When is the best time of year to go to Australia?
Australia climate information: Weather patterns
There is no ‘best’ time of year to go to Australia. It is an enormous country, and each part has different weather patterns. For a rough idea of size, bear in mind that from Darwin to Sydney it is roughly the same distance as from Oslo to Istanbul. Also, Perth is closer to Singapore than it is to Sydney.
Australia climate information: Christmas and New Year in Sydney
The best time depends on where you want to go. Sydney, for example, is an amazing place to be over Christmas and New Year – but that is also when flights are more expensive.
Australia climate information: Southern Australia
As a general rule, however, the southern states* are warmer between October and April. It can get uncomfortably humid – particularly in Sydney and Brisbane – in January and February.
Australia climate information: Ski season in NSW and Victoria
Australia climate information: Tropical Australia
Once you hit the tropics in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, it doesn’t get properly cold. The difference in seasons here is wet and dry. During the wet season (approximately November to early May), some popular attractions can become inaccessible due to flooding. Rain is also highly likely.
Australia climate information: Stinger season
The wet season, by and large, coincides with stinger season. This is when swimming in the sea is thoroughly ill-advised due to the presence of box jellyfish (or ‘stingers’). This said, the tropical north of Australia can be at its most spectacular – it’s green, and the rivers and creeks are raging.
Australia climate information: Dry season
Those who prefer to stay dry and swim in the sea without recourse to a stinger suit, however, are better off aiming for the dry season. This is approximately between May and November each year.
*For weather purposes, the southern states are South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, News South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and the south of Western Australia and Queensland.
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