Season guide · Melbourne · Australia
Melbourne in autumn
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bob T, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Often the most settled weather of the year, with the Grand Prix, comedy and food festivals, and golden leaves in the gardens by May. Expect highs up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 10°C (50°F), with about 22 rainy days across March–May. March–April are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 10°C (50°F) to 24°C (75°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 22
- Sea
- 15°C (59°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 24°C (75°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 6 | 12.4 h | 4/5 |
| April | 20°C (68°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 7 | 11.2 h | 3/5 |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 10°C (50°F) | 9 | 10.1 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 20°C (68°F) against a yearly 20°C (68°F), and 22 of the year's roughly 95 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park (usually March)
- March: Moomba Festival on the Yarra (Labour Day weekend, usually March)
- March: Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (usually March)
- March: Melbourne International Comedy Festival (usually late March to April)
- April: Melbourne International Comedy Festival (usually until mid or late April)
- April: Anzac Day dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance and the Anzac Day AFL match at the MCG (25 April)
- May: AFL home-and-away season at the MCG and Marvel Stadium (March to August)
Make the most of the weather
Museum · Carlton
Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition Building
Check the museum's site for guided tours of the Royal Exhibition Building's interior, which is otherwise mainly used for events.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Architecture
- Nature
Waterfront · St Kilda
St Kilda foreshore and pier
St Kilda's palm-lined Esplanade and beach look across Port Phillip Bay, and the pier leads out to a breakwater where a colony of little penguins nests among the rocks.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- After dark
- Couples
- Nature
Viewpoint · Southbank
Melbourne Skydeck
Arrive about an hour before sunset to see the city in daylight and again as the lights come on.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Couples
Aquarium · Melbourne CBD
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
On the north bank of the Yarra at the corner of Flinders and King Streets, the aquarium has king and gentoo penguins in a sub-Antarctic zone, a large oceanarium with sharks and rays, and tunnels and touch pools for children.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Zoo · Parkville
Melbourne Zoo
Children usually enter free at weekends, on public holidays and during Victorian school holidays; tram 58 from the CBD stops near the entrance.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Day trips in autumn
- Phillip Island (About 2 hours by car) — Phillip Island is best known for its Penguin Parade, when hundreds of little penguins come ashore at dusk at Summerland Beach while visitors watch from grandstands and boardwalks.
- Yarra Valley (About 1–1.5 hours by car) — Victoria's best-known wine region around Healesville and Yarra Glen has cellar doors pouring Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wine, plus Healesville Sanctuary, a native wildlife park run by Zoos Victoria.
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 autumn a good time to visit Melbourne?
Yes: March–April are among the best months. Often the most settled weather of the year, with the Grand Prix, comedy and food festivals, and golden leaves in the gardens by May.
+What is the weather like in Melbourne in autumn?
Highs of up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 10°C (50°F), with about 22 rainy days over the season.