Six of Australia's best winter weekends away

Whether we like it or not, winter is now well and truly upon us. But it isn’t all bad. Shorter days and cooler nights mean we can tuck into a pub lunch in front of a fire without regret, sip on mulled wine at a night-time festival or jet off on a cosy winter weekend away.

To make booking your own wintervention that much easier, we’ve listed our favourite spots around the country where you can soak up all things wintery.

1. Melbourne

Why winter weekend here? If there’s one season Melbourne does particularly well, it’s this one. Winter-themed markets, festivals and shows, not to mention the countless bars and restaurants lining its laneways, all give visitors plenty to do over the chilly months.

What to do: Rooftop bars are some of the last places you’d think about going on a winter’s night, but with space heaters, fur blankets and twinkling city lights adding to the mood, they’re easily some of Melbourne’s best-kept winter secrets.

Where to stay: Steps from the heart of the city, and with super sophisticated (read: Instagrammable) décor, the historic Hotel Lindrum is an easy pick for a luxurious Melbourne stay. Curl up next to the fire in the Back Bar & Billiard Room with a glass of red, or enjoy a game on one of the original billiard tables preserved from the hotels’ days as Lindrum’s Billiard Centre.

2. Sydney

Why winter weekend here? When most people think about visiting Sydney, they think summer – but the city does winter surprisingly well, too. Just look at Vivid Sydney , the largest winter festival in the world or Sydney Film Festival – which you can still catch until the end of June.

What to do: If you missed out on Vivid this year (the festival wraps up on 15 June), why not check out Bondi Winter Magic Festival – running from 28 June to 28 July – take a whale-watching cruise, or indulge in a gorgeous high tea served on Luna Park’s Ferris Wheel?

Where to stay: Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is an attractive option, not just because of its central location, but also because, well… have you seen it? A stylish, grand building with glittering city views, you’d be right to question whether you weren’t in fact in London or Paris.

3. Barossa Valley

Why winter weekend here? Wine, wine and more wine. If that’s your idea of a good time, Barossa Valley is your best bet for a weekend getaway. This charming South Australian wine region was made for warm socks and evenings spent by the fire.

What to do: In between wine tastings, break for lunches at quaint old pubs and fine-dine your way through dinner at one of the region’s top restaurants. Plan your visit around annual wine shows and festivals, organise a DIY wine trail or up-skill in the kitchen with a cooking class.

Where to stay: The region’s rolling green hills are one of its best features, and Novotel Barossa Valley Resort offers guests front-row seats to take it in with plenty of floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. A tennis court, giant chess set and heated outdoor pool aren’t too shabby either.

4. Canberra

Why winter weekend here? From truffle-hunting to nearby skiing, you’ve probably forgotten – or maybe you never knew – Canberra had so much to offer in winter. But it does and, with convenient direct flights, and just a three-hour drive from Sydney, the country’s capital makes for one easy winter weekend away.

What to do: There is, of course, that ol’ truffle festival. Running from June to August, it sees 250 events rolled out to celebrate the region’s Black Winter Truffle. Not into truffles? Take a day trip out to one of the many nearby ski fields or check out a blockbuster exhibit at one of the country’s most impressive line-up of museums.

The Mercure Canberra is just a stones throw from The Australian War Memorial.

Where to stay: The heritage-listed Mecure Canberra has all you need in a base for a weekend away. It’s easily located, a 10-minute walk from the Australian War Memorial, has a hotel restaurant you’d actually want to eat at and will even let you bring your pet; choose the pampered pet package to give your pooch the star treatment.

5. Hobart

Why winter weekend here? Dark Mofo may have put Hobart on the winter destination map, but as visitors to the Tassie city quickly realise, there’s a lot more to it than just the quirky arts festival. Whisky trails, cider festivals and endless crisp nature hikes are just a few of the many things to do here.

What to do: Salamanca Markets are always a cold-weather favourite. Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park will have you pinching yourself at its breathtaking, surreal scenery. And Tasmanian Whisky Week (12-18 August) will leave you a total whisky expert.

Where to stay: With a whopping 300 rooms, ibis Styles Hobart Hotel is the largest hotel in Tasmania and Australia’s first and only 5-star Green Star certified hotel. Sitting right against the Hobart waterfront, its rooms are afforded some stunning views – particularly at sunrise or sunset. Add a heated indoor pool, two saunas and an award-winning restaurant to all that and it’s exactly where you want to be after a long day of outdoor exploring.

6. Margaret River

Why winter weekend here? Most people know Margaret River for its wine, but with an exciting line-up of music, arts, food and film festivals – as well as number of walks that take advantage of its glorious beaches and greenery – the region makes for one solid winter weekend getaway.

What to do: It’s truffle season too in Margaret River, so drive over to Manjimup to join a truffle hunt. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, taste your way around the region’s many breweries and wineries, explore its caves or lunch at one of its picturesque tiny towns.

Where to stay: ‘Pinterest-worthy’ is the first word that springs to mind when first laying eyes on the much-awarded Pullman Bunker Bay Resort Margaret River . After a day of winter wandering, slip into its heated pool and watch the sun slip behind nearby vineyards. In the morning, use its direct beach access for a sunrise stroll.

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.

Six winter weekends away