Tasmania · Month comparison
April vs February
February ranks #1 overall vs April at #8. February is Tasmania's driest month — the ideal time for multi-day wilderness walks.
April
#8 of 12 months
Best match
Autumn foliage peaks — Hobart's heritage city quietens and prices drop sharply.
- ↑April brings Tasmania's best autumn foliage: the European trees planted in Hobart's Domain, the avenues of Launceston's Cataract Gorge reserve, and the deciduous beeches (nothofagus) on the slopes of Mount Field National Park all turn gold and rust. The 90-minute drive from Hobart to Mount Field is the finest autumn landscape drive in Australia.
- ↑ANZAC Day (April 25) is observed with genuine ceremony across Tasmania — the Hobart cenotaph service and the Kokoda veterans' commemorations at the Salamanca Arts Centre are moving and accessible to visitors. The day has a reflective city atmosphere quite different from the summer festival energy.
February
#1 of 12 months
Best match
February is Tasmania's driest month — the ideal time for multi-day wilderness walks.
- ↑February is Tasmania's best month for the Overland Track — the 65km multi-day trek from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair, rated among the world's great wilderness walks. February's low rainfall (40mm) and maximum sunshine hours make trail conditions as reliable as they get in a Tasmanian summer.
- ↑The Wooden Boat Festival runs in even years (February, Hobart waterfront) — a celebration of maritime craft that fills Sullivan's Cove with historic vessels and draws master boatbuilders from across Australia. The combination of the working harbour, the sandstone Salamanca warehouses, and Mount Wellington behind is one of the great urban settings in the Southern Hemisphere.
| Factor | April | February |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 6 | 9 |
| Value score | 7 | 5 |
| Crowd score | 7 | 5 |
| Events score | 6 | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 7 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 17°C | 22°C |
| Monthly rain | 55mm | 40mm |
| Daily sunshine | 5.5hrs | 8hrs |
April trade-offs
- ↓Sunshine hours drop from 7 in March to 5.5 in April and rainfall increases to 55mm. Overcast days are more common and the light for photography is less reliable.
- ↓The Overland Track closes to independent walkers from May 1 — April is the last month to complete it in the walking season. Bookings in April are easier than summer but the weather window is narrower.
February trade-offs
- ↓February accommodation across key locations — particularly the Freycinet Peninsula and Cradle Mountain — remains at peak pricing. Self-catering options in Hobart's Battery Point are significantly more affordable than the resort lodges.
- ↓The Overland Track requires advance booking through Parks Tasmania (the quota system fills months ahead). Turning up at Cradle Mountain in February without a track booking is not viable.
Scores compare months within Tasmania. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →