The Australian Destinations Worth Settling Into During the Cooler Months

A seaside summer in the Mediterranean or long, balmy evenings in New York may seem more appealing than cold, stormy winters on home soil.

But staying home doesn’t oblige you to coop up indoors and hibernate until the weather warms again (unless that’s your preferred winter style). Australia is full of world-class destinations – and when the temperature drops, some places are arguably at their best.

You’ll find slower days, fewer crowds and destinations that lend themselves to long lunches, open fires and crisp mornings rather than peak-season chaos. From regional wine areas to coastal towns that finally have room to breathe, this is when much of the country comes into its own.

If you’re staying closer to home this season, these are the spots worth settling into. And when it comes to organising the trip, you can book flights, accommodation and car hire all in one place with Travel Booking, accessible through the CommBank app, so you can make the most of your travels.

Granite Belt, Queensland

The Granite Belt, on the Queensland-New South Wales border, is one of the few places in the Sunshine State where winter actually feels like winter: cool mornings, fireplaces, hearty pub meals, and a wine region built for slow weekends.

Centred around Stanthorpe, the region is dotted with excellent cellar doors like Ballandean Estate Wines, Symphony Hill Wines and the must-visit Bent Road Winery, alongside family-run apple orchards and granite-strewn landscapes that give the area its name.

Its cool-climate character is defined by red wine, seasonal produce and cosy accommodation – a very different side of Queensland.

Adelaide Hills, South Australia

A short drive from the city, the Adelaide Hills’s rolling vineyards, misty mornings and passionate, deeply engrained food-and-wine culture make it one of the country’s best cooler-weather escapes.

Book in for a long lunch at The Lane Vineyard, with its rambling vineyards and panoramic views of the hills, or try hyperlocal wines fermented, aged and bottled on-site at Shaw & Smith. Cafe-hop around the town of Stirling, and stroll through the cobblestone streets of Hahndorf, a postcard-perfect town known for being Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement.

For unmatched views over the city, head up to Mount Lofty Summit and take it all in. The hills are close enough to Adelaide for a weekend but feel removed enough to properly switch off.

Bruny Island, Tasmania

Off the coast of Hobart, Bruny Island is all wild coastline, local produce and dramatic weather – which only adds to the appeal in cooler months. The island is split into north and south, connected by the narrow isthmus known as The Neck, where a short hike rewards you with sweeping views in both directions.

Rug up and explore coastal walks across South Bruny National Park, keep an eye out for wildlife at dusk, or take a boat tour along the island’s rugged cliffs. In between, you’ll be eating and drinking very well – oysters fresh out of the waters of Great Bay at Get Shucked, Nick Haddow’s renowned cheese at Bruny Island Cheese Co, and small-batch whisky at Bruny Island House of Whisky.

It’s a place built for contrast, with windswept days outside followed by slow evenings indoors. This balance is all part of the island’s charm.

Wensleydale, Victoria

Tucked into Victoria’s surf coast hinterland, Wensleydale is less a destination and more a retreat – defined by rolling farmland, scattered luxury home stays like The Wensley and a sense of quiet that’s hard to find closer to Melbourne.  

It’s the kind of place to book a house (it’s especially well-stocked with houses for large groups or multi-family stays), bring supplies and stay put. Travel Booking via the CommBank app can help with locking in accommodation nearby. Days here unfold slowly: morning walks along country roads, long lunches built around local produce, and the occasional drive out to the coast for a change of scene.

If you do venture out, nearby Brae offers one of the region’s – and the country’s – most celebrated dining experiences, while cellar doors and provedores are scattered through the hinterland. Otherwise, the appeal is in doing very little at all.

Manjimup, Western Australia

Deep in Western Australia’s south-west, Manjimup is known for its towering karri forests, cool-climate produce and a food scene that punches well above its weight. This is one of the country’s key truffle-growing regions, and when the temperature drops, the landscape shifts into atmospheric, richer greens.

Winter is peak truffle season, making it the ideal time to visit. Join a hunt with operators like Australian Truffle Traders, or taste it on plates at spots like Tall Timbers. If you time your trip right, you can join the annual Truffle Kerfuffle.

Beyond food, the region can be explored through forest drives and walking trails around Gloucester National Park, where karri trees rise high above the canopy and the air carries that distinct, earthy cool. It’s a place that leans into the season: slower, deeper, and built for long lunches, red wine and cold nights.

Shoalhaven, New South Wales

Just a few hours south of Sydney, Shoalhaven is the kind of coastal region that rewards going off-season. In summer, it’s packed; in the cooler months, it slows to a more liveable pace.

Base yourself around Berry or Huskisson, with a horde of options and discounts on Travel Booking via the CommBank app to help you find where to stay. Walk the beaches in Jervis Bay (and keep an eye out for the resident bottlenose dolphins) or settle into long lunches at local wineries like Cupitt’s Estate or Coolangatta Estate, where vineyard panoramas and generous pours make it easy to lose track of time.

Inland, Kangaroo Valley gives you a taste of the Southern Highlands with rolling hills, suspension bridges, sandstone cliffs and great food ranging from casual woodfired pizza and charming country inns to more refined paddock-to-plate dining.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in collaboration with Commonwealth Bank. Provided by Hopper Inc., Travel Booking is accessible via the CommBank app, which brings flights, accommodation and car hire together in one place. Value-added travel comes via AI-powered Price Prediction and trip alert tools, with additional benefits for eligible customers through CommBank Yello, such as cashback and travel credits (ongoing eligibility conditions apply). See commbank.com.au/travelbooking or search “Travel Booking” in the CommBank app.