Australia's Seasons

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Australia is a country for all seasons. You can do practically anything here, at any time of year.  There are four seasons across most of the country and a wet and dry season in our tropical north.  
Summer in Australia, from December to February, is a great time to get outdoors. Swim Sydney’s beaches or hike Tasmania’s Overland Track.  March to May heralds Australia’s autumn, a season of fiery foliage in Canberra and the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne.  Australia’s winter, from June to August, offers snow skiing in the Australian Alps. Alternatively, take a winter sun holiday. Snorkel in the temperate Great Barrier Reef or 4WD through South Australia’s Simpson Desert. Spring in Australia, from September to November is the time to watch for whales and wildflowers as you explore the wineries of Western Australia’s Margaret River region. 
In tropical Australia, the dry season from May to October has clear blue skies and sunny days. It’s the time to experience Darwin’s vibrant outdoor markets, movies and festivals.  December to March is the wet season, which is hot and humid with daily rainstorms. See waterfalls thunder through Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks or fly over Katherine Gorge when its water levels are highest.

Discover Australia’s summer

Discover Australia’s summer

Australia’s Summer Invites You! Experience Australia’s glorious summer from December to February.Walk along spectacular coastal cliffs from Sydney’s Bondi Beach to Bronte. Day trip from Melbourne to the vineyards, beaches, national parks, golf courses and day spas of the Mornington Peninsula. Taste Tasmania’s finest food and wine on the historic Hobart waterfront or explore food, wine and history in the Swan Valley, near Perth. Follow fresh seafood around the pristine coastline of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula or watch coral spawning en-masse on Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. Experience dazzling thunderstorms and blossoming vegetation in the tropical Top End. Or get up close to native Australian animals and ancient Aboriginal history in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, near Canberra. Summer in Australia is also the season for world class cricket, grand slam tennis, vibrant music festivals, NYE celebrations and outdoor cultural events.
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See Australia in Autumn!

See Australia in Autumn!

Discover the magical diversity of Australia’s autumn, lasting from March to May across most of the country. See red-gold trees in Orange, a rural food and wine hub west of Sydney. Explore vineyards, villages and mist-cloaked forests in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Take on adventure along the scenic Brisbane River. Experience life as a drover on a cattle drive along South Australia’s historic Oodnadatta Track. Head to lush Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory or to Western Australia’s Kununurra for the huge Ord Valley Muster. White water raft on Tasmania’s wild west coast or fish and camp along the Murrumbidgee River Corridor, near Canberra. Autumn is also jam-packed with events, from food and wine festivals to fashion weeks and Melbourne’s Grand Prix. 
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Discover Australia in winter

Discover Australia in winter

Welcome to winter in Australia, which lasts from June to August for most of the country.
These months fall in the dry season in our tropical north. You can ski and snowboard down Victoria’s powdered slopes or snorkel and dive the balmy waters of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. Four wheel drive South Australia’s Simpson Desert or head to the Blue Mountains for Christmas festivities.
Follow Western Australia’s wildflower trail or embrace the Northern Territory’s unique festival culture. Snuggle next to a roaring fire at Canberra’s Fireside Festival or celebrate the winter solstice in Hobart’s cobblestone streets. Winter is also a great season to discover our coastline, where you can spot migrating whales and dive with a dazzling array of marine life.
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Discover Australia’s spring

Discover Australia’s spring

Discover Australia’s spring season, which lasts from September to November for most of the country. In our tropical north, this is the ‘build-up’ or pre-monsoonal season.
Watch Melbourne dress up for the nation-stopping Melbourne Cup. Enjoy opera, jazz, blues and sculpture amongst the wineries of the Hunter Valley, near Sydney. Combine food, wine, diving and surfing in Western Australia’s Margaret River. Trek through the primeval treetops in Queensland’s World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Experience the wildlife and wildflower show on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island or snare a prize barramundi during the Northern Territory’s ‘build-up’. See Canberra come alive with a million spring blooms at Floriade or follow Tasmania’s blooming gardens to natural and historic attractions. In Australia, spring is also a great season to surf, sea kayak and canoe.
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Australia's Islands

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Australia is fringed by more than 8,000 islands, offering every type of holiday experience. Sail through the Whitsundays, 4WD to Fraser Island’s rainforests and lakes or pick a tropical paradise in the Great Barrier Reef. Uncover the unique culture of the Torres Strait or Tiwi Islands. Explore the wildlife havens of Kangaroo Island in South Australia or French and Phillip Island in Victoria. Day trip to gorgeous Rottnest Island from Perth or cruise the remote, spectacular Buccaneer Archipelago, off the coast of Derby. Island hop around Sydney Harbour or fly to Lord Howe Island, home to the world’s southernmost coral reef. Discover the wild beauty of the islands off Tasmania, itself Australia’s biggest island.

Great Barrier Reef Islands, QLD

Great Barrier Reef Islands, Queensland

There are hundreds of dreamy islands and coral atolls on the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, so take your pick. Luxury lovers and honeymooners will be in heaven on Lizard Island, exclusive Bedarra or privately-owned Double and Haggerstone Islands. For a wilderness experience, bush camp on Fitzroy Island or trek the Thorsborne Trail along mist-cloaked Hinchinbrook Island. Day trip to Green and Fitzroy Islands, snorkel the brilliant coral reefs of the Low Isles or sea kayak around Snapper Island, Hope Islands National Park with an Aboriginal guide. Townsville, Port Douglas and Lucinda are just some of the mainland gateways.

Torres Strait Islands, QLD

Torres Strait Islands, Queensland

Sitting just north of Cape York, between Australia and Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait Islands are made up of 274 small islands, only 17 of which are inhabited. These communities have developed a unique blend of Melanesian and Australian Aboriginal cultures. Get a glimpse with a trip to Thursday or Horn Island, the group’s most developed islands. Learn about the local pearling and fishing industry on Thursday island, reached by ferry from Cape York. Visit the museum, art gallery and historic World War II sites on Horn Island, accessible by flight. Both islands are blessed with pristine beaches, azure waters and vivid fringing reefs supporting dugongs and sea turtles.

Whitsunday Islands, QLD

Whitsunday Islands, Queensland

Sail, swim, snorkel, dive or just relax in the Whitsundays - 74 pristine, palm-fringed islands tucked inside the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Accessible from Airlie Beach and Proserpine, these islands cater to every type of holiday-maker.  Enjoy five stars of resort luxury on Hayman Island and party on Daydream or Hamilton islands. Visit Whitsunday Island and walk the pure white, silica sands of Whitehaven Beach. Camp or find eco-friendly accommodation on Hook, Lindeman or Brampton Islands, which are mostly national park. Long and South Molle Islands have serene resorts amongst natural splendour. The remaining islands are untouched tropical oases – yours to discover from a sea kayak, sea plane or chartered sailboat.

Fraser Island, QLD

Fraser Island, Queensland

A whole other world awaits you on World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island. Take a boat from Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach or jump on a flight from Brisbane. Once here your exploring happens on 4WD and foot.  Hike through rainforest supported by sand dunes, past kangaroos, wallabies and possums. Fish from the beach or swim in the freshwater lakes, some rimmed in gold and others clear and blue.  See the coloured sand cliffs of The Cathedrals, visit the historic Maheno shipwreck and spot migrating humpback whales from Indian Head. Accommodation here blends into the nature around it, whether you camp or chose a luxurious eco-lodge.

Kangaroo Island, SA

Kangaroo Island, South Australia

For an Australian wildlife adventure, you can’t beat Kangaroo Island, a short flight from Adelaide or ferry ride from Cape Jervis.  Watch penguins make their nightly pilgrimage to shore in Penneshaw and hang out with Australian sea lions at Seal Bay. See pink pelicans wheeling through the sky and play ‘spot the koala’ on a 4WD adventure across the island. The island also has spectacular fishing and diving, secluded beaches to swim and surf from, underground caves and rugged rock formations. Visit historic lighthouses, load up on top-quality local food and wine and stay in accommodation ranging from budget to breathtaking.

Maria Island, TAS

Tasmania’s Islands

More than 300 islands circle Tasmania, but Flinders, King, Bruny and Maria Islands are the largest. Flinders and King - part of 51 Furneaux islands in Bass Strait - are a short flight from both Tasmania and Victoria.  Flinders Island is the place to climb granite mountains, walk unspoiled beaches and hunt for a Killiecrankie ‘diamond’. On King Island, you can dive shipwrecks, go game fishing and taste the island’s famous dairy products. Hike along dramatic cliffs or cruise past sea-birds and dolphins on Bruny Island, a wilderness not far from Hobart. Sitting off Tasmania’s east coast, Maria Island is rich in wildlife and history and remains without the modern intrusion of cars.

Phillip Island Nature Park, VIC

Victoria’s Islands

Victoria’s islands lie in Western Port Bay, to the east of the Mornington Peninsula. Phillip Island is packed with wildlife. See koalas and waterbirds in the wild at Rhyll and fairy penguins waddling home at dusk on Summerland Beach. The island is home to Australia’s Motor Cycle Grand Prix Circuit and has great beaches to swim, surf and fish from. Get here on a car ferry from Stony Point or by driving over the suspension bridge from San Remo.  For peace, quiet and koalas, head to isolated French Island National Park, a 30-minute ferry ride from Stony Point. Bike or bushwalk around the island, spotting koalas and the threatened long-nosed potoroos.

Shark Island, Sydney Harbour

Sydney Harbour Islands, New South Wales

Hop on a ferry and discover the fascinating islands dotting Sydney Harbour. Pack a picnic for tiny Clark Island, which has unsurpassed views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Or learn about its Aboriginal significance on a cultural cruise. Further to the east, Shark Island has a large grassy area and gazebo. You can camp overnight on 18-hectare Cockatoo Island or take a tour to understand its fascinating history. It’s been variously an Aboriginal fishing spot, colonial prison, shipyard, industrial school, reformatory and jail. Explore Sydney’s convict past on a tour of Fort Denison or Goat Island, a former quarry and convict stockade. 

Lord Howe Island, NSW

Lord Howe Island, New South Wales

Tranquillity reigns on World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island, which sits in the Tasman Sea, less than two hours’ flight from Brisbane or Sydney. Only 400 visitors are allowed, bicycles are the best way to get around and there’s no mobile phone reception. Bushwalk through the island’s native Kentia palm forests and swim from white sand beaches. Snorkel and dive in protected, temperate waters on the world’s southernmost coral reef. There are more than 50 sites teeming with green turtles, colourful coral and fish.  If you’re feeling brave, tackle the arduous climb to the top of Mount Gower. It takes 8-10 hours and is rope-assisted!

Tiwi Islands, NT

Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory

Known as 'the islands of smiles', the Tiwi Islands, are located 100 kilometres north of Darwin, where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea.
The Tiwi Islands comprise Bathurst and Melville Island, and nine smaller uninhabited islands: Buchanan, Harris, Seagull, Karslake, Irritutu, Clift, Turiturina, Matingalia and Nodlaw. Melville Island is Australia's second largest island after Tasmania.

Rottnest Island, WA

Rottnest Island, Western Australia

A short ferry ride from Fremantle or Perth, the locals love Rottnest Island for its 63 gorgeous white beaches and car-free tranquillity. Once there, you can hire a bike to get around or hop and off the free bus. Sea kayak to secluded bays or snorkel or dive the coral reefs and historic shipwrecks. Surfers will love the waves at Strickland, Salmon and Stark Bays. Spot quokkas, the cute marsupials that are only found here and inspired the island’s name. The island has a fascinating, layered past, which you can learn about on a guided tour. See the Aboriginal prison, Rottnest Museum the old lighthouse and disused guns and underground tunnels.

Buccaneer Archipelago, WA

Buccaneer & Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia

The rugged islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago lie offshore from Derby, in the Kimberley. Discover them on a luxury cruise, scenic flight or private charter. See the Bradshaw rock art around Raft Bay, visit South Sea Pearl farms and marvel at the Horizontal Waterfalls, where massive tides force seawater through a narrow gap in the cliff.  Further south, off the Dampier coast, the 42 pristine islands of the Dampier Archipelago offer amazing diving, snorkelling and fishing. Swim in the protected water with dugongs, dolphins and turtles. To the west lies the Montebello islands, 100 limestone islands with spotless white beaches and aquamarine waters.

Wine Regions

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Australia has more than 60 designated wine regions across the country and has developed a worldwide reputation for its award-winning wines.
Discover some of the world’s oldest shiraz vineyards in South Australia’s Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, or award-winning sauvignon blanc in Western Australia’s Margaret River. Join one of the winery events held in the Hunter Valley near Sydney, or taste the flagship chardonnay, pinot noir and sparkling wines of the Yarra Valley near Melbourne.
Almost every wine growing region has an annual festival where local wine, food and culture can be sampled. The largest is the biennial Tasting Australia, which showcases some of the very best Australia has to offer.

Barossa Valley, SA

Barossa Valley, South Australia

In South Australia they’ve been producing world-class wine for generations, and the state now has 16 distinct wine regions. Adelaide is home to the National Wine Centre of Australia and the city has more than 200 cellar doors right on its doorstep.
The famous Barossa is made up of two regions, each with its own speciality. Eden Valley has a reputation for excellent Riesling, while the Barossa Valley is home to some of the world’s best Shiraz. In addition to the Barossa, more excellent vineyards and wineries can be found in the heritage towns and century-old cellars of McLaren Vale, the Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, and Coonawarra.

McLaren Vale, South Australia

McLaren Vale, South Australia

McLaren Vale, nestled between the Mount Lofty Ranges and the beaches of Gulf St Vincent, is renowned for its exceptional wines, most notably Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay varieties. More than 50 wineries and 270 independent grape growers can be found here. Walk or cycle along the old railway line between Willunga and Seaford, and you'll pass through vineyards and wild olive groves and get a feel for this gorgeous countryside. McLaren Vale originally grew up around the wine industry, but the surrounding hills, uninhibited rural vistas, pristine beaches and coastal scenery have attracted artists and artisans to the district for more than a century.

Margaret River, WA

Margaret River, Western Australia

At Margaret River, just a few hours drive south of Perth, there are more than 60 wineries to choose from, many with restaurants serving fresh local produce cooked up by some of Australia’s best chefs. Although Margaret River produces less than one per cent of Australia’s wine, here the quality is high, as it produces more than 15 per cent of the country's premium wines. The region is especially recognized for its award-winning cabernets. Enjoy opera among the vineyards or international concerts in a sensational bushland setting or sample them all at the Margaret River Wine Region Festival.

Swan Valley, Western Australia

Swan Valley, Western Australia

In the Swan Valley, just a boat ride from Perth, you’ll find Western Australia’s oldest wine region. With its reliably warm and dry climate, the valley became the birthplace of viticulture during Western Australia’s early settlement, and still produces some of the country’s best verdelho, shiraz and cabernet varieties. Small boutique wineries are the foundation of this wine region’s charm. Many of the varieties produced in this region are only available for purchase at the cellar doors of the wineries, and the people who make the wine are likely to be the ones who greet and serve you.

Hunter Valley, NSW

Hunter Valley, New South Wales

A few hours north-west of Sydney is the famous Hunter Valley, NSW’s premier wine region. Acclaimed worldwide for its semillon, chardonnay and shiraz varieties, you’ll find around 120 wineries located in the small townships throughout the region, including Australia’s oldest winery at Wyndham Estate. Many offer wine-tasting classes and cellar doors where you can meet the winemakers and learn their secrets.
A great way to experience the delights of the Hunter Valley is at events such as the Lovedale Long Lunch, or the opera, jazz, and blues music events that are staged amongst the vineyards in Spring.

Yarra Valley, Victoria

Yarra Valley, Victoria

Less than an hour east of the city of Melbourne lies the Yarra Valley, the birthplace of Victoria’s wine industry. Here nestled amongst the rolling hills are around 55 wineries, ranging from small family-owned vineyards to large scale exporters.
The signature cool climate wines of the Yarra Valley include pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling wines, but the region also produces excellent sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, shiraz and riesling. Many of the wineries offer cooking classes and wine-tasting.
Once you’ve developed a taste for Victorian wines, follow the Great Grape Road route through the Pyrenees, Grampians and Ballarat wine regions of western Victoria, which produce some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines – most notably shiraz.

Mornington Peninsula, VIC

Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

The gentle Mediterranean climate puts a very individual stamp on Mornington Peninsula wines. The micro-climates of the region result in quite different wine styles from the same grapes grown at neighbouring vineyards. Sample your way around more than 50 boutique cellar doors, where local vintners who grow their own fruit will tell you all about the famous regional pinot noir and cool-climate chardonnay which perfectly complement the fine local produce. They may even share some of their secrets of the newer regional varietals, including pinot grigio, pinot gris and shiraz, brought together at many outstanding food and wine events held throughout the year.

Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory

A leisurely drive to some of the 140 vineyards and 33 wineries dotted throughout the countryside just outside of Canberra will unveil the wineries, cafes and farms that are producing fine wines, along with innovative regional cuisine. Canberra region wines have qualities derived from the unique Australian environment. Winemaking started 160 years ago in the Canberra region, and today these wineries are home to a large range of awards for wine quality and winemaker's talents. The ability to ripen the same fruit across the whole region provides great diversity, and styles found nowhere else.

Clare Valley, South Australia

Clare Valley, South Australia

The charmingly secluded Clare Valley, around two hours’ drive north of Adelaide, is one of Australia's most famous wine producing regions. It’s a fascinating place for connoisseurs of both wine and history to spend some time.
Most people come to the Clare Valley for its exceptional food and wine. The Clare Valley’s Mediterranean-style climate is ideal for the production of high quality Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Merlot grapes.

Nature

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Australia has some of the world's most distinctive and diverse natural environments, with unique wildlife, and spectacular landscapes, including many national parks and World Heritage Areas.
In these areas you can get up close to our native plants and animals, explore wide open spaces and discover ancient rainforests on the fringe of modern cities. You can also climb snow-capped mountains and swim in some of the most pristine water environments on earth.
Here are just a few of Australia’s iconic natural experiences you won’t want to miss.

Ningaloo, WA

Ningaloo Reef & Shark Bay, Western Australia

World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef is the largest fringing reef in the world. It is one of most reliable places in the world to view and swim with gentle whale sharks, the world’s largest fish. They arrive shortly after the mass coral spawning in March each year.
Shark Bay’s clear turquoise waters are home to humpback whales, turtles, dolphins and manta rays. See living relatives of the earth’s earliest life-forms at Hamelin Pool and walk on one of the world’s few beaches made entirely of tiny shells. Spend your day with the friendly dolphins of Monkey Mia which come to the beach to be hand-fed each day.

Kakadu National Park, NT

Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory

World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park is Australia’s largest national park, an area so vast it is divided into seven distinct regions, and has six different seasons. The Aboriginal history of the Kakadu region spans more than 40000 years. Rugged soaring escarpments give way to forest woodlands, lush wetlands and open savannah plains. You’ll see millions of migratory birds in the wetlands and crocodiles sunbathing on the banks of the rivers. Swim under massive waterfalls, walk through sandstone galleries of ancient rock art or cruise the scenic billabong teeming with wildlife. It is also one of the best places to go fishing in Australia.

Kangaroo Island, SA

Kangaroo Island, SA

Kangaroo Island, Australia’s third largest island, is located just 15 kilometres off the South Australian mainland. More than a third of the island is preserved as Conservation or National Parks. The island has five significant Wilderness Protection Areas. On its wild coastline, buffeted by the Southern Ocean, you will find abundant Australian wildlife in their natural habitat.
In the deserts, beaches and forests of this landscape, see sea-lions laze at Seal Bay and little penguins waddling to shore in Penneshaw and Kingscote. More than 7000 fur-seals can be seen playing in and around the natural formation of Admirals Arch in Flinders Chase National Park, where the aptly-named Remarkable Rocks change colour throughout the day.
At Vivonne Bay, officially declared Australia’s Best Beach by Sydney University researchers, you can surf, fish, snorkel with rare leafy sea-dragons, swim with dolphins or dive the shipwrecks at D’estrees Bay. Go sand surfing in the giant dunes of Little Sahara.

Cradle Mountain, TAS

Tasmanian Wilderness

Tasmania’s isolation from the mainland has ensured the survival of many plants, animals and birds that you won’t find anywhere else in Australia. Forty per cent of the state is protected as national parks and reserves, with much of it unchanged for more than 60 million years. The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area stretches for more than 1.38 million hectares and is one of the last true wilderness regions on Earth. From the rugged alpine peaks and dense rainforests in the north to the island’s remote southern tip, Tasmania has more than 2000 kilometres of world-class walking tracks including the famous Overland Track.

Great Barrier Reef, QLD

Great Barrier Reef, QLD

The marine wonderland of the Great Barrier Reef is an explosion of colour and biodiversity that stretches for more than 2500 kilometres off the Queensland coast. It’s both the world's biggest World Heritage Area and biggest coral reef system, and the biggest thing made out of living creatures on earth. It is formed of more than 3000 individual reefs and 900 coral cays and continental islands. These create a web of life for more than 1500 species of fish, one third of the world’s soft corals, 600 species of starfish and sea urchins, six species of endangered marine turtles and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins.

Blue Mountains, NSW

Blue Mountains, NSW

The blue-hazed beauty, golden sandstone escarpments, dramatic cliffs and deep canyons of the Blue Mountains are just a 90-minute drive from Sydney. As well as a million hectares of World Heritage-listed wilderness, here you’ll find the world’s rarest tree, the prehistoric Wollemi Pine. There is also more than 400 different kinds of unique Australian animals such as the spotted-tail quoll, yellow-bellied glider, and the long-nosed potoroo. One of the best ways to take it all in is on the Greater Blue Mountains Drive, a 1200 kilometre touring journey that links 18 different ‘discovery trails’ – each one unique.

Australian Alps

Australian Alps

Straddling New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, the Alps has uniquely Australian alpine vistas and year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure. Here you can climb Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak, or go hiking or biking through wildflower-cloaked slopes. Kayak and go white-water rafting on clear glacial lakes and rivers, or take a horseback adventure over the high plains in summer. In winter, go downhill or cross country skiing. You can trek through three states and seven national parks on the epic 650 kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track or do one or two day walks of shorter sections of the trail.

Phillip Island, VIC

Phillip Island, Victoria

Every day at dusk, Summerland Beach in the Phillip Island Nature Park, just 90 minutes from Melbourne, comes alive with thousands of little penguins. The wild ocean beaches, sheltered bays, blowholes and caves are also home to koalas, abundant bird life and fur seals. Join a wildlife cruise to see the colony of 16000 Australian fur seals at Seal Rocks, one of the largest colonies in Australia, and spot koalas among the treetops at the Koala Conservation Centre. The Nobbies is a magnificent headland on the south-western tip of Phillip Island where you can absorb the stunning coastal views and thundering blowhole at lookout points set amongst natural sea bird gardens. Catch a wave against the backdrop of ancient pink granite at Cape Woolamai, one of Victoria's most popular surfing beaches and bird-spotting hotspots. Phillip Island forms part of the Churchill Island Marine National Park which is listed under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. Two island circuit tracks offer magnificent views across Western Port Bay and views to Tortoise Head and French Island.