Melbourne is affectionately known for having ‘four seasons in one day’. No matter the weather, in Melbourne you’ll find clean air, clean water and unique animals.
Geography and climate
Victoria has a mild, temperate climate with summers that are warm, autumns that are moderate, winters that are cool, and springs that are sunny and bright.
Melbourne has clean air quality and doesn’t suffer from high levels of air pollution that are common to other major cities around the world. Skies are clear on most days in Melbourne (apart from the odd cloud). From a high view point you can often see the Dandenong mountain ranges, all of Melbourne’s suburbs and right across to Port Phillip Bay.
We have less overall rainfall than Sydney or Brisbane, but locals in Melbourne usually keep an umbrella in the car and wear layers of clothing because Melbourne weather can change quickly.
Average seasonal temperatures in Melbourne
| Season | Average minimum temperature | Average maximum temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | 14°C (57°F) | 25°C (77°F) |
| Autumn | 11°C (52°F) | 20°C (68°F) |
| Winter | 7°C (45°F) | 14°C (57°F) |
| Spring | 10°C (50°F) | 20°C (68°F) |
For more information, visit the Bureau of Meteorology website.
Enjoying the seasons in Melbourne
Summer
You’ll enjoy Melbourne’s relaxed outdoor lifestyle in summer. It’s a great time of year to experience:
- long daylight hours thanks to daylight saving
- the city’s rooftop bars
- Melbourne’s beautiful gardens
- barbecues and outdoor entertaining
- family-friendly beaches close to the city and around the state
- major events like the Australian Open, Formula 1 Grand Prix and cricket.
Victoria’s coastline stretches for almost 2,000 kilometres and in summer many holiday-makers go to the beach with their families. Popular beach destinations include the Mornington Peninsula, Bellarine Peninsula, Phillip Island, Gippsland coastline and towns along the Great Ocean Road.
| Swim and surf between the flags | Always swim and surf between the flags. Red and yellow flags on beaches are common around Australia to protect swimmers from dangerous rip currents. |
| Wear sunscreen | Always wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn. See the Sun Safety website for more information. |
| Total Fire Ban days | Total Fire Ban days are declared on the hottest days, which means barbecues and other outdoor fires are banned. The Emergency Victoria website has information on fire bans and fire ban ratings, which will warn you if any part of Victoria is unsafe to travel through or stay in during summer. |
Autumn
Melbourne’s long, late summers gradually cool into gloriously mild autumn days. Melbourne’s parks, gardens and its magnificent network of golf courses are filled with autumn foliage.
In March, the city hosts many major events including:
- the Formula One Australian Grand Prix
- the International Flower and Garden Show
- the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
- the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival.
This is a great time of year to visit Victoria’s high country and explore towns in regional Victoria like Bright, where the scenery is most picturesque.
Winter
Melbourne’s arts and culture scene provides endless indoor entertainment in the cooler months and the city’s cosy cafes, quirky bars and award-winning restaurants are the perfect places to keep warm on a winter’s day.
Out of the city, winter is the perfect time to experience the beautiful misty rainforests, fern gullies and quaint villages of the nearby Dandenong Ranges.
You can also indulge at Australia’s spa capital, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. Or go skiing on Victoria’s Alps where there are several snowfields with something for all levels of snow sports enthusiasts, and plenty of options for first time snow-goers.
Spring
Melbourne is coloured with flowers, foliage and fragrance as gardens, parks and tree-lined streets come to life. Spring is a highlight on Melbourne’s social and sporting calendar:
- The Grand Final of the city’s most-loved sport, Australian Rules Football, is held annually at the MCG
- The Spring Racing Carnival also gets underway at this time – combining glamour, fashion and horse racing with many social occasions
- Melbourne Cup Day attracts visitors from all over the world to witness ‘the race that stops a nation’.
Clean environment
Melbourne enjoys clean air and water and its agricultural produce and processed foods are of an extremely high quality thanks to Victoria’s rigorous standards of land management and food safety. Victoria protects its environment with strict regulations to manage industrial and domestic pollution and rubbish disposal.
Flora and fauna
Melbourne is home to amazing animals and great gardens. Go to our Nature & wildlife in Melbourne page to find out more about our incredible gardens, natural wonders and wildlife.Parks and gardens
Melbourne has more public parks and gardens within five kilometres of the Central Business District (CBD) than any other capital city in Australia. There are 32 Botanic Gardens in Victoria, including Melbourne’s renowned Royal Botanic Gardens, which attract over a million visitors each year.
Learn more about Melbourne’s parks and gardens.