The Great Ocean Road region is one of Australia's southernmost regions and has a temperate oceanic climate.

This is characterised by the alternation of 4 seasons, which is otherwise rather rare in the rest of Australia (with the exception of Tasmania and the state of Victoria). However, winters are very mild with temperatures between 12 and 16 °C.

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Great Ocean Road weather specifics

The Great Otway National Park area is very wet and rainy, and much of the entire Great Ocean Road is characterised by frequent weather changes.

The southern part around Apollo Bay and the interior of Great Otway National Park is the rainiest, while it rains slightly less in the east around Torquay and in the west around Port Campbell and 12 Apostles.

When is summer and winter on the Great Ocean Road?

As Australia is in the southern hemisphere, summer here runs between December and February with average temperatures around 28°C.

The coolest months are July and August, when winter peaks with normal temperatures around 15°C.

When does it rain the most on Great Ocean Road?

Rainfall is highest during the winter, from May to September.

Although it rains a lot during this period, the rainfall is not usually widespread across the area and you can often just drive to another part of the coast where the weather is better.

What is the humidity like?

South Australia has an extremely pleasant climate with relatively low humidity levels, so being outdoors is pleasant even on hot summer days.

Normal humidity in summer (December to February) is around 44%m while in winter it is around 65%.

Is there a risk of tropical storms on the Great Ocean Road?

No. The whole area is too far south so typhoons or tropical storms do not occur here.

Weather and temperatures throughout the year

This is what the weather looks like specifically for Great Ocean Road during different months of the year.

Weather in January

January is the hottest month of the year and the main beach season.

Normal daytime temperatures hover around 22°C, but can rise to 35°C on days of extreme heat.

There are on average 8 days in January when it rains, but mostly only in the form of short thunderstorms.

Weather in February

February is the second hottest month of the summer, when the high season for seaside stays and road-trips is in full swing.

Temperatures hover around 21°C, rising to 35°C on extreme days.

February has similar rainfall totals to January.

Weather in March

March is the last month of summer. Average temperatures are around 20 °C, but March is a month of frequent fluctuations.

Days with temperatures above 30 °C are quite common, but also days with temperatures around 15 °C.

March is also a very sunny month. Short showers occur about 8 days a month.

Weather in April

April is the first month of autumn, but temperatures are still quite high and the leaves on the trees are therefore not yet turning colour.

Temperatures range widely from 12 °C to 19 °C and the weather is mostly partly cloudy with occasional showers occurring on average every other day.

Weather in May

During May the average temperature drops to 15 °C, but there may still be days when the temperature reaches 20 °C.

Compared to summer, there are more cloudy skies and about 16 days of rain.

Weather in June

During June, the winter season slowly sets in. The leaves on the trees turn beautiful shades and average temperatures range between 8°C and 14°C.

Statistically, June has the lowest chance of clear skies (40% on average) and it rains very often, especially inland and in the forests.

June is the lowest season with the cheapest hotel prices.

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Weather in July

July is the coldest month of the year with average temperatures between 7°C and 13°C.

July is the peak season for the colourful leaves on the trees. It is often cloudy and rains about 18 days out of the month.

Weather in August

August is also a cold winter month with an average temperature of 13 °C.

According to statistics, August has the most rainy days of the year (19 to 20) and often has several days of overcast skies.

However, the area around the famous rock formations of the Twelve Apostles, for example, is known for its rapid weather changes, so there is always nice weather for at least some part of the day.

Weather in September

September slowly warms up, with temperatures rising to an average of 16°C.

The spring flowers are in bloom and the second half of September tends to be a very pleasant month, as the high season has not yet started and so there are significantly fewer tourists on the Great Ocean Road than in the summer.

Weather in October

October is the main spring month with very pleasant weather. Temperatures range between 10°C and 18°C and there are mostly partly cloudy skies.

However, in the interior and in the southernmost part around Cape Otway it rains very often, mainly in the form of quick and often very unexpected showers.

Weather in November

November is the start of the high season and average temperatures are consistently above 18 °C, but can rise to 26 °C on extreme days.

Skies are mostly partly cloudy to clear, but even in November there are frequent rain showers.

Weather in December

December is the first month of summer with temperatures between 16 °C and 23 °C, but days with temperatures well over 27 °C are not exceptional.

Rain falls in the form of showers, but usually only for a few tens of minutes in the evening.

During December, due to the summer season and the Christmas holidays, hotel prices and services are usually the most expensive.

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