Australia
Cairns in December
🌧️ Rainy seasonHot, humid and often rainy.
🎒 Pack: light, breathable clothes & sunscreen · compact umbrella or rain jacket · quick-dry fabrics
Why December scores 8.1What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.7
- ✓Hot (32°C highs / 24°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 21.7°C)
- !Wet: ~186 mm rain, ~6 heavy-rain days
- Air quality9.8
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~6 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards9.5
- !Tropical cyclone: Edge of the Australian/South Pacific cyclone season
- Safety baseline8.5
- ·Normal precautions
| Dec | Aug | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.1 Very good | 9.8 Excellent |
| Season | 🌧️ Rainy season | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 32° / 24° | 27° / 17° |
| Rain | 186 mm | 27 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 22° | dew pt 16° |
| PM2.5 | 6 µg/m³ | 5 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Cairns weather-station normals. Rainfall: Cairns weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore CairnsEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyA tropical city in far north Queensland and the main base for trips to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.
Coral spawningDate variesUsually a few nights after the full moon in November or December
Corals release eggs and sperm en masse in a natural spectacle.
Why go: Some dive operators run special night dives; timing is not guaranteed.
Where: Great Barrier Reef
Coming up later
Ironman CairnsDate variesUsually June
A long-distance triathlon along the coast.
Why go: Some roads close during the race.
Where: Cairns and the coast road to Port Douglas
Cairns Indigenous Art FairDate variesUsually July
A major fair selling and showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Why go: A good place to buy art directly from art centres.
Where: Cairns city centre
Great Barrier Reef
Day trips by boat to outer reefs and islands for snorkelling and diving.
💡 Wear a stinger suit; marine stingers are most common roughly November to May.
Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation
Ancient rainforest meeting the sea, north of the city.
💡 Do not swim in rivers or creeks because of crocodiles.
Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail
A heritage train and a cableway over the rainforest to the village of Kuranda.
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
A free saltwater swimming lagoon on the waterfront.
Green Island and Fitzroy Island
Islands close to Cairns with beaches and snorkelling off the shore.
Atherton Tablelands
Cooler upland country with waterfalls, crater lakes and farms.
Barramundi
Australia's best-known native fish, often grilled or pan-fried.
Prawns
Local tropical prawns, often eaten simply with lemon.
Tropical fruit
Mangoes, lychees and exotic fruits grown in the region.
💡 Rusty's Markets in the city centre
Coral trout
A prized reef fish served in many restaurants.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art
Paintings, prints and carvings by Indigenous artists from the region.
💡 Galleries and art centres; look for ethically sourced work
Tablelands coffee
Coffee grown on the Atherton Tablelands.
💡 Markets and food shops