SeasonMapAustralia in December
December is one of Australia's weaker months (rank 10 of 12): its 31 destinations average 72/100, led by Adelaide at 94 — 25°C and 3 rainy days — while Darwin is warmer at 39°C and scores 41.
#10 of 12 months for Australia · 31 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Where in Australia in December
| # | Place | Type | Feels-like high | Rain | Comfort | At its best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | City | 25°C | 19 mm · 3 days | 94 tier S | Yes |
| 2 | Exmouth | Beach | 31°C | 0 mm · 0 days | 94 tier S | — |
| 3 | Canberra | City | 24°C | 54 mm · 7 days | 93 tier S | Yes |
| 4 | Melbourne | City | 23°C | 55 mm · 8 days | 93 tier S | Yes |
| 5 | Launceston | City | 21°C | 51 mm · 7 days | 90 tier S | Yes |
| 6 | Margaret River | Beach | 24°C | 4 mm · 1 day | 90 tier S | Yes |
| 7 | Sydney | City | 26°C | 54 mm · 9 days | 90 tier S | Yes |
| 8 | Hobart | City | 19°C | 52 mm · 10 days | 89 tier A | Yes |
| 9 | Hervey Bay | Beach | 28°C | 103 mm · 11 days | 88 tier A | — |
| 10 | Noosa | Beach | 28°C | 105 mm · 12 days | 88 tier A | — |
| 11 | Cradle Mountain | National park | 15°C | 91 mm · 12 days | 87 tier A | Yes |
| 12 | Gold Coast | Beach | 30°C | 106 mm · 13 days | 87 tier A | — |
| 13 | Byron Bay | Beach | 27°C | 110 mm · 14 days | 86 tier A | — |
| 14 | Katoomba | Trekking hub | 23°C | 119 mm · 14 days | 86 tier A | — |
| 15 | Lord Howe Island | Island | 22°C | 67 mm · 9 days | 86 tier A | Yes |
| 16 | Perth | City | 30°C | 2 mm · 1 day | 86 tier A | — |
| 17 | Kangaroo Island | Island | 21°C | 23 mm · 4 days | 85 tier A | — |
| 18 | Wollongong | Beach | 24°C | 77 mm · 13 days | 85 tier A | Yes |
| 19 | Airlie Beach | Beach | 29°C | 109 mm · 10 days | 84 tier A | — |
| 20 | Broome | Beach | 34°C | 92 mm · 4 days | 83 tier A | — |
| 21 | Brisbane | City | 32°C | 107 mm · 11 days | 74 tier B | — |
| 22 | Cairns | Beach | 35°C | 305 mm · 16 days | 71 tier B | — |
| 23 | Port Douglas | Beach | 30°C | 326 mm · 18 days | 70 tier B | — |
| 24 | Alice Springs | City | 36°C | 50 mm · 5 days | 64 tier C | — |
| 25 | Uluru | National park | 33°C | 15 mm · 3 days | 48 tier F | — |
| 26 | Darwin | City | 39°C | 346 mm · 25 days | 41 tier F | — |
| 27 | Kakadu | National park | 35°C | 224 mm · 17 days | 40 tier F | — |
| 28 | Mount Buller | Ski resort | 15°C | 78 mm · 9 days | 18 tier F | — |
| 29 | Thredbo | Ski resort | 19°C | 98 mm · 13 days | 18 tier F | — |
| 30 | Falls Creek | Ski resort | 17°C | 73 mm · 10 days | 16 tier F | — |
| 31 | Perisher Valley | Ski resort | 17°C | 97 mm · 13 days | 16 tier F | — |
Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means December is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.
What's on in Australia in December
- Turtle nesting and hatching · Exmouth · 1 Nov – 28 Feb (usually)
- Jacaranda · Melbourne · 25 Oct – 5 Dec (usually)
- Boxing Day Test · Melbourne · 26–30 Dec
- Whale season, coast to coast · Margaret River · 1 Jun – 10 Dec (usually)
- Western Australian summer holidays · Margaret River · 17 Dec – 31 Jan (usually)
- New Year's Eve fireworks · Sydney · 31 Dec – 1 Jan
- Sydney to Hobart finish · Hobart · 26 Dec – 3 Jan
- Queensland summer holidays · Hervey Bay and 3 more places · 11 Dec – 27 Jan (usually)
Seasons in force
Peak crowds at 13 of Australia's 20 well-known places this month.