breakfast available
Fitness center
Valet parking
24-hour room service
Babysitting
Conference center
Business center
6 meeting rooms





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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