📍5 Top Reasons Winter In Brisbane Is A Lovely Time To Visit The Queensland Capital. (From A Longtime Local.)

WONDERING WHETHER WINTER IN BRISBANE IS A GOOD TIME TO VISIT?

Famous for its historic Story Bridge, scenic riverfront lifestyle, vibrant atmosphere, and lush outdoor spaces, Brisbane is an alluring mix of urban adventure and refreshing nature escapes. Combine that with its warm subtropical weather offering plenty of idyllic sunshiny days, and it only spectacularly boosts the Queensland capital’s status as one of Australia’s best city destinations.

But how is it when winter rolls around? I hear you asking. Well, while the city and region is beautiful to explore in the warmer months, with the cooler ones typically making visitors less inclined to go swimming at the beautiful South Bank Lagoons, or the many beaches along the coast and on the nearby islands, there are still a few fantastic reasons that make travelling here in the cooler months a worthy endeavour. From exclusive seasonal events to less crowded attractions, here’s why spending winter in Brisbane should be considered.

1. It’s Whale Watching Season!!!

One of the best events on Australia’s seasonal wildlife calendar is the spectacular annual humpback whale migration. These majestic gentle giants of the deep travel in their thousands monumental distances up and down the continent’s east coast from the cold Antarctic waters to warmer temperatures to breed and calf closer to the equator, with Brisbane being a top-tier, easily accessible, domestic and international gateway to seeing them up incredibly close!

And with it happening between June & October, winter is one of the peak times to see these incredible creatures in their natural environment, performing their awe-inspiring surface behaviours, like spy hopping, fin slapping or, best of all, breaching, where they launch their entire bodies out of the water and land back in it with a huge splashdown.

One of the most wonderful ways to see them is with a dedicated whale-watching cruise. Some companies will even pick you up directly from your hotel in the CBD if specified, such as with Brisbane Whale Watching, making it super convenient for all visitors to the capital to enjoy this unforgettable experience. Alternatively, you can meet them at Redcliffe or head down to the Gold Coast, where there are plenty more options to see beautiful marine animals, such as actually getting in the water with them and seeing them face-to-face with Cooly Eco Adventures, which is just the most epic and unforgettable way to do it!

2. Off-Peak Season.

Another great thing about visiting Brisbane in winter is that it is off-peak season. That means cheaper accommodation, better deals on flights, and fewer crowds at major attractions. It’s a three-way win!

Lots of the big drawcards will be more enjoyable with fewer people, not to mention that more niche ones will likely not be fully booked out, leaving open the potential for spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment activities that you weren’t sure about doing or didn’t know existed until I told you or you got there, such as self driving a sporty AF Lamborghini Huracan, a Jet-ski Adventure To Moreton Island an F/A-18 Super Hornet Fighter Jet Experience!

Meanwhile, out in the countryside and national parks, it’s much easier to enjoy the peace and serenity of these gorgeous outdoor spaces, such as D’Aguilar National Park, Moreton & Bribie Island, the Glass House Mountains and Lake WIvenhoe and Somerset. This is especially so if you come on weekdays, when you can sometimes go places where you won’t see other people for a while.

Note: This does not include the winter Queensland school holidays and New South Wales school holidays.

3. Mild Weather.

One of the best things that people from Australia’s southern states like about Brisbane’s winters is that the season is typically milder, with daytime temperatures averaging between 10°C and 23°C, making it an excellent reprieve from the chills they have down there.

And if you come from countries with cooler climates, this might be the ideal time to visit the city as it may feel more like spring, autumn, or even summer from back home instead of the apocalyptic hotter-than-hell heat Brisbane’s summers feel like.

This means that you can enjoy the full scope of the city’s offerings without the climate making you feel like you’re going to melt into a human puddle when doing nothing, such as climbing the Story Bridge, climbing the Kangaroos Cliffs or hiking in the many nearby national parks. This is especially so when it comes to wild swimming in the natural waterholes and ocean as it’ll likely feel pleasant if you are used to frolicking around in “refreshing” waters, making visiting tourist hotspots and snorkelling at the Tangalooma Wrecks on Moreton Island, something you can take advantage of with the lesser crowds.

4. Sitting Around The Fire.

Another great thing about winter is capping off the day by relaxing with your friends while you all tell each other yarns about your lives, or snuggling up with your loved one, pondering the mysteries of the universe.

Luckily, several of the campgrounds in the nearby national parks, such as D’Aguilar, Moreton Island and Bribie Island, allow you to do such a thing (when there are no fire bans), which is perfect after a long day of outdoor exploration.

5. Clear Nights & Foggy Mornings.

For those into photography and being outdoors, Brisbane’s winters brings some of the clearest night skies. This makes it excellent for astrophotography, especially with the countryside, lakes, beaches and nearby islands providing uninterrupted views for expansive shots of the universe.

And if you love moody mornings, the middle of the year is also great for capturing foggy sunrises, particularly if you’re low in the valleys or at the mountain lookouts overlooking them. Even more so if the ground surface is covered in moist rainforests which create the ideal conditions for evaporations, or its rained the night before, making it a great reason to get up early and start the day.

Whether you’re coming up from the southern states to escape the seasonal chill, looking to take advantage of the off-peak season or wanting to enjoy the exclusive seasonal experience of watching wild humpback whales up close as they swim up and down the east coast of Australia during their annual migration, winter in Brisbane is a surprisingly rewarding time of year to visit this spectacular city.

If you are planning to visit Brisbane, consider looking at these other posts.