When is winter in Australia?
Winter in Australia is June, July and August, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. In the north, though, this is the dry season.
Winter in Australia: The geography
Winter in Australia is very different depending on where in the country you are. That said, the European concept of four seasons doesn’t translate all that well Down Under. Several Indigenous groups, including those in the Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park, work to a six season calendar.
The further north you go, the more laughable the concept of winter in Australia is. The simplistic way of dividing the year north of the Tropic of Capricorn is into a wet season and a dry season. Very roughly, the dry season is April to October, and that’s when most tourists want to visit the likes of Broome, Darwin and Cairns.
Winter in Australia: The coldest months
In the southern states of Australia, the coldest months are June, July and August. The further south you go, and higher up you go, the colder winter in Australia gets. For most of the country, though, temperatures never get truly cold. The average daily low temperature in Sydney, for example is 8°C in July.
It does snow in Australia too. There are ski resorts such as Thredbo and Perisher in New South Wales, or Mt Hotham and Falls Creek in Victoria.
Winter in Australia: Official dates
So, when is winter in Australia? Well, the winter solstice is on June 21, so on an astronomical level, the Southern Hemisphere winter runs from June 22 to September 21.
However, most people in the country wouldn’t recognise these Australian winter dates. This includes the Bureau of Meteorology, which defines winter as the three months of June, July and August.
This simplified system gives each season three calendar months. Autumn in Australia is March, April and May, for example. And spring is September, October and November.
So the Australian winter is June, July and August. But in the northern parts of Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory, this is the perfect time to visit.
More Australia Travel Questions
Is it illegal to drive barefoot in Australia?
How long does an AFL game go for?
Which airlines offer Manchester to Australia flights?