What’s winter like, and how do we make the most of it?

Winter runs from June to August. In Brisbane and Perth it’s mild and sunny; in Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra it’s properly cold, and often colder indoors than you’d expect. It’s also the season for snow, whale watching and trips to the tropical north.

How cold does it get?

The surprise for many British people is indoors. Many homes, especially older houses and rentals, have little insulation, single glazing and draughty floors, and are heated room by room with split-system air conditioners or plug-in heaters. One study of 100 homes found an average winter indoor temperature of 16.5°C, below the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of 18°C.

Keeping warm and the bills down

• When house-hunting in the south, ask how each room is heated, and check for insulation, curtains and gaps around doors and windows
• Close doors to heat only the rooms you’re using
• Draught stoppers, thick curtains and rugs make a real difference in a rental
• The federal Energy Bill Relief Fund rebate ended on 31 December 2025. Check your state for energy concessions, especially if you hold a concession card

For your rights if a rental is cold, damp or mouldy, see renting a home.

The snow season

Australia has real ski resorts, in the NSW Snowy Mountains (Perisher, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass) and the Victorian Alps (Mt Buller, Falls Creek, Mt Hotham and smaller resorts). The season usually opens on the King’s Birthday long weekend in June and runs to early October, though snow cover varies a lot from year to year. School holidays and weekends are busy, and accommodation books up early.

Hire chains before you start the climb: you can’t hire them on the mountain. You may be fined if you don’t carry them. Fees change each season

Whales and winter walks

Each year humpback whales swim north along the east coast from about May, then back south with their calves until about November. Headlands near Sydney, Port Stephens, Byron Bay and the NSW far south coast are good places to watch from land, and boat tours run from many coastal towns. In NSW, boats and drones must stay at least 100 metres from a whale, or 300 metres if there’s a calf. Cool, clear winter days are also good for long bushwalks that would be too hot in summer.

Head north: the dry season

In the Top End, around Darwin and Kakadu, May to October is the dry season: warm days, low humidity and little rain. It’s the most comfortable time to visit, when roads and most sites are open, and also the busiest and dearest, so book flights and tours early. Far north Queensland and the Kimberley in WA follow the same pattern.

Flu season

Flu spreads most in winter. A yearly flu vaccine is recommended from April, before the season starts. It’s free under the National Immunisation Program for children from 6 months to under 5, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, and people with some medical conditions. Some states go further: in 2026, Queensland offered it free to everyone aged 6 months and over. Others can get it at a GP or pharmacy for a fee. See Medicare and healthcare.