When is the best time to visit Australia?

The best time to visit Australia depends on the city, but March and June to September suit the most places: at least 3 of the 6 cities we cover are at their best in those months. By city: Sydney, March to May and September to November; Melbourne, January to March and December; Brisbane, June to September; Perth, January, March and November to December; Gold Coast, June to September; Cairns, May to October. Cities marked weather data only have a pick based on temperature and rain alone, not yet checked against crowds or local seasons.

When is the hottest month in Australia?

It depends on the city. The hottest month is January in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast; February in Perth and Cairns (average daytime highs, 2019-2024).

When is the rainy season in Australia?

The wettest month, counted in days with at least 1 mm of rain, is January in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns; March in Sydney; July in Perth; August in Melbourne. Open the city guide for the full month-by-month table.

Is there a month that is good everywhere in Australia?

No. The most cities (4 of 6) are at their best in March and June to September, but at least one city is better visited at another time.

Best Time to Visit Australia: Month by Month, City by City

Best months by city

City	Best months	Hottest month	Wettest month
Sydney	March to May and September to November	January, 80°F (27°C)	March, about 17 rainy days
Melbourne	January to March and December (weather data only)	January, 80°F (27°C)	August, about 14 rainy days
Brisbane	June to September (weather data only)	January, 85°F (29°C)	January, about 16 rainy days
Perth	January, March and November to December (weather data only)	February, 87°F (31°C)	July, about 16 rainy days
Gold Coast	June to September (weather data only)	January, 82°F (28°C)	January, about 18 rainy days
Cairns	May to October	February, 88°F (31°C)	January, about 23 rainy days

Each city name opens its own month-by-month table. Heat is the average daytime high; rainy days are days with at least 1 mm of rain. Cities marked "weather data only" have not yet been checked against crowds, closures or local seasons.

Every month at a glance

City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sydney	Okay	Okay	Best	Best	Best	Okay	Okay	Okay	Best	Best	Best	Okay
Melbourne	Best	Best	Best	Okay	Okay	Okay	Okay	Avoid	Avoid	Avoid	Okay	Best
Brisbane	Avoid	Avoid	Avoid	Okay	Okay	Best	Best	Best	Best	Okay	Okay	Okay
Perth	Best	Okay	Best	Okay	Okay	Okay	Avoid	Okay	Okay	Okay	Best	Best
Gold Coast	Avoid	Okay	Avoid	Okay	Okay	Best	Best	Best	Best	Okay	Okay	Okay
Cairns	Avoid	Okay	Okay	Okay	Best	Best	Best	Best	Best	Best	Okay	Okay

Best = the city's best months. Avoid = very hot, very cold or among the wettest months. Okay = neither. Hover or tap a cell for the reason.

Australia month by month

January: At its best in Melbourne and Perth (2 of 6). Worth avoiding: Brisbane (among the wettest, 16 rainy days); Gold Coast (among the wettest, 18 rainy days); Cairns (among the wettest, 23 rainy days).
February: At its best in Melbourne (1 of 6). Worth avoiding: Brisbane (among the wettest, 15 rainy days).
March: At its best in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth (3 of 6). Worth avoiding: Brisbane (among the wettest, 16 rainy days); Gold Coast (among the wettest, 18 rainy days).
April: At its best in Sydney (1 of 6).
May: At its best in Sydney and Cairns (2 of 6).
June: At its best in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns (3 of 6).
July: At its best in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns (3 of 6). Worth avoiding: Perth (among the wettest, 16 rainy days).
August: At its best in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns (3 of 6). Worth avoiding: Melbourne (among the wettest, 14 rainy days).
September: At its best in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns (4 of 6). Worth avoiding: Melbourne (among the wettest, 13 rainy days).
October: At its best in Sydney and Cairns (2 of 6). Worth avoiding: Melbourne (among the wettest, 14 rainy days).
November: At its best in Sydney and Perth (2 of 6).
December: At its best in Melbourne and Perth (2 of 6).

Plan your trip

Open a city guide for tours, hotels and what to do there:

See today's travel advisory for Australia (government warnings, checked every 2 minutes).

Australia: common questions

When is the best time to visit Australia?: The best time to visit Australia depends on the city, but March and June to September suit the most places: at least 3 of the 6 cities we cover are at their best in those months. By city: Sydney, March to May and September to November; Melbourne, January to March and December; Brisbane, June to September; Perth, January, March and November to December; Gold Coast, June to September; Cairns, May to October. Cities marked weather data only have a pick based on temperature and rain alone, not yet checked against crowds or local seasons.
When is the hottest month in Australia?: It depends on the city. The hottest month is January in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast; February in Perth and Cairns (average daytime highs, 2019-2024).
When is the rainy season in Australia?: The wettest month, counted in days with at least 1 mm of rain, is January in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns; March in Sydney; July in Perth; August in Melbourne. Open the city guide for the full month-by-month table.
Is there a month that is good everywhere in Australia?: No. The most cities (4 of 6) are at their best in March and June to September, but at least one city is better visited at another time.

How we worked this out

Temperatures and rainy days come from Open-Meteo ERA5 records for 2019-2024 for each city. Where a city's best months were checked by hand against crowds and local seasons, that is the pick shown; otherwise the pick is based on weather alone and is marked. Weather changes from year to year, so treat this as a planning guide, not a forecast.