A Guide to the Best Times of Year to Visit Melbourne

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It’s the eternal question for Australian travellers: when is the best time of year — weather-wise — to visit Melbourne?

Sitting on the southern extremity of the Aussie mainland and famously featuring ‘four seasons in one day’, you could argue that any time is a good time to visit the uber popular Victorian capital — given that you’re likely to get the full gamut of climactic conditions thrown at you regardless. One moment you can be basking in glorious sunshine on St Kilda Beach; the next you’re being barreled over in Bourke Street by gale force winds. Oh, and look; it just started raining cats and dogs.

Why is Melbourne’s weather so extraordinarily changeable? Well, according to The University of Melbourne, it’s an eternal tussle between hot and cold that keeps things entertaining. With a generally hot and dry continent to the north, and a vast cold ocean and land mass to the south (Antarctica), air masses of opposing temperatures continually go head-to-head over the city. Cool air also gets trapped by the mountainous terrain to the north and is pounced on by warmer air. The result can be very rapid changes in temperature and conditions in a relatively short space of time.

All of that said, Melbourne is a popular year-round destination — thanks largely to its packed calendar of festivals and large-scale events. It’s also worth nailing down what sort of holiday you want. If you’re the active type and keen to hike the Gramps, admire the Apostles, and dance with wood nymphs in the Dandenongs, spring and summer will probably suit you best. Those who prefer the great indoors will love exploring Melbourne’s myriad galleries and museums, seeing shows, and hopping between bars and cafes in the cooler months.

So, what are the best times of year to visit Melbourne? Read on! And armed with this information, you can start searching for accommodation through an online rental site like Rentaroo to find your ideal base. Whether you want to stay in the heart of the city or delve into its eclectic neighbourhoods, there are apartments and homes to suit everyone.

Watch our video of ten top things to do in Melbourne:

10 Top Things to Do in Melbourne, Victoria, 2022 | Melbourne City Guide

Welcome to Top Oz Tours’ YouTube channel! In this episode of our online travel series, we bring you ten fabulous things to do in Melbourne.

Summer (December to February)

Summer is obviously one of the most popular times to visit Melbourne, and features warm days (highs of anywhere from 26 to 30 degrees) and extra light in the evening — thanks to Daylight Saving. While you should expect some rain, it shouldn’t put much of a dampener on your holiday parade. Hot spells happen semi regularly and can last three or four days. In extreme cases the mercury may edge up to 40, but typically low humidity means you can always find relief in the nearest bit of shade.

Melbourne hosts many of its most popular sporting events and musical festivities during the summer months, including the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in January, and the Laneway and St Kilda music festivals in February. That same month, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra stages a series of free concerts at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

All of these bring plenty of people to town and accommodation can book out well in advance. From late December until the end of January, you’ll also have Victoria’s school holiday crowds to contend with. Expect lots of locals to be out and about making use of the city’s recreational spaces and amenities.

Autumn (March to May)

Autumn (‘fall’ to US readers) is a really lovely time of year to visit Melbourne. From March through to May, the days get noticeably cooler and the leaves change colour — most notably on the city’s multitude of somewhat divisive London plane trees. With average daily temperature in the mid to low 20s in March and April, this is the ideal time of year for taking up outdoor activities like hiking and biking. May brings highs in the teens and the highest level of autumn rainfall (so pack a brollie).

While the weather cools, activity in the city heats up. March sees the Australian Football League (AFL) season kick into gear, with weekly rounds taking over the MCG and Marvel Stadium. The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix hugs Albert Park Lake, the popular Moomba Festival takes place along the banks of the Yarra River, and foodies flock to the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival will have you in stitches from late March through to the middle of April, while the Melbourne Writers Festival in early May will sharpen those Wordle skills. Again, be sure to lock in your accommodation well in advance — especially on weekends when interstate AFL fans descend on the city.

Winter (June to August)

Average temperatures of 6 to 15 degrees, semi regular rainfall, and relatively short hours of daylight are the hallmarks of a Melbourne winter, and any sliver of sunshine presents a welcome opportunity to thaw out. Despite it being so crisp, Melbourne rarely sees snow (you’ll have to head up into the High Country for that). But regardless, pack warm; those Antarctic winds can be bitter!

One of the advantages of visiting Melbourne at this time of year is that there are generally fewer people about, and you can often get a good deal on accommodation. But you’ll still need to work around the AFL fixture; matches continue to be played right through winter. Those willing to brave the cold can take part in prestigious cultural events like the Rising (a festival of food, music, and illuminated artworks) in June and the Melbourne International Film Festival in August. The Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series brings a major exhibition to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and the Queen Victoria Market’s popular Winter Night Market serves up steaming street fare throughout the season.

Spring (September to November)

With temperatures and hours of daylight on the up, spring is another amazing time to visit Melbourne. In September the mercury slowly creeps back into the low 20s and the city’s gardens burst into bloom. October brings the start of Daylight Saving, but also quite a bit of rain (it’s traditionally the wettest month of the year). November is a great month to visit the city, thanks to the generally fine conditions and moderate visitor numbers.

There’s also a huge amount to see and do in spring. Take the warming weather in your stride and explore the city on foot, including its characterful laneways and arcades, civic parks, and bayside suburbs. Footy finals fever grips the population in September, culminating in the Grand Final at the end of the month. The excitement of spring horse racing takes over from there and all eyes are on the Melbourne Cup in early November. The Royal Melbourne Show takes place in late September/early October, alongside the Melbourne Fringe Festival — a spirited celebration of ‘cultural democracy’.

Also on the springtime calendar are the Melbourne International Jazz Festival in late October and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival in November — both of which showcase the best in their respective artistic genres.

This post was published thanks to Rentaroo.

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Do you have any tips for the best times of year to visit Melbourne? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

Additional images: Envato 

 

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