Season guide · Cairns · Australia
Cairns in the build-up
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Steve Fitzgerald, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Hot, sunny days and the calmest, clearest seas for the reef before humidity rises and stingers return in November. Expect highs up to 31°C (88°F) and lows around 19°C (66°F), with about 16 rainy days across September–November. September–October are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 19°C (66°F) to 31°C (88°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 16
- Sea
- 25°C (77°F) to 28°C (82°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the build-up
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 28°C (82°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 4 | 12 h | 4/5 |
| October | 30°C (86°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 5 | 12.5 h | 4/5 |
| November | 31°C (88°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 7 | 12.9 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 30°C (86°F) against a yearly 29°C (84°F), and 16 of the year's roughly 107 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the build-up
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Cairns Amateurs horse-racing carnival (usually September)
- November: Mass coral spawning on the reef (usually a few nights after a full moon in November or December)
Make the most of the weather
Market · Kuranda
Kuranda village and markets
Walk the riverside trail behind the railway station for quiet rainforest away from the market crowds.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Shopping
- Nature
Garden · Edge Hill
Cairns Botanic Gardens
The gardens in Edge Hill hold one of Australia's best collections of tropical plants, including palms, gingers and rainforest species, with boardwalks through swamp forest to Centenary Lakes and trailheads for Mount Whitfield.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Aquarium · Cairns City
Cairns Aquarium
Visit before your reef trip; it helps children and first-time snorkellers recognise what they will see underwater.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Zoo · Wangetti
Hartley's Crocodile Adventures
A wildlife park and crocodile farm on the coast road between Palm Cove and Port Douglas, where a boat cruise on a lagoon shows saltwater crocodiles lunging for food.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
Nature · Redlynch
Crystal Cascades
Swim only in the designated pools and stay away after heavy rain, when flash flooding is a real risk.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in the build-up
- Atherton Tablelands (About 1–1.5 hours by car) — The cooler upland plateau has the Curtain Fig Tree near Yungaburra, crater lakes such as Lake Eacham for swimming, the Millaa Millaa waterfall circuit and platypus-viewing spots along Peterson Creek.
- Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls (About 1 hour by car) — South of Cairns, clear rainforest creeks run through smooth granite boulders at Babinda, with a designated swimming hole, while Josephine Falls at the foot of Queensland's highest mountain, Bartle Frere, has natural rock slides.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the build-up a good time to visit Cairns?
Yes: September–October are among the best months. Hot, sunny days and the calmest, clearest seas for the reef before humidity rises and stingers return in November.
+What is the weather like in Cairns in the build-up?
Highs of up to 31°C (88°F) and lows around 19°C (66°F), with about 16 rainy days over the season.