Australia When To Go

Since Australia is huge and its climate can vary greatly between regions, the best time to visit should be determined by the things you’d like to do rather than by the calendar or season. Crowds and prices of everything from flights to hostel bunks tend to be directly proportional to the quality of the weather.

In southern Australia, the seasons of the temperate climate zone are reversed from those in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer lasts from December to February, autumn from March to May, winter from June to August, and spring from September to November. In general, Australian winters are mild, comparable to those in the southern US or southern Europe. While snow is frequent only in the mountains, winters are generally too cold to have much fun at the beach. In the south, high season falls roughly between November and April.

Northern Australia, however, is an entirely different story—many people forget that over one-third of the country is in the sweltering tropics. Seasons here are defined by wildly varying precipitation rather than by temperatures. During the Wet (Nov.-Apr.), heavy downpours and violent storms plague the land, especially on the north coast. During the Dry (May-Oct.), sections of Australia away from the temperate zone endure drought. Traveling during the Wet is not recommended for the faint of heart; the heavy rains wash out unsealed roads, making driving a challenge in rural areas.

Great Barrier Reef diving is seasonal as well. January and February are rainy, while the water is clearest between April and October. The toxic box jellyfish is most common off the northeast coast between October and April.

Ski season in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania runs from late June to September, and the famous wildflowers of Western Australia bloom from September to December. To decide when and where to go, read below and see temperature and rainfall and holidays and festivals .