Things to Do in Australia in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Peak Season · Premium Pricing
December Weather in Australia
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
78°F
High Temp
65°F
Low Temp
2.9 inches
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Extreme UV levels reach index 8 this month. Rapid sunburn risk during the 11am-to-3pm window.
⚠ Bushfire risk rises across southern and eastern Australia during hot, dry summer spells. Check regional fire warnings before heading into bushland.
⚠ Marine stinger season is active in tropical northern waters. Swim in provided stinger suits or netted enclosures around Cairns and the Whitsundays.
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + December is high summer across Australia. Long daylight hours rewrite your travel rhythm. Sydney keeps the sun blazing past 8pm. Hit Bondi at 7am for a solo swim. The surf crowd is still asleep. Work through the city at leisure. Then walk the Bondi-to-Coogee track at golden hour. No rush. The sandstone headlands glow warm honey. Winter never paints them this colour.
- + The water is finally swimmable everywhere that matters. By December the Tasman has warmed. Sydney harbour beaches feel inviting. Gold Coast surf no longer bites. Up north the Great Barrier Reef sits at bathwater temperatures. Snorkellers around Cairns and the Whitsundays get crystal visibility. Coral and reef fish pop like neon. Warm shallows let you linger for hours. No need to dash out shivering.
- + Festival and sport season arrives. The calendar is excellent. Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground packs 90,000 seats. Meat pies and sunscreen scent the air. Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race launches spinnakers from the harbour on December 26. Watch free from South Head headlands. Locals plan their year around these events. They are not tourist set-pieces.
- + Mango season peaks. Late November markets overflow with Kensington Pride and R2E2 mangoes. Their ripening scent on a kitchen bench is Christmas for many Australians. Stone fruit, cherries, and prawns hit peak flavour. Sydney and Melbourne seafood markets run almost 24/7 before Christmas. Stock up early.
Considerations
- − This is peak season, full stop. School holidays start mid-December. They run through January. Every family in the country hits the road. Coastal accommodation books out months ahead. Flights between capitals spike in price. Gold Coast and Byron Bay swell to uncomfortable density. Want a beach to yourself? December is the wrong month.
- − The UV is brutal. First-timers always underestimate it. A UV index of 8 can burn unprotected skin in under 20 minutes. The Australian sun feels harder than Mediterranean rays. The 11am-to-3pm window is punishing. Treat it lightly and second-day sunburn wrecks your trip.
- − Christmas Day shuts much of the country down. December 25 sees most shops closed. Many restaurants lock their doors. Public transport runs skeleton timetables. Tourists arriving Christmas Eve expect normal city life. They find locked doors and empty streets. Plan accordingly.
Year-Round Climate
How December compares to the rest of the year
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°C | 20°C | 3.6 inches |
| Feb | 26°C | 19°C | 5.2 inches |
| Mar | 25°C | 18°C | 4.6 inches |
| Apr | 23°C | 15°C | 4.5 inches |
| May | 20°C | 12°C | 4.0 inches |
| Jun | 18°C | 10°C | 5.6 inches |
| Jul | 17°C | 8°C | 3.2 inches |
| Aug | 19°C | 9°C | 3.0 inches |
| Sep | 21°C | 12°C | 2.5 inches |
| Oct | 23°C | 14°C | 2.7 inches |
| Nov | 24°C | 16°C | 3.6 inches |
| Dec | 25°C | 18°C | 2.9 inches |
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Great Barrier Reef Snorkelling and Diving from Cairns
December puts the reef at its warmest. Marine life is most active. Sea temperatures let you drift over coral for an hour. No chill cuts the session short. Watch the colour shift from turquoise shallows to deep sapphire drop-offs. Hear only your breath and the reef's crackle. Turtles and reef sharks glide past, indifferent. Afternoon clouds build. Morning departures give calm seas and clear light.
Booking Tip: Book 10-14 days ahead. Use licensed reef operators with a Marine Park permit. Choose outer-reef trips for better visibility. Seek operators that cap passenger numbers. They provide full-length stinger suits. You will want them this month. Check current options in the booking section below.
Sydney Harbour and Coastal Walks
Sydney is built for December. The Bondi-to-Coogee coastal walk spans 6 km (3.7 miles). It hugs sandstone cliffs past swimmable beaches. Early timing is everything. By 9am the path is shoulder-to-shoulder. At 6:30am it is just runners and the scent of salt and frangipani. A harbour ferry from Circular Quay to Manly takes 30 minutes (9 nautical miles). It doubles as the cheapest harbour cruise. You land at a real surf beach.
Booking Tip: The coastal walk needs no booking. Guided kayak and harbour tours fill fast. Reserve 7-10 days ahead in peak season. Choose insured operators. They supply sun shirts and water. Pick a morning slot. Beat the heat and the crowds. Current tours are in the booking section below.
Whitsundays Sailing and Whitehaven Beach Trips
The Whitsundays shine in December. Whitehaven Beach's swirling silica sand meets glassy warm water. Islands bask under reliable summer sun. A day or overnight sail lets you anchor in quiet bays. Day-trip crowds never reach them. Snorkel straight off the boat. Feel the deck warm under bare feet as sails fill. Stinger season is active. Swim in provided suits or netted enclosures. That is the only real constraint.
Booking Tip: Book sailing trips 2-3 weeks ahead. December berths sell out fast. Choose licensed charter operators. They supply stinger suits and brief you on marine-stinger safety. Use the booking widget below for current sailings.
Yarra Valley and Margaret River Food and Wine Day Trips
Australia's wine regions turn green and warm in December. Long evenings suit cellar-door tastings. Lunches stretch into the afternoon. The Yarra Valley outside Melbourne and Margaret River south of Perth pair cool-climate wines with regional produce. Think smoked meats, sharp local cheeses, and just-picked cherries. This is an Australian summer table. The harvest run-up adds energy. Warm, dry days make outdoor vineyard dining a pleasure.
Booking Tip: Lock in 10-14 days ahead. Pick tours with a designated driver so you can taste freely. Seek small-group outfits that call at family-run cellar doors instead of only the big commercial estates. Current day trips sit in the booking section below.
Uluru Sunrise and Field of Light Experiences
The Red Centre roasts in December, regularly topping 95°F (35°C) by noon. That is why the magic happens at dawn and dusk. Watch first light strike Uluru as the rock flips from rust to glowing orange, the desert silent and the air still cool. This is one of the country's defining sights. After dark, the Field of Light installation spreads across the desert floor and works beautifully this month, evenings staying warm and the sky huge and clear.
Booking Tip: Reserve sunrise and evening experiences 2 weeks ahead. Deliberately skip midday outdoor activity in December's heat. Choose operators that supply water and shaded transport. Confirm they follow the cultural visitor guidelines around the rock. Current options sit below.
Tasmania Hiking and Cool-Climate Escapes
While the mainland sizzles, Tasmania keeps December gentle, making it the smart counter-program for travellers who melt in heat. Trails around Cradle Mountain and the Freycinet Peninsula stay walkable in comfort this month, wildflowers out and the long summer light holding until well past 8pm. The lookout over Wineglass Bay repays a steady 1.5 km (0.9 mile) climb with a curve of white sand against deep blue that earns its reputation.
Booking Tip: Book guided walks and ferry or transfer links 10-14 days ahead, since Tasmania pulls heavy summer demand. Favour operators with insured guides who carry weather contingency plans, because the island's conditions flip fast. Current tours wait in the booking section below.
Where to Stay in Australia in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Begins December 26
Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
The biggest day on Australia's sporting calendar, when tens of thousands cram the MCG for the first day of the traditional Boxing Day cricket Test. Even if you have never followed cricket, the spectacle of a packed stadium, the roar when a wicket falls, and the all-day picnic vibe is worth experiencing. Arrive early. Wear a hat and serious sunscreen for the open stands. Treat it as a full day out, not a quick visit.
Begins December 26
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
One of the world's toughest open-ocean yacht races starts on Sydney Harbour and runs roughly 630 nautical miles (1,170 km) south to Hobart. The start is pure spectacle, a fleet of yachts under full sail powering out through the heads. Watch free from the cliffs around South Head and Watsons Bay, or from a harbour vantage point. Get in position well before the midday gun.
December 31
New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour
Sydney stages one of the first major New Year's fireworks displays on the planet, centred on the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. There is a family-friendly early show and a far bigger midnight show. The catch is logistics. Prime foreshore vantage points fill from early morning and many need booking or arriving hours ahead. Plan your spot and your exit route in advance.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Australia Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Locals largely abandon the cities for the coast over Christmas and the days after. Capital-city centres can feel oddly quiet around December 25 to 27 while every beach town is heaving. Flip the script. Enjoy a near-empty Melbourne or Sydney museum and gallery run while the masses sit in beach traffic.
Seafood, not roast turkey, is the real Australian Christmas meal. The fish markets in Sydney and Melbourne run marathon trading hours in the days before Christmas, with queues for prawns and oysters stretching out the door. Go early on December 23 or 24 to watch the crush. It is an experience in itself.
Free public barbecues are everywhere in Australian parks and beaches. Locals use them constantly in summer. Bring your own food, find one in a coastal reserve, and you have a free, very Australian way to eat with a sea view.
Surf only between the red-and-yellow flags on patrolled beaches. Rips along the open coast are powerful and claim lives every summer. The flagged zones are positioned by lifeguards precisely to keep you out of them.
Avoid These Mistakes
Do not underestimate distances. Australia is roughly the size of continental Europe, and first-timers routinely try to cram Sydney, the reef, and Uluru into a few days, then spend the trip in airports. Pick one or two regions in December rather than chasing the whole map.
Treat the sun like a European summer and you will fry. Visitors who sunbathe through the midday hours end up badly burned by day two. The Australian UV is far stronger than the temperature alone suggests. Pack SPF 50. Reapply often.
Booking accommodation too late is a rookie error. December is peak season with school holidays in full swing. Coastal towns sell out months ahead. Leave it to the last minute and you face either no rooms or steep last-minute rates.
Book Experiences in Australia
Top-rated things to do in Australia this December
Explore More Activities in Australia
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Australia.
See All Australia Tours on Viator