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When to go · Mackay

Mackay in December

Avoid month. Listed as a month to avoid: Dec–Mar (wet season, cyclones, stingers in the sea).

Key facts

Verdict
Avoid
Temperature
31°C (88°F) / 23°C (73°F)
average high / low
Rain days
11
Crowds
High
Australia overall
Prices
High
Australia overall

Verdict

AvoidBest and avoid months for Mackay

Listed as a month to avoid: Dec–Mar (wet season, cyclones, stingers in the sea).

Is another month better than December?

December is rated avoid. These months rate higher:

Weather in December

Long-term averages
  • MackayHighs around 31 °C (88 °F), lows around 23 °C (73 °F), rain on about 11 days

Festivals and holidays

Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.

  • New Year big impact

    31 Dec – 1 Jan · Australia

    Sydney Harbour fireworks: vantage points ticketed or claimed from morning; beds book out months ahead.

  • Summer school holidays big impact

    Mid-Dec to late Jan · Australia

    Coast, campsites, ferries and Tasmania fill; prices peak.

  • Christmas and Boxing Day big impact

    25–26 December · Australia

    Shops closed on Christmas Day; Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and the Sydney–Hobart yacht race start.

Crowds and prices

Crowds · Australia overall
High
Prices · Australia overall
High

Australia overall: Summer holidays begin; bushfire risk and heatwaves in the south, wet season in the north; book everything early.

High-price month: see what to book ahead.

Compare two months

Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Mackay, side by side.

  • Verdict

    Dec: Avoid

    May: Great (better)

  • Daytime high

    Dec: 31 °C (88 °F)

    May: 26 °C (79 °F)

  • Night low

    Dec: 23 °C (73 °F)

    May: 18 °C (64 °F)

  • Rain days

    Dec: 11

    May: 8 (better)

  • Crowds

    Dec: High

    May: Low

  • Prices

    Dec: High

    May: Medium

  • Festivals listed

    Dec: 3

    May: 0

December: Listed as a month to avoid: Dec–Mar (wet season, cyclones, stingers in the sea).

May: Inside Mackay's best window: May–Oct (dry, mild).

Mackay: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.

What to pack

  • Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and sunscreen
  • A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast

Build the full packing list for your trip →

Across Australia in December →