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Sea temperature in Australia

Live water temperatures and swimming conditions across 311 beaches on the Australia coast.

Best time to swim in Australia

The sea in Australia peaks in January, when the water averages around 22°C.

The main swimming season runs from November – March, when surface temperatures stay comfortable for extended sessions.

On average, 5 months a year sit above 20°C — the threshold most swimmers describe as pleasant without a wetsuit.

Shoulder months like October and April are noticeably cooler but often quieter, with fewer crowds and steadier weather.

Outside peak season the water drops toward 15°C, so a 3/2mm shorty or full wetsuit makes long swims much more comfortable.

The coldest month is typically July at around 15°C, when cold-water swimmers dominate the coast.

Australia sits in the Southern Hemisphere, so the warmest sea coincides with the December–February summer and the coolest with July–August.

Australia sea temperature history

Long-term climatology for Australia shows an annual mean sea temperature of 19°C, ranging from 15°C in winter to 22°C at the summer peak.

The seasonal swing is roughly 7°C between the coldest and warmest month — a useful yardstick when comparing years or checking whether the current sea is running above or below average.

Recent decades have trended slightly warmer at Australia, in line with regional sea-surface temperature records for the wider basin.

Monthly averages below are drawn from multi-decadal climatology and are updated as new observations arrive.

Jan
22°C
Feb
22°C
Mar
21°C
Apr
19°C
May
17°C
Jun
16°C
Jul
15°C
Aug
15°C
Sep
16°C
Oct
18°C
Nov
20°C
Dec
22°C

Values are area averages; individual beaches vary by exposure and depth.

Australia sea temperature: frequently asked questions

What is the warmest month to swim in Australia?

January is the warmest month in Australia, when the sea averages about 22°C. Late-season warmth often persists a few weeks after peak.

When is the sea coldest in Australia?

The coldest month in Australia is typically July, when the water averages around 15°C. Cold-water swimmers and surfers dominate this period.

When can you swim in Australia without a wetsuit?

The main swimming season in Australia runs from November – March — about 5 months a year when the sea sits above 20°C, the level most swimmers describe as pleasant without a wetsuit.

Do I need a wetsuit in Australia?

Outside peak summer the water in Australia drops toward 15°C, so a 3/2mm shorty or full wetsuit makes long swims much more comfortable. In peak months most swimmers go without.

What is the average sea temperature in Australia?

The long-term annual mean sea temperature in Australia is about 19°C, based on multi-decadal climatology of the surrounding waters.

How do I check the current sea temperature in Australia?

The live reading at the top of this page shows the current sea temperature in Australia, updated hourly from marine buoy and satellite data. The 7-day forecast covers water, air, waves, wind and UV for the week ahead.

Australia sea temperature by month

Average sea temperatures around Australia for every month of the year, based on long-term Open-Meteo marine climatology.

Monthly average sea temperature in Australia
MonthAverage sea
January ⭐22.0°C
February22.0°C
March21.0°C
April19.0°C
May17.0°C
June16.0°C
July15.0°C
August15.0°C
September16.0°C
October18.0°C
November20.0°C
December22.0°C

Monthly figures are modelled climatology averages, not live readings. How accurate is our data?

Coastal regions of Australia

Region hubs with live sea temperatures, swim conditions and a beach directory.

New South Wales
115 beaches
115 tracked beaches in New South Wales, Australia, with live Tasman Sea temperatures.
Great Barrier Reef Coast
64 beaches
Tropical Queensland — Cairns, Whitsundays and beyond.
Western Australia
59 beaches
59 tracked beaches in Western Australia, Australia, with live Indian Ocean temperatures.
Victoria
40 beaches
40 tracked beaches in Victoria, Australia, with live Bass Strait temperatures.
South Australia
23 beaches
23 tracked beaches in South Australia, Australia, with live Southern Ocean temperatures.

Warmest beaches in Australia right now

BeachRegionSea
Seven Mile BeachNew South Wales29.5°C
Palm BeachNew South Wales28.4°C
Moffat BeachQueensland23.7°C
Etty BayQueensland23.7°C
Sunshine BeachQueensland23.6°C
Four Mile BeachQueensland23.6°C
Miami Beach QLDQueensland23.6°C
Deadmans Beach StraddieQueensland23.6°C
Tea Tree BayQueensland23.6°C
Burleigh HeadsQueensland23.5°C
The Strand TownsvilleQueensland23.5°C
Ellis BeachQueensland23.5°C
South Stradbroke BeachQueensland23.5°C
Kawana BeachQueensland23.5°C
Granite BayQueensland23.5°C
Mermaid BeachQueensland23.4°C
Kawana BeachQueensland23.4°C
Greenmount BeachQueensland23.3°C
Mooloolaba BeachQueensland23.3°C
Maroochydore BeachQueensland23.3°C
Alexandra HeadlandQueensland23.3°C
Whitehaven BeachQueensland23.3°C
Kings BeachQueensland23.3°C
Main Beach Gold CoastQueensland23.2°C
Bilinga BeachQueensland23.2°C
Home Beach StraddieQueensland23.2°C
Holloways BeachQueensland23.2°C
Palm Beach Gold CoastQueensland23.1°C
Palm Beach QLDQueensland23.1°C
Cylinder BeachQueensland23.1°C
Double Island PointQueensland23.1°C
Bargara BeachQueensland23.1°C
Yeppoon BeachQueensland23.1°C
Cape Hillsborough BeachQueensland23.1°C
Kirra BeachQueensland23.0°C
Magnetic Island HorseshoeQueensland23.0°C
Nobby BeachQueensland23.0°C
Main Beach GCQueensland23.0°C
Snapper RocksQueensland22.9°C
Cape Tribulation BeachQueensland22.9°C
Rainbow BayQueensland22.9°C
Currumbin BeachQueensland22.8°C
Peregian BeachQueensland22.8°C
Airlie BeachQueensland22.8°C
Palm CoveQueensland22.8°C
Trinity BeachQueensland22.7°C
Tugun BeachQueensland22.7°C
Little Cove NoosaQueensland22.7°C
Main Beach StradbrokeQueensland22.6°C
Yorkeys KnobQueensland22.6°C
Surfers ParadiseQueensland22.5°C
Bulcock BeachQueensland22.5°C
Coolum BeachQueensland22.5°C
Rainbow BeachQueensland22.5°C
Agnes WaterQueensland22.5°C
Frenchmans BeachQueensland22.5°C
Hervey Bay BeachQueensland22.5°C
Bingil BayQueensland22.5°C
Kewarra BeachQueensland22.5°C
BroadbeachQueensland22.4°C
Coolangatta BeachQueensland22.4°C
Mission BeachQueensland22.4°C
The SpitQueensland22.4°C
Dicky BeachQueensland22.4°C
Main Beach NoosaQueensland22.4°C
Alexandria BayQueensland22.4°C
Mullaloo BeachWestern Australia19.7°C
Elephant RocksWestern Australia19.7°C
Bunker BayWestern Australia19.6°C
Osprey BayWestern Australia19.6°C
Smiths Beach WAWestern Australia19.6°C
Burns Beach WAWestern Australia19.5°C
Yanchep BeachWestern Australia19.5°C
Cervantes BeachWestern Australia19.5°C
Town Beach BroomeWestern Australia19.5°C
Eagle BayWestern Australia19.5°C
Salmon Beach EsperanceWestern Australia19.5°C
Twilight BeachWestern Australia19.4°C
Sorrento Beach WAWestern Australia19.4°C
Cottesloe BeachWestern Australia19.3°C
Scarborough BeachWestern Australia19.3°C
Coral Bay BeachWestern Australia19.3°C
West Beach EsperanceWestern Australia19.3°C
Sorrento Beach PerthWestern Australia19.2°C
Meelup BeachWestern Australia19.2°C
Mindarie BeachWestern Australia19.2°C
Jurien BayWestern Australia19.2°C
Lakeside NingalooWestern Australia19.2°C
Blue Haven BeachWestern Australia19.2°C
City BeachWestern Australia19.1°C
Rockingham BeachWestern Australia19.1°C
Misery BeachWestern Australia19.1°C
Eagle BayWestern Australia19.1°C
Basil BayWestern Australia19.1°C
The BasinWestern Australia19.1°C
Hellfire BayWestern Australia19.1°C
Penguin IslandWestern Australia19.0°C
Middleton BeachWestern Australia19.0°C
Smiths BeachWestern Australia19.0°C
Yallingup BeachWestern Australia19.0°C
Gnarabup BeachWestern Australia19.0°C
Hamelin BayWestern Australia19.0°C
Mandurah Town BeachWestern Australia18.9°C
Little Salmon BayWestern Australia18.9°C
Pinky BeachWestern Australia18.9°C
Lucky BayWestern Australia18.8°C
Meelup BeachWestern Australia18.8°C
Injidup BeachWestern Australia18.8°C
Thistle CoveWestern Australia18.8°C
Hillarys BeachWestern Australia18.7°C
Sandy Bay ExmouthWestern Australia18.7°C
Greens PoolWestern Australia18.6°C
Prevelly BeachWestern Australia18.6°C
Turquoise BayWestern Australia18.6°C
Kalbarri BeachWestern Australia18.6°C
Reddell BeachWestern Australia18.6°C
Cosy Corner WAWestern Australia18.6°C
Frenchman Bay AlbanyWestern Australia18.6°C
Floreat BeachWestern Australia18.5°C
Emu Point BeachWestern Australia18.5°C
Trigg BeachWestern Australia18.4°C
Mettams PoolWestern Australia18.4°C
Lancelin BeachWestern Australia18.4°C
Redgate BeachWestern Australia18.4°C
Cable BeachWestern Australia18.3°C
Hyams BeachNew South Wales17.7°C
Tathra BeachNew South Wales17.7°C
Yamba Main BeachNew South Wales17.7°C
Fingal Head BeachNew South Wales17.7°C
Cave BeachNew South Wales17.7°C
Maroubra BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Collaroy BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Tallow BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Kingscliff BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Hat Head BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Sawtell BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Coffs Jetty BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
One Mile Beach ForsterNew South Wales17.6°C
Store BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Bilgola BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Vincentia BeachNew South Wales17.6°C
Jervis Bay BeachNew South Wales17.5°C
Stockton BeachNew South Wales17.5°C
Rose Bay BeachNew South Wales17.5°C
Ettalong BeachNew South Wales17.5°C
Fingal Beach NSWNew South Wales17.5°C
Diamond Beach NSWNew South Wales17.5°C
Tura BeachNew South Wales17.5°C
Bondi BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
Austinmer BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
Byron Main BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
Wategos BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
Birubi BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
Nobbys BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
Terrigal BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
Chinamans BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
South West Rocks BeachNew South Wales17.4°C
Tamarama BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Cronulla BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Whale BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Camp CoveNew South Wales17.3°C
Wollongong City BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Werri BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Pebbly BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Cabarita BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Avoca BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Clontarf BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Collins Flat BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Bungan BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Umina BeachNew South Wales17.3°C
Chinamans Beach JervisNew South Wales17.3°C
Garie BeachNew South Wales17.2°C
Mollymook BeachNew South Wales17.2°C
Forster Main BeachNew South Wales17.2°C
Port Stephens Shoal BayNew South Wales17.2°C
Warriewood BeachNew South Wales17.2°C
Shoal Bay NSWNew South Wales17.2°C
Coogee BeachNew South Wales17.1°C
Curl Curl BeachNew South Wales17.1°C
Merewether BeachNew South Wales17.1°C
Gordons BayNew South Wales17.1°C
Copacabana Beach NSWNew South Wales17.1°C
Zenith BeachNew South Wales17.1°C
Crescent Head BeachNew South Wales17.1°C
Evans Head BeachNew South Wales17.1°C
Broken Head BeachNew South Wales17.1°C
Blenheim BeachNew South Wales17.1°C
Manly BeachNew South Wales17.0°C
Thirroul BeachNew South Wales17.0°C
North WollongongNew South Wales17.0°C
Pambula BeachNew South Wales17.0°C
Nielsen ParkNew South Wales17.0°C
Parsley BayNew South Wales17.0°C
North Cronulla BeachNew South Wales17.0°C
Killcare BeachNew South Wales17.0°C
Newcastle BeachNew South Wales17.0°C
Pebbly Beach NSWNew South Wales17.0°C
Dee Why BeachNew South Wales16.9°C
Narrabeen BeachNew South Wales16.9°C
Wamberal BeachNew South Wales16.9°C
Little Bay BeachNew South Wales16.9°C
Malabar BeachNew South Wales16.9°C
Elouera BeachNew South Wales16.9°C
Mona Vale BeachNew South Wales16.8°C
Stanwell ParkNew South Wales16.8°C
Belongil BeachNew South Wales16.8°C
Congwong BeachNew South Wales16.8°C
One Mile BeachNew South Wales16.8°C
Nambucca Heads BeachNew South Wales16.8°C
Callala BeachNew South Wales16.8°C
Freshwater BeachNew South Wales16.7°C
Newport BeachNew South Wales16.7°C
WattamollaNew South Wales16.7°C
Lennox HeadNew South Wales16.7°C
Bar BeachNew South Wales16.7°C
Dixon Park BeachNew South Wales16.7°C
Woolgoolga BeachNew South Wales16.7°C
The PassNew South Wales16.7°C
Friendly BeachesTasmania16.7°C
Merimbula MainNew South Wales16.6°C
Redleaf BeachNew South Wales16.6°C
Long Reef BeachNew South Wales16.6°C
Clovelly BeachNew South Wales16.6°C
Diggers BeachNew South Wales16.6°C
Sisters BeachTasmania16.6°C
Bronte BeachNew South Wales16.5°C
Avalon BeachNew South Wales16.5°C
Balmoral BeachNew South Wales16.5°C
Park Beach CoffsNew South Wales16.5°C
Catherine Hill BayNew South Wales16.5°C
Lady Bay BeachNew South Wales16.5°C
Milk BeachNew South Wales16.5°C
Frenchmans BayNew South Wales16.5°C
Angourie BeachNew South Wales16.5°C
Kiama BeachNew South Wales16.4°C
Shark BeachNew South Wales16.4°C
Hat Head BeachNew South Wales16.4°C
Iluka Bluff BeachNew South Wales16.4°C
Cradle Mountain Dove Lake BeachTasmania16.4°C
Bay of FiresTasmania16.4°C
Trial BayNew South Wales16.3°C
Wanda BeachNew South Wales16.3°C
Boat Harbour BeachTasmania16.0°C
Cosy CornerTasmania15.9°C
Hobart Long BeachTasmania15.8°C
Brighton Beach SASouth Australia15.7°C
Seven Mile Beach TASTasmania15.7°C
Port Noarlunga BeachSouth Australia15.7°C
Glenelg BeachSouth Australia15.6°C
Wineglass BayTasmania15.6°C
Kingston Beach TASTasmania15.5°C
Grange BeachSouth Australia15.5°C
Victor Harbor BeachSouth Australia15.4°C
Stokes BaySouth Australia15.4°C
Second Valley BeachSouth Australia15.4°C
Henley BeachSouth Australia15.3°C
Semaphore BeachSouth Australia15.3°C
Somerton BeachSouth Australia15.3°C
Christies BeachSouth Australia15.3°C
Horseshoe Bay Pt ElliotSouth Australia15.2°C
Rapid Bay BeachSouth Australia15.2°C
Middleton Beach SASouth Australia15.2°C
Maslin BeachSouth Australia15.0°C
Emu BaySouth Australia15.0°C
Largs BaySouth Australia14.9°C
Aldinga BeachSouth Australia14.9°C
Vivonne BaySouth Australia14.9°C
Sellicks BeachSouth Australia14.8°C
West BeachSouth Australia14.6°C
Horseshoe Bay SASouth Australia14.6°C
Port WillungaSouth Australia14.4°C
Mentone BeachVictoria13.6°C
Mordialloc BeachVictoria13.6°C
Elwood BeachVictoria13.6°C
Mornington Main BeachVictoria13.6°C
Ventnor BeachVictoria13.5°C
Cape WoolamaiVictoria13.4°C
Rye Front BeachVictoria13.4°C
Smiths BeachVictoria13.4°C
Lakes Entrance 90 MileVictoria13.3°C
Mallacoota BeachVictoria13.3°C
Lorne BeachVictoria13.2°C
Sorrento Back BeachVictoria13.2°C
Fishermans Beach TorquayVictoria13.2°C
Marengo BeachVictoria13.2°C
Aspendale BeachVictoria13.1°C
Point Leo BeachVictoria13.1°C
St Kilda BeachVictoria13.0°C
Torquay Front BeachVictoria12.9°C
Frankston BeachVictoria12.8°C
Gunnamatta BeachVictoria12.8°C
Cowes BeachVictoria12.8°C
Sorrento Front BeachVictoria12.7°C
Portsea BeachVictoria12.7°C
WinkipopVictoria12.7°C
Aireys Inlet BeachVictoria12.7°C
Brighton BeachVictoria12.6°C
Sandringham BeachVictoria12.6°C
Bells BeachVictoria12.6°C
Rosebud BeachVictoria12.6°C
Mount Martha BeachVictoria12.5°C
Apollo Bay BeachVictoria12.5°C
Anglesea Main BeachVictoria12.5°C
Half Moon BayVictoria12.5°C
Gunnamatta BeachVictoria12.5°C
Inverloch Surf BeachVictoria12.4°C
Hampton BeachVictoria12.4°C
Wye River BeachVictoria12.4°C
Kennett River BeachVictoria12.4°C
Jan JucVictoria12.3°C
Phillip Island SmithsVictoria12.3°C

Sea temperature in Australia — FAQ

How warm is the sea in Australia in September?

The sea off Australia averages about 16.0°C in September, based on long-term monthly averages for this coast.

When is the best time to swim in Australia?

Australia is warmest in January (around 22.0°C) and coldest in July (around 15.0°C). There are typically 3 months a year when the water sits above 22°C.

What is the average yearly sea temperature in Australia?

Across all twelve months, the sea in Australia averages about 18.6°C.

Do you need a wetsuit to swim in Australia?

In peak season (around January, ~22.0°C) most swimmers are comfortable without a wetsuit. Outside summer, when the water drops toward 15.0°C, a 3/2mm to 5/4mm wetsuit is recommended.