Season guide · Cairns · Australia
Cairns in the dry season
May–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kerry Raymond, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Sunny, mild and comfortable, with cooler nights; peak season in July with southern school holidays. Expect highs up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 17°C (63°F), with about 25 rainy days across May–August. June–August are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- May–August
- Temperatures
- 17°C (63°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 25
- Sea
- 24°C (75°F) to 26°C (79°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the dry season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 27°C (81°F) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 | 11.3 h | 3/5 |
| June | 26°C (79°F) | 18°C (64°F) | 6 | 11.1 h | 4/5 |
| July | 26°C (79°F) | 17°C (63°F) | 5 | 11.2 h | 5/5 |
| August | 27°C (81°F) | 17°C (63°F) | 4 | 11.5 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 27°C (81°F) against a yearly 29°C (84°F), and 25 of the year's roughly 107 rainy days fall in these 4 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the dry season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Ironman Cairns (usually June)
- July: Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (usually July)
- August: Cairns Festival (usually late August to early September)
Make the most of the weather
Experience · Smithfield
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
A 7.5-km gondola glides just above the rainforest canopy of Barron Gorge National Park from Smithfield to Kuranda, with stops at Red Peak for a boardwalk among giant kauri pines and at Barron Falls for lookouts over the gorge.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours one way
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Views
- Nature
- Kids
Experience · Kuranda
Kuranda Scenic Railway
The train pauses at the Barron Falls station for the lookout platform; be ready to step off quickly, as the stop is short.
- Time needed
- About 2 hours one way
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Views
- Kids
- Iconic
Market · Kuranda
Kuranda village and markets
The rainforest village at the top of the railway has two market areas of craft stalls, food and Aboriginal art, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary with Ulysses butterflies, and small wildlife parks with koalas and birds.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Shopping
- Nature
Garden · Edge Hill
Cairns Botanic Gardens
Combine the gardens with the Red Arrow circuit on Mount Whitfield for a city view, early in the day before the heat.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Aquarium · Cairns City
Cairns Aquarium
A modern aquarium in the city centre that showcases the ecosystems of Far North Queensland, from rainforest rivers and mangroves to the Great Barrier Reef, with a large oceanarium of sharks and rays.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Day trips in the dry season
- Port Douglas (About 1 hour by car) — The coastal drive north is one of Queensland's most scenic, and Port Douglas rewards it with Four Mile Beach, Macrossan Street's cafés and a Sunday market in Anzac Park.
- 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.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the dry season a good time to visit Cairns?
Yes: June–August are among the best months. Sunny, mild and comfortable, with cooler nights; peak season in July with southern school holidays.
+What is the weather like in Cairns in the dry season?
Highs of up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 17°C (63°F), with about 25 rainy days over the season.