We’re a couple planning our first trip to Australia and the flipped seasons have us confused - we’d love the east coast and the Reef at their best, without the worst heat or the wet. For those who’ve been, which months would you aim for?
Rainy, cyclone and hot season is from around end of October to March in the north of the country.(reef/Cairns) The best time to visit is March to October . However end of March to October is Autumn / Winter/Spring in Australia and the southern non tropical states are cold and not ideal for tourists. You could aim to start in the most southern part you intend to visit in March or April and travel north. That way you should get pleasant weather all the way through. Or Start in the very north in October and travel south so you will start hot and then not so hot. You will avoid the worst humidity.
If your most southern point is Sydney, then they tend to have milder Autumn and Spring than if you go as far as Tasmania or Victoria where it gets cold in April and usually stays cold until at least October. Freezing cold in July and August.
Lately the temperatures in the southern states are way above average for the season so it is hard to predict exactly what to expect but the months mentioned above are the best fit for a comfortable time in locations you want to visit.
The seasons can be a bit confusing since the north and south can have quite different weather at the same time. For the Reef, the warmer months can also mean more rain, while the southern part of the country can be cooler