A winter holiday to most people doesn’t sound appealing, but in Australia, it can be the best time of year to visit!
Australia has so much to offer in the winter. New South Wales and Victoria turn into a skiing winter wonderland in the alpine regions. Northern Western Australia and Queensland maintain some lovely high temperatures during the winter without the unbearable humidity. A winter holiday in Australia is a no brainer!
I’ve found the best holiday destinations in Australia during the winter and condensed them down into my top 5!
1. Mount Hotham, VIC
Strap on some skis! You’re going skiing in Australia’s best and most beautiful ski resort.
Whilst Mount Hotham might not be the biggest ski resort in Australia, it is probably the most picturesque and boast some pretty awesome terrain. With 72 Ski runs, Hotham is perfect for the first timer and the seasoned pro.
Day and multi-day lift passes can easily be bought online through the Hotham website or you can purchase them from the ticket office at Hotham central. There’s also plenty of options when it comes to hiring equipment. You can hire through the resort and have your lift pass included (wont be a discounted price though) or there’s some independent businesses that offer equipment hire on the mountain or off the mountain in the town of Bright (located at the base of the mountain).
Dinner Plain
Dinner Plain is an awesome little snow village only about 15 min’s from Hotham central. Even if you don’t stay there I highly recommend you go have a look. There’s plenty of pubs, such as Hotel High Plains (a personal favourite) with great atmosphere and the Onsen Spa is definitely worth a visit to warm yourself up.
I always stay at Dinner Plain when I visit. There’s a regular bus system that’s easy to use and takes you straight to Hotham central.
2. Coral Bay and Exmouth, WA
Not completely sold on the snowy holiday? No problem! Get yourself up to Northern Western Australia where the temperatures are still in the high 20’s!
Winter is the best time to visit Coral Bay and Exmouth. The temperatures are not unbearably hot which means you can get up to plenty of stuff throughout the day.
Coral Bay
Grab yourself a snorkel and swim right off the beach onto the stunning Ningaloo Reef. See a wide variety of colourful coral and fish of all shapes and sizes. Coral Bay is great because you don’t need to pay for a snorkelling tour to see the reef, it’s literally right on the beach!
The winter month’s is when the Manta Rays come and visit. I’d defiantly suggest getting a tour to go see these beautiful animals in the water. Ningaloo Reef Dive and Snorkel is the company I went through and I can’t recommend them enough!
If you have a 4WD i’d definitely suggest checking out Five Fingers Reef. To get there, you take a sand track for about 20min’s. From our experience, the track was pretty good but definitely soft in some spots and there was a bit of heavy corrugation. Make sure you let your tires down and you should be fine. The beach is an awesome little spot for snorkelling and you can spear fish here.
Exmouth
Travel just 1hr 30min North to the town of Exmouth to have the opportunity to swim with whale sharks and see more of the Ningaloo reef.
Exmouth is a much bigger town compared to Coral Bay and has a lot to offer.
Get yourself on a tour to have the experience of a life time with whale sharks. I went with Ningaloo Discovery and paid a bit extra to sail on their catamaran. It was definitely worth it! The boat and the crew were amazing and we swam with the sharks for just over an hour. They also dropped us at some pretty cool reef spots to have a snorkel.
Check out Whalebone Brewing Company for delicious local craft beer, pizza’s and smoker meats! The brewery looks great and has good atmosphere. Perfect for a lunch or dinner spot!
You can’t visit Exmouth without seeing the Cape Range National Park. The ancient sea bed formed into beautiful sandstone peaks and gorges over billions of years. Getting on one of the many hiking trail’s is the best way to see the ranges. We did the Badjirrajirra loop walk. It’s an easy 7.56km which took us about 2hrs to complete. We walked it in the winter month of June and it was perfect because the weather was cool. With little shade along the track, you definitely wouldn’t want to walk it in summer!
3. Karijini, WA
If you’re wanting some awesome hiking, exploring and adventure, then look no further then the Karijini!
Erosion over billions of years has carved the red landscape into deep gorges and high peaks.
The winter month’s create the perfect climate to get outdoors and do some exploring.
Weano and Hancock Gorge
Wander through gorges filled with crystal clear water. Weano and Hancock gorge are perfect spots to explore. At the end of Weano gorge you’ll find the Handrail pool where you can have a dip in the cool water. Kermit pool at the end of Handcock gorge is a bit more of a challenging route but is definitely worth it. You can do a bit of rock scrambling but I honestly suggest just swimming through the gorge. It’s much quicker, easier and safer!
Mount Bruce
See the views of the Karijini from the top of Mount Bruce (Aussiest name ever). The route is considered moderately challenging and I’d say its because it’s pretty much all uphill and involves a bit of rock scrambling. But the trail is definitely enjoyable as you’ll see the most amazing views along the way and you might even get a glimpse of the rock wallabies. From the summit you’ll enjoy the stunning contrast between the red Pilbara rock and the green bushland. The track is 10.14km and will take approximately 4hr’s to complete. Take plenty of water and give yourself enough time to enjoy the walk.
4. Cairns, QLD
Winter in Cairns creates the perfect holiday climate. High temperatures with little to no humidity, plus low rainfall so you’re almost guaranteed to get lovely sunny days!
Salt Water Lagoon
Since swimming at the beaches aren’t recommend due to the pesky saltwater crocs, cool yourself off in the Cairns Saltwater lagoon. The lagoon provides a perfect hangout spot for some swimming and sun baking, There’s also a separate space for kids and families to splash around in.
Aquarium
The Cairns Aquarium is definitely worth checking out to see the beautiful fish that can be found on the great barrier reef and all over the world. The aquarium offers multiple tours and experiences, including shark feeds, turtle hospital tour and diving in the shark tank. A great afternoon activity!
Josephine Falls
Located in Wooroonooran National park, Josephine Falls and water hole is voted one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Queensland. It’s a really popular spot to take a dip in the cooling clear water and relax on the sandy shore. The rocks, smoothed out by the water, create a super fun natural water slide into the water holes.
Rusty’s Market
Rusty’s market is a huge 180 stall produce market. All fruits and vegetable are sourced from local farms in the Cairn’s area. There’s also plenty of delicious food stalls to choose from, plus craft stalls selling jewellery, clothes, etc. When I visited in 2021, there was a stall selling very genuine and amazing bahn mi’s!
Cairn’s Night Market
The night markets open from 4:30 and stay open until late. There’s an assortment of goodies to find from all types of food to trinkets, clothes, jewellery and so much more. The night markets are the perfect place to grab some dinner and browse.
Great Barrier Reef
You cant go to Cairn’s without seeing the Great Barrier Reef.
Cairn’s is considered the gateway to the reef and easily one of the best places to see it. Unlike the Ningaloo reef however, this reef is not swimming distance from the shore so you will need to get out on a boat to see it. Luckily tour options are in abundance in Cairn’s so you’ll have to shop around for the best prices.
I didn’t go on a tour when I visited (I was lucky enough to have some friend’s with their own boat) so I can’t personally recommend any particular tours but there are plenty out there with great reviews.
Anne’s Cafe Sua Da
Wanted to give this Vietnamese iced coffee bar the shout out it deserves. Located at the entrance of Rusty’s Market Anne’s Cafe Sua Da makes the best iced coffee drink I have ever and will ever have. The cafe mixes expertly crafted cold brewed coffee with the delicious sweetness of condense milk. You have to go give them a try, I promise you wont be disappointed!
5. K’gari, (Fraser Island) QLD
Want to start out by saying that Fraser Island has officially been renamed to it’s traditional name, K’gari, in respect to the traditional land owners, the Butchella people.
K’gari stays warm in the winter, with temperatures ranging in the low 20’s, plus low humidity and rainfall. This makes it the perfect time of year to explore the island without the business of the peak summer seasons.
Pippies 4WD Tour
The Pippies 3 days/2 nights 4WD safari tour is probably the best way to experience the island if you don’t have your own 4WD. Driving yourself in one of Pippies 4WD cars, you’ll get to see the island best sites, beaches and swimming spots. At night you’ll camp under the starts and have a camp fire dinner cooked for you (although it’s nice to help out as a group). The guides are a great laugh and add to the already awesome experience.
Lake Mckenzie
Take a dip in the crystal clear blue water of Lake Mckenzie and sun yourself on the pure white sand. This swimming spot is an absolute must see!
Champagne Pools
The Champagne Pools are a unique natural attraction. Each wave that washes over the rocks creates bubbles and fizzes just like a jacuzzi! The best time to visit these pools to take a dip is at low tide.
Seventy-Five Mile Beach
If you want to experience a sand highway, take you 4WD here to zoom along the sand. The beach is primarily used for getting around the island quicker so it’s not great for swimming but definitely great for sand driving!
