Seasons matter in WA! Here’s WHERE to go and WHEN

A lot of this comes down to our personal opinion. For some people, rain is their favourite time to be somewhere (not for us though) so please take that into consideration when checking this cheatsheet!

☀️ SUMMER (Dec–Feb)

Great for the coast, not so much for the outback/up north

✅ Go to: Perth and surrounds, Esperance, Margaret River, Bremer Bay

🤩 Bonus: Turtle season in the Ningaloo Reef + orcas in Bremer Bay!

🚐 Best road trips: Perth to Esperance, Perth to Margaret River, Perth to Bremer Bay, Perth to Exmouth (if you dare in the summer heat)

👉 Advice: North Summer can bring cyclones, poisonous jellyfish in the ocean and humid weather. Down south (and around Perth) is different. Temperatures are at their all-time high in summer and 40 degrees + is not uncommon. It is DRY heat though, not much humidity. Plus there can be strong winds in the afternoons. Great for kite surfers though! Little rain, waterfalls are dry and grass etc starts to dry out. Be aware it is the bushfire season down south.

🚫 Skip: North Western Australia is in peak wet season: Broome, Kimberley, Karijini, Gibb River Road. Roads close, cyclones roll in, and the heat is brutal. We would say skip the Ningaloo Reef and go south instead, but some people still go for the holidays and for turtle hatching season. Just know that temperatures will be brutal, winds will be strong, and there will be a lot of flies!

🌼 AUTUMN (Mar–May)

Best all-rounder season with fewer crowds and perfect weather.

✅ Go to: Exmouth, Coral Bay, Margaret River, Kalbarri, Perth, Albany, Rottnest Island, Pemberton, Esperance, Bremer Bay. Also, the dry season begins up north, so the Gibb River Road and Karijini are usually accessible in April!

🤩 Bonus: It's whale migration season! You can spot them in Perth's south heading north. If you can, definitely go to Exmouth to swim with whale sharks. As for the southwest, it's the autumn wine harvest. PLUS up north the waterfalls have a good flow however it is the wet season so many might still be closed.

🚐 Best road trips: Perth to Esperance, Perth to Margaret River, Perth to Bremer Bay, Perth to Exmouth, Perth to Karijini (late autumn)

🚫 Skip: Nothing really! It can still be a bit hot and humid near Broome and the Gibb but it should be cooling down after summer. The wind will be dropping off across Perth and the south coast.

❄️ WINTER (Jun–Aug)

Peak dry season up north and chilly and woolly down south.

✅ Go to: Broome, Karijini, Gibb River Road, El Questro, the Bungle Bungles.

🤩 Bonus: Whales have migrated north for warmer waters, Waterfalls in full flow early in the season, plus excellent hiking weather in the Kimberley and Pilbara. The whale sharks are still in Exmouth (but leave around July/August). Everything up north will be starting to dry out as the dry season hits its peak.

🚐 Best road trips: Perth to Exmouth, Gibb River Road, Perth to Broome, Perth to Karijini.

🚫 Skip: Perth, it’s very rainy during that time we get almost ALL our rain in winter (more than London!). Also, the Southwest, unless you’re into cosy cabin vibes and red wine with rain outside! It’s wet and a bit gloomy.

🌸 SPRING (Sep–Nov)

WA is in full bloom… literally! It’s peak wildflower season, especially early spring.

✅ Go to: Perth, Rottnest Island, Jurien Bay, Kalbarri, Perth Hills, Golden Outback, Dwellingup, Margaret River.

🤩 Bonus: Wildflower season explodes across the state + beach days are back on the cards.

🚐 Best road trips: Perth and surrounds, Perth to Kalbarri, Perth to Margaret River

🚫 Skip: Avoid Broome, Karijini, and the Gibb River Road late in the season. It gets hot and humid very fast, plus waterfalls will be pretty much dry.

Hope this helps you lock in the best time to explore each part of WA without second-guessing the weather 🌤️!

If you’re not sure where to start, send us a message and let us know your dates! We’re happy to point you in the right direction.