For many people, winter conjures up images of snow and winter sports but in some parts of Australia the temperatures in July mean it's still warm enough to go for a swim. Winter in Australia begins from the first week of June and ends at around the last week of August. The Australian winter is generally cool and pleasant.
In the south of the continent, these months are the wettest and coldest times of year. The northern tropical parts of the country do not have a winter, but rather a 'dry season'.
July in Australia is one of the best months for skiing and other snow activities. You can ski in New South Wales in the Snowy Mountains, Victoria in the state's Alpine regions, and Tasmania in some of its high-altitude national parks.
The Australian ski season traditionally starts on the Queen's Birthday holiday weekend in June and ends on the Labor Day weekend in October. Ski resort operations may start earlier or later than these dates depending on snow conditions.
Average temperatures in July
The table below shows the average maximum and minimum temperatures in July in Australia, as well as the annual rainfall.
| Mean temperatures (Celsius) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| July | Rain (mm) | ||
| Location | Max | Min | Annual |
| Adelaide | 14.9 | 7.5 | 553 |
| Alice Springs | 19.5 | 4.0 | 274 |
| Brisbane | 20.6 | 9.5 | 1189 |
| Canberra | 11.1 | -0.2 | 631 |
| Darwin | 30.4 | 19.3 | 1666 |
| Hobart | 11.5 | 4.5 | 624 |
| Melbourne | 13.3 | 5.8 | 661 |
| Perth | 17.7 | 8.1 | 869 |
| Sydney | 16.9 | 6.7 | 1220 |
Source: Bureau of Meteorology