Tasmania · Month comparison
November vs February
February ranks #1 overall vs November at #5. February is Tasmania's driest month — the ideal time for multi-day wilderness walks.
November
#5 of 12 months
Best match
Late spring at its best — long evenings, warming coast, and MONA programming resumes.
- ↑November is arguably Tasmania's ideal month: 19°C, 7 hours of sunshine, and the daylight extending past 8pm by month's end. The Freycinet Peninsula in November has Wineglass Bay at near-summer conditions — warm enough for swimming, quiet enough for the lookout track to feel private — while prices and availability remain well below January.
- ↑The Launceston Gorge in November is spectacular: the Cataract Gorge suspension bridge, the chairlift across the first basin, and the peacock-filled gardens at the foot are at their most photogenic in spring light. The Tamar Valley wine road north of Launceston — Josef Chromy, Pipers Brook, Jansz — runs tastings with barely a visitor in November.
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 | November | February |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 8 | 9 |
| Value score | 5 | 5 |
| Crowd score | 6 | 5 |
| Events score | 6 | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 8 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 19°C | 22°C |
| Monthly rain | 50mm | 40mm |
| Daily sunshine | 7hrs | 8hrs |
November trade-offs
- ↓November accommodation at the most desirable properties — Saffire Freycinet, Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart — is pricing at near-summer rates and requires advance booking.
- ↓Rainfall (50mm) and occasional spring storm systems can disrupt outdoor plans. The Southern Ocean weather systems that track across Tasmania in November can be sudden and dramatic — particularly on the west coast and at Cradle Mountain.
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 →