Month guide · Melbourne · Australia
Melbourne in May
What May is really like in Melbourne: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Commander Keane, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
May is a good-value shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 17°C (63°F), lows of 10°C (50°F), about 9 rainy days and roughly 10.1 hours of daylight. Cool, crisp and often grey, with autumn leaves in the Fitzroy Gardens; a good month for galleries, cafés and the footy.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 17°C (63°F) / 10°C (50°F)
- Rainy days
- About 9
- Daylight
- About 10.1 hours
- Sea temperature
- 15°C (59°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in May
May is the 8th-warmest month in Melbourne: days average 17°C (63°F) against a yearly average high of 20°C (68°F), and nights fall to about 10°C (50°F). Rain falls on roughly 9 of its 31 days. Compared with April (20°C (68°F)), May is cooler; by June highs drop to around 14°C (57°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 07:13
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 17:19
- Daylight
- About 10.1 hours
- Sea
- 15°C (59°F)
Winter (June–August). Cool, grey and showery with short days, but low hotel prices, the footy season, MIFF and cosy bars and restaurants.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 2 for crowds (the peak is January at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in January). That makes May one of the better-value months to book.
Events in May
- AFL home-and-away season at the MCG and Marvel Stadium (March to August)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Waterfront · St Kilda
St Kilda foreshore and pier
Arrive around dusk to see the little penguins return to the breakwater; keep your voice down and never use a camera flash.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- After dark
- Couples
- Nature
Viewpoint · Southbank
Melbourne Skydeck
The observation deck on the 88th floor of Eureka Tower gives 360-degree views over the CBD, Port Phillip Bay and, on a clear day, the Dandenong Ranges.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Couples
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
Historic site · Abbotsford
Abbotsford Convent
A former convent complex on a bend of the Yarra, now an arts precinct with studios, galleries, cafés and gardens.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Free
- Art
- Kids
- Outdoors
What to pack
For highs near 17°C, lows near 10°C and 9 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Melbourne?
A good-value shoulder-season month, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, February–April and October–November are better overall. Compare every month.
Melbourne in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Melbourne?
It is a good-value shoulder-season month. Cool, crisp and often grey, with autumn leaves in the Fitzroy Gardens; a good month for galleries, cafés and the footy.
+How warm is Melbourne in May?
Average highs are around 17°C (63°F) and lows around 10°C (50°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Melbourne in May?
Expect rain on about 9 days of the month.