10 Aussie Destinations Worth Visiting in Winter

Well, the cooler months are truly here, people. We’re in the icky part of the year, and while winter in Australia may not be our favourite time (unless you’re a lover of the cold, which is wild to us), that doesn’t mean there aren’t great experiences to take advantage of — or decent weather to find.

If you’re keen to pack your bags in search of a break from the drab winter experience, or you just want to find a cosy place to spend the weekend, we have some sweet options for you. Aussie travel planning website Wotif reviewed the destinations that had the most traveller interest (on-site), along with the best value pricing and decent availability and pulled together a list of recommended winter weekend destinations across Australia.

Here’s what they are.

10 destinations in Australia worth visiting in winter

1. Cairns, QLD
2. Tweed Heads, NSW
3. Fremantle, WA
4. Airlie Beach, QLD
5. Darwin, NT
6. Bendigo, VIC
7. Launceston, TAS
8. Lakes Entrance, VIC
9. Canberra, ACT
10. Albury, NSW

According to Wotif, there are some pretty decent opportunities to save on travel during the winter months in Australia.

“New South Wales provides some of the best value over winter, where accommodation rates on the South Coast can be over 40 per cent less when compared to summer,” the website shared in a statement.

“In Victoria, the Mornington Peninsula may be close to 30 per cent less in winter and in Queensland, the Fraser Coast and Sunshine Coast are often close to 30 per cent less.”

The team at Reflections Holiday Parks also recommends venturing north or south of NSW to get an idyllic winter holiday, suggesting a visit to Eden or Bermagui in the south and Massy Greene or Byron Bay up north. If you want in between, the team pointed to Moonee Beach or Forster Beach in NSW.

Over in Queensland, if you’re not feeling enticed by beaches during the summer months, you could always consider an outback experience, too. Regions like Charleville, Winton or Longreach might be more your style, if so.

And for the nature lovers here, it’s also worth considering taking a trip to the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia this winter. Travel to Coral Bay or Exmouth, and you can make your way to this beautiful part of the world. The best bit? From March to August, whale sharks are active in the Ningaloo Reef, and yes, you can swim alongside them if you wish.

If you’d rather travel internationally this winter and find an island to relax on, you can find a list of destinations to check out here.