Season guide · Sydney · Australia

Sydney in autumn

March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.

Updated 23 October 2026By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: File:2007-08-04 Manly, New South Wales.jpg : Maksym Kozlenko derivative work: Georgfotoart, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick answer

Warm, settled weather and a still-swimmable sea in March and April, cooling into crisp sunny days in May as whale season begins. Expect highs up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 12°C (54°F), with about 26 rainy days across March–May. March–April are among the best months of the year to visit.

Months: March–May
Temperatures: 12°C (54°F) to 25°C (77°F)
Rainy days in the season: About 26
Sea: 20°C (68°F) to 23°C (73°F)
Crowds: Moderate
Hotel prices: Average

Weather in autumn

Sydney in autumn: month by month
Month	High	Low	Rainy days	Daylight	Crowds
March	25°C (77°F)	18°C (64°F)	10	12.4 h	4/5
April	23°C (73°F)	15°C (59°F)	8	11.3 h	3/5
May	20°C (68°F)	12°C (54°F)	8	10.4 h	3/5

Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 23°C (73°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 26 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: Mardi Gras parade on Oxford Street (some years in early March)
March: Sydney Royal Easter Show at Sydney Olympic Park (around Easter)
April: Sydney Royal Easter Show (around Easter)
April: Anzac Day dawn service at the Martin Place Cenotaph (25 April)
May: Sydney Writers' Festival (usually May)
May: Vivid Sydney — light projections around the harbour (usually late May to mid-June)

Good choices for autumn

Museum · Hyde Park

Australian Museum

Combine it with a walk across Hyde Park to St Mary's Cathedral and the Hyde Park Barracks on Macquarie Street.

Time needed: 2 hours
Cost: Free

Kids
Free
Rainy day
History
Nature

Historic site · Macquarie Street

Hyde Park Barracks

Designed by the convict architect Francis Greenway and completed in 1819, the barracks housed male convicts and later immigrant women, and it is one of the UNESCO-listed Australian Convict Sites.

Time needed: 1–1.5 hours
Cost: Low cost

History
Rainy day
Architecture

Aquarium · Darling Harbour

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

Go at opening time or late in the afternoon; school groups and holiday crowds peak around midday.

Time needed: 2 hours
Cost: Mid-priced

Kids
Rainy day
Nature

Architecture · Sydney CBD

Queen Victoria Building

The QVB fills a whole block of George Street with a Romanesque Revival arcade completed in 1898, crowned by a copper dome and lit by stained glass.

Time needed: 45 minutes
Cost: Free

Architecture
Shopping
Free
Rainy day
History

Gallery · The Domain

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Walk the short path between the two buildings and finish on the newer building's outdoor terraces, which look across Woolloomooloo to the Finger Wharf.

Time needed: 2–3 hours
Cost: Free

Free
Art
Rainy day
Architecture

Day trips in autumn

Hunter Valley (About 2–2.5 hours by car) — One of Australia's oldest wine regions is known for Semillon and Shiraz, with cellar doors clustered around Pokolbin.
Royal National Park (About 1 hour by train or car) — Established in 1879 and often described as the world's second-oldest national park, the Royal protects sea cliffs, heathland and surf beaches on Sydney's southern edge.

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 Sydney?

Yes: March–April are among the best months. Warm, settled weather and a still-swimmable sea in March and April, cooling into crisp sunny days in May as whale season begins.

+What is the weather like in Sydney in autumn?

Highs of up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 12°C (54°F), with about 26 rainy days over the season.