We're planning our first ~ 3-4 week trip to Australia with another couple (all in our mid 50s). Looking for advice on what time of year to travel. We'd like some help on balancing reasonable costs with decent temps. Travel will likely include Port Douglas-Sydney-Melbourne-Uluru(Ayers Rock). In the US and Europe, it seems cheapest, least crowded and most temperate to travel in the spring and autumn. Is this also true for Australia? We would guess it's best NOT to go during school holidays when lots of families are travelling.According to the Aussie school calenders http://www.dest.gov.au/schools/dates.htm it looks like for fall 2005, most schools are OPEN ~mid OCT to early-mid DEC; and again for spring 2006 most schools OPEN early FEB to midAPRIL(except for Victoria-schools end Mar 10). Based on the other variables of weather and seasonal hotel and airfare costs; would our preferenc of ~Mid March to early April be a good time of year to visit? Thanks in advance for any advice

Not sure about Melboune but I think it is generally cooler than Sydney.Spring and Autumn are probably the nicest in Sydney ( except if you want to swim in which case of course Summer would be better ).For Uluru and Cairns I believe you would be better off in the middle of the year as both places can be VERY hot at other times.I think there are school holidays in August in NSW but others may know better.Travelling always costs more in the school holidays.Not sure if I've helped but you will get more advice from others. Enjoy whenever you come!

Corrections to above I mean Melbourne not Melboune and Port Douglas rather than Cairns. Should have checked first..sorry.

As a broad rule of thumb (heavens knows where that saying came from) the best time to visit Northern Territory, and north Queensland and WA is May to September. The best time to visit Sydney, Melbourne and points south is October to December and February to April. If you start your holiday in FNQ in late August, then onto Uluru, then do Sydney and Melbourne, you should get good weather in the north and spring time weather further south (possibly rain).

I agree with Marg...late Aug, early Sept would be a good overall time. Been in Sydney in Aug on numerous occassions and have seen some very nice weather at that time, though it's too early for the beach. You do want to avoid the hot weather in the Outback...March, even early April could still be quite hot.