Best time to visit Australia

• “Shoulder months like May and October consistently come out on top across guides” traveloka.com
• “Spring and autumn are among the best times to travel to Australia for a reason.” aunzholidays.com
• “Across Australia, March and April typically bring comfortable temperatures, making them ideal for exploration” zicasso.com

4 of the 9 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January81°F / 68°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…Peak summer in the south, with school holidays running from late December to late January.The Sydney Festival fills January, and the Australian Open is held in Melbourne.Tamworth country music festival · Australian Open
2. February80°F / 68°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…Summer is stinger season on the Great Barrier Reef, so full-body wetsuits are required.Whale shark season, Ningaloo reef · Adelaide Motorsport Festival
3. Best timeMarch78°F / 65°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Still peak season, but less competition for flights and rooms than December to February.Melbourne hosts a comedy festival in March and April.Byron Bay Bluesfest · Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach
4. Best timeApril75°F / 60°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…Start of autumn; the summer heat has ended and hardly anywhere is off-limits.Anzac Day is a major national event.Anzac Day dawn service · Adelaide Equestrian Festival
5. Best timeMay70°F / 54°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…The Red Centre starts its dry season, with warm days and cool nights for hiking.Late April to May is the quietest, cheapest stretch on the Gold Coast.Vivid Sydney · Humpback migration off Cape Byron
6. June65°F / 50°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…The south gets its first winter while the north is in its dry season; ski slopes open.Humpback whales migrate along the east coast from June to November.Dark Mofo · Bounty Day
7. July64°F / 48°F · 7 rainy daysChecking fares…Mixed weather: warm and dry in the tropical north, mid-winter in the south.Hervey Bay's 2026 whale season runs from 12 July to 31 October.Humpback whales in Hervey Bay · Darwin Beer Can Regatta
8. August67°F / 50°F · 6 rainy daysChecking fares…Northern destinations get crowded and prices rise as southerners chase warmth.Darwin Festival · Mount Isa Mines Rodeo
9. Best timeSeptember71°F / 54°F · 6 rainy daysChecking fares…Wildflowers bloom in Western Australia in September and October.The Top End's dry season is ending; days are dry and skies clear.Floriade · Kings Park Festival
10. Best timeOctober74°F / 58°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…Spring brings sunny days, cool nights and jacaranda blooms in Canberra and Sydney.Outback daytime temperatures are cooler than summer; the Top End dry season is in its last months.Bathurst 1000 · Sculpture by the Sea
11. November76°F / 62°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…Few tourist crowds; most arrive in December.The Melbourne Cup on 3 November 2026 closes the racing carnival.Coral spawning on the Great Barrier Reef
12. December78°F / 65°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…Warm everywhere; stick to the south for the best weather. Christmas break makes it very popular.The tropical north is in its wet season, with heavy rain and storms.Sydney harbour new year's eve fireworks · Woodford Folk Festival

Weather: Sydney averages from Bureau of Meteorology (long-term averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• Tamworth country music festivalTamworth, New South WalesEvery January
• Australian OpenMelbourneEvery January to February
• Sydney lunar new year festivalSydneyEvery January to March
• Whale shark season, Ningaloo reefExmouth, Western AustraliaEvery February
• Adelaide Motorsport FestivalAdelaide, South AustraliaEvery February to March
• Byron Bay BluesfestByron Bay, New South WalesEvery March to April
• Rip Curl Pro at Bells BeachBells Beach, Torquay, VictoriaEvery March to April
• Melbourne International Comedy FestivalMelbourne, VictoriaEvery March to April
• Bendigo Easter FestivalBendigo, VictoriaEvery March to April
• Anzac Day dawn serviceAustralian War Memorial, CanberraEvery April
• Adelaide Equestrian FestivalAdelaide, South AustraliaEvery April to May
• Vivid SydneySydney Harbour, New South WalesEvery May to June
• Humpback migration off Cape ByronCape Byron, New South WalesEvery May to July
• Ord Valley MusterKununurra, Western AustraliaEvery May
• Dark MofoHobart, TasmaniaEvery June
• Bounty DayKingston, Norfolk IslandEvery June
• Barunga FestivalBarunga, Northern TerritoryEvery June
• Southern right whales at Head of BightHead of Bight, Nullarbor, South AustraliaEvery June to September
• Humpback whales in Hervey BayHervey Bay, QueenslandEvery July to October
• Darwin Beer Can RegattaMindil Beach, DarwinEvery July
• Camel CupBlatherskite Park, Alice SpringsEvery July
• Garma FestivalGulkula, Northern TerritoryEvery July to August
• Darwin FestivalDarwin, Northern TerritoryEvery August
• Mount Isa Mines RodeoMount Isa, QueenslandEvery August
• Shinju MatsuriBroome, Western AustraliaEvery August to September
• Birdsville RacesBirdsville, QueenslandEvery August to September
• FloriadeCommonwealth Park, CanberraEvery September to October
• Kings Park FestivalKings Park, PerthEvery September
• AFL Grand FinalMelbourne Cricket Ground, MelbourneEvery September to October
• Toowoomba Carnival of FlowersToowoomba, QueenslandEvery September to October
• Bathurst 1000Mount Panorama, Bathurst, New South WalesEvery October
• Sculpture by the SeaBondi to Tamarama coastal walk, SydneyEvery October to November
• Grafton Jacaranda FestivalGrafton, New South WalesEvery October to November
• Melbourne CupFlemington Racecourse, MelbourneEvery October to November
• Coral spawning on the Great Barrier ReefOuter reef off Cairns and Port Douglas, QueenslandEvery November to December
• Sydney harbour new year's eve fireworksSydneyEvery December to January
• Woodford Folk FestivalWoodfordia, QueenslandEvery December to January
• Taste of SummerHobart waterfront, TasmaniaEvery December to January
• Meredith Music FestivalMeredith, VictoriaEvery December

Which season is the best in Australia?

It depends on the region. Spring and autumn suit most of the country; winter suits the tropical north; summer suits the south.

• Best Beach Towns in Australia20 places
• Best Beaches in Australia20 places
• Best Places to Visit in Australia17 places

• JapanApril and October to November
• IrelandApril to May and September
• IcelandJune to August
• ItalyApril to May and September to October
• Costa RicaDecember to April
• Puerto RicoDecember to April
• AlaskaJune to August
• PortugalMay to June and September to October
• CancúnDecember to April
• GreeceMay to June and September to October
• ThailandNovember to February
• The Grand CanyonApril to May and September to October
• DisneylandJanuary to February and September to October
• MiamiDecember to April
• Myrtle BeachApril to May and September to October
• PragueApril to May and September to October
• EcuadorJune to September
• BaliApril to June and September to October
• TokyoMarch to May and October to November
• MoroccoMarch to May and September to November
• MauiApril to May and September to October
• MontrealMonth by month
• VeniceApril to June and September to October
• The NetherlandsApril to May and September to October
• ArubaApril to May
• New OrleansApril and October to November
• ChinaApril to May and September to October
• NashvilleApril to May and September to October
• Disney WorldJanuary to February and September
• BangkokNovember to February
• PolandMay to June and September
• New YorkApril to May and September to October
• CroatiaMay to June and September
• RomeApril to May and September to October
• San DiegoSeptember to October
• FranceMay to June and September to October
• PhuketNovember to April
• FinlandJune to August
• VietnamMarch to April
• BrazilMonth by month
• BostonSeptember to October
• DubaiNovember to March
• CanadaJuly to September
• SeoulApril to May and September to October
• New ZealandFebruary to April
• GuatemalaNovember to April
• The PhilippinesDecember to March
• FloridaNovember to April
• LisbonApril to May and September to October
• AustriaMay to June and September to October
• Los AngelesMarch to May and September to November
• ChicagoApril to May and September to October
• ParisApril to May and September to October
• Las VegasMarch to May and October to November
• San FranciscoSeptember to October
• EdinburghMay to June and September
• NapaSeptember to October
• SydneyMarch and October to November
• HawaiiApril to May and September to October
• ScotlandApril to May and September to October
• Punta CanaDecember to April
• MexicoDecember to April
• SavannahMarch to April and October to November
• Washington, DCApril to May and September to October
• ChileMarch to April and October to November
• SwitzerlandJune to September
• Mexico CityNovember to April
• Zion National ParkApril to May and September to October
• The Dominican RepublicDecember to April
• Turks and CaicosDecember to April
• Puerto VallartaNovember to April
• HonoluluApril to May and September to October
• BanffMonth by month
• SpainApril to June and September to October
• YosemiteMay to June and September
• FijiMay to October
• ColombiaDecember to March and July to August
• IndiaOctober to March
• TulumDecember to April
• The BahamasDecember to April
• NorwayMay to September
• SedonaMarch to May and September to November
• SeattleJune to September
• GermanyMay to June and September
• SantoriniMay to June and September to October
• Buenos AiresMarch to April and September to November
• The MaldivesNovember to April
• EgyptMarch to April and October to November
• LondonMay to June and September
• CharlestonMarch to May and October to November
• TaiwanMarch to April and October to November
• Rio de JaneiroApril to May and September to October
• Palm SpringsOctober to April
• YellowstoneMay and September
• South KoreaApril to May and October
• AmsterdamApril to May and September
• TurkeyApril to May and September to October
• ArgentinaMarch to April and October to November
• TorontoMonth by month
• IndonesiaMay to September
• PeruMay to October
• BelizeDecember to April
• Key WestMarch to May
• South AfricaMay to October
• KenyaJune to October
• OrlandoMarch to May and October to November
• JamaicaDecember to April
• St LuciaDecember to April
• TahitiMay to October
• EuropeMay to June and September to October
• TanzaniaJune to October
• AustinMarch to April and October to November
• Machu PicchuApril to May and September to October
• Cabo San LucasMarch to May
• Niagara FallsJune to August
• ColoradoJune to September
• OregonMonth by month
• SingaporeFebruary to April
• ArizonaMarch to April and October to November
• Acadia National ParkSeptember to October
• GalapagosDecember to May
• Lake TahoeJune and September
• MontanaJuly to September
• KauaiApril to June and September
• AzoresApril to June and September
• OkinawaMarch to April and October to November
• PanamaDecember to April
• US Virgin IslandsDecember to April
• Amalfi CoastApril to June and September to October
• Santa FeMonth by month
• DestinApril to May and September to October
• BarbadosDecember to April
• CuracaoDecember to April
• UtahApril to May and September to October
• Joshua TreeMarch to April and October to November
• PatagoniaNovember to February
• SicilyApril to June and September to October
• St. ThomasDecember to April
• Florida KeysDecember to April
• Smoky MountainsApril to May and September to October
• Hong KongNovember
• CopenhagenMay to June and September
• Sri LankaDecember to March
• Death ValleyNovember to March
• MallorcaMay to June and September
• MadeiraApril to May and October
• AntiguaDecember to April
• Cape TownMarch to May and September to November
• El SalvadorNovember to April
• IbizaJune to August
• ZanzibarJune to October
• Lake ComoMay to June and September to October
• MadridApril to May and September to October
• OaxacaNovember to April
• MalaysiaMarch to September
• SeychellesApril to May and October to November
• New MexicoSeptember to October
• TennesseeApril to May and September to October
• VermontSeptember to October
• WyomingJune to September
• Bryce CanyonOctober
• OahuApril to May and September to October
• St. MartinDecember to May
• Hilton HeadApril to May and September to October
• TuscanyApril to June and September to October
• DolomitesJune and September
• Cape CodSeptember to October
• United KingdomMay to September
• SwedenMay to September
• ShanghaiMarch to May and September to November
• San AntonioMonth by month
• Rocky Mountain National ParkJuly to September
• MaltaApril to June and September to October
• GreenlandJune to August
• DublinSeptember to October
• Cayman IslandsDecember to April
• Catalina IslandMonth by month
• CartagenaDecember to April
• CambodiaNovember to February
• AthensApril to May and September to October
• AshevilleOctober
• TexasMarch to May and October
• South AmericaNovember to February
• SloveniaJune to September
• Shenandoah National ParkMay to June and September to October
• SardiniaMay to June and September to October
• RoatánMarch to May
• PhoenixMonth by month
• North CarolinaMonth by month
• NepalMarch to April and October to November
• NamibiaMay to October
• MontenegroMay to June and September
• MedellínDecember to March and July to August
• MauritiusMay to June and September to November
• MadagascarMay to October
• JordanMarch to May and September to November
• IsraelMarch to May and October to November
• French PolynesiaMay and September to October
• CairoOctober to April
• BudapestMay to June and September to October
• Arches National ParkApril to May and September to October
• ViennaApril to May and September to October
• UzbekistanApril to May and September to October
• TaipeiSeptember to November
• St. JohnDecember to April
• South CarolinaMarch to May and September to November
• ReykjavikJune to August
• NicaraguaNovember to April
• MykonosMay to June and September to October
• MilanMarch to May and September to October
• HoustonFebruary to April and October to November
• HanoiMarch to April and September to November
• GrenadaJanuary to April
• GhanaDecember to February
• Faroe IslandsJune to August
• Cook IslandsApril and September to November
• Canary IslandsMonth by month
• BoliviaMay to October
• Big Island of HawaiiSeptember to October
• BerlinMay to June and September
• BeijingApril to May and September to October
• AtlantaSeptember to November
• AlbaniaMay to June and September
• The CaribbeanDecember to April
• St. BartsMonth by month
• South DakotaSeptember
• SerengetiJune to October
• Rhode IslandMay and September to October
• New EnglandSeptember to October
• NassauDecember to April
• LimaDecember to March
• KyotoApril and September to November
• Koh SamuiJanuary to April
• DenmarkMay to June and September
• CreteApril to June and September to October
• Colorado SpringsMonth by month
• Chiang MaiNovember to February
• BelgiumMay to June and September
• UruguayNovember to March
• StockholmJune to August
• PortoMay to June and September
• PalawanNovember to May
• Montego BayDecember to April
• MichiganJune to August
• MelbourneMarch to May
• LouisianaMarch to May
• LaosNovember to February
• Kuala LumpurJune to August
• Kruger National ParkMay to September
• JejuMarch to May and September to November
• HondurasJanuary to April
• FlorenceMay and September to October
• DallasMarch to May and September to October
• Cape VerdeNovember to June
• BotswanaMay to October
• ZurichMay to September
• TunisiaApril to June and September to October
• TampaMonth by month
• St. KittsJanuary to April
• OsakaMarch to May and October to November
• OmanOctober to April
• MunichMonth by month
• MooreaMay to October
• KyrgyzstanJune to September
• KazakhstanMay to June and September
• Kailua-KonaApril to May and September to October
• GoaNovember to February
• EvergladesDecember to March
• Door CountySeptember to October
• DominicaJanuary to April
• CuscoApril to May and September to October
• CalgaryJune to August
• BoracayNovember to April
• BonaireMonth by month
• Swiss AlpsJune and September
• St. CroixMonth by month
• SevilleMarch to May
• San Juan IslandsMonth by month
• RomaniaApril to May and September to October
• PalauNovember to April
• New HampshireSeptember to October
• MinnesotaSeptember
• MazatlánMonth by month
• ManilaDecember to May
• KentuckyApril to May and September to October
• Isla MujeresDecember to March
• GuamJanuary to May
• French RivieraMay to June and September
• Fort LauderdaleMonth by month
• CubaNovember to April
• Cinque TerreMay to June and September
• AsiaNovember to March
• AlgarveMay to June and September to October
• VirginiaMonth by month
• Trinidad and TobagoMonth by month
• TenerifeMarch to May and September to October
• TasmaniaDecember to March
• SapporoMonth by month
• RwandaDecember to February and June to September
• NormandyMonth by month
• NairobiJanuary to February and July to October
• MumbaiNovember to February
• The HamptonsMonth by month
• Grand Teton National ParkSeptember
• Finger LakesSeptember to October
• EthiopiaOctober to February
• CyprusApril to May and September to October
• CharlotteMonth by month
• BogotáDecember to February and July to August
• AucklandMarch
• MaineJune to September
• BermudaApril to June and September to October
• Bora BoraMay to October
• Olympic National ParkJune to September
• Redwood National ParkMonth by month
• Sequoia National ParkSeptember
• Big Bend National ParkNovember
• Mackinac IslandMonth by month
• BhutanMarch to May and September to November
• Sint MaartenDecember to May
• NantucketMonth by month
• Outer BanksSeptember to October
• CaliforniaApril to May and September to October
• Big SurMonth by month
• Crater LakeMonth by month
• AnguillaDecember to March
• ScottsdaleJanuary to March
• NiceJuly to September
• Mount RainierJuly to September
• MongoliaJune to September
• CozumelJanuary to April
• Badlands National ParkMonth by month
• Salt Lake CitySeptember to October
• DenaliJune to August
• PhiladelphiaApril to May and September to October
• TucsonMarch to April and October to November
• ProvenceJune
• GuadalajaraMonth by month
• AlbuquerqueMonth by month
• Upper PeninsulaMonth by month
• UgandaDecember to February and June to August
• SonomaMonth by month
• MemphisMonth by month
• IdahoMonth by month
• Da NangFebruary to May
• CotswoldsMonth by month
• ArkansasMonth by month
• St. LouisMonth by month
• CapriMonth by month
• British Virgin IslandsDecember to April
• Glacier National ParkJuly to September
• BarcelonaMay to June
• VancouverJuly to September
• Quebec CityJuly to August
• DenverJune
• IstanbulApril to May and September to October
• Riviera MayaMonth by month
• Carmel-by-the-SeaSeptember to October
• Victoria, British ColumbiaMonth by month
• Mérida, YucatánNovember to March
• Santiago, ChileMarch to April and September to November
• Naples, ItalyApril to May and September to October
• Central AmericaDecember to April
• MinneapolisMonth by month
• SarasotaMarch to May and October to November
• Halifax, Nova ScotiaJune and September to October
• PittsburghMonth by month
• HelsinkiJune to August
• PensacolaApril to May and September to November
• JohannesburgMarch to May and September to November
• BrisbaneMarch to May and September to October
• MálagaApril to May and September to October
• Phu QuocNovember to April
• PerthMarch and October to November
• DubrovnikApril to May and September to October
• Corpus ChristiMonth by month
• American SamoaJune to September
• EstoniaMay to July and September
• SenegalNovember to April
• MassachusettsSeptember to October
• OklahomaMonth by month
• Torres del PaineDecember to March
• Czech RepublicApril to June and September to October
• HungaryMay and September to October
• Ho Chi Minh CityDecember to April
• São PauloApril to May and September to October
• AnchorageJune to August
• BoiseMay to June and September to October
• Abu DhabiNovember to March
• LouisvilleMonth by month
• OsloMonth by month
• JuneauMay to September
• QuitoJune to September
• Bosnia and HerzegovinaMay to June and September
• LatviaJune to August
• QatarNovember to March
• RussiaMay to September
• SamoaMonth by month
• Saudi ArabiaNovember to February
• ZambiaMay to October
• ZimbabweMay to October
• West VirginiaSeptember to October
• WisconsinJune to October
• Canyonlands National ParkApril to May and September to October
• YucatánNovember to March
• Baja CaliforniaDecember to April
• Blue Ridge MountainsApril to May and October
• Fort MyersNovember to April
• DetroitMonth by month
• Kansas City, MissouriMonth by month
• KathmanduMarch to April and September to November
• RenoMonth by month
• CebuJanuary to April
• Durango, ColoradoMonth by month
• BrusselsApril to June and September
• GuangzhouOctober to December
• ChattanoogaApril to May and October
• AntalyaMay to June and September to October
• Daytona BeachMonth by month
• CorfuMay to June and September
• CairnsMay to September
• HiloApril to June and September to October
• ArmeniaMay to June and September to October
• BulgariaMay to June and September
• GuyanaFebruary to March and August to October
• AlabamaMarch to May and September to November
• ConnecticutOctober
• New JerseySeptember
• PennsylvaniaMonth by month
• Capitol Reef National ParkMonth by month
• LangkawiNovember to March