Canberra in January: a seasonal travel plan
Canberra, Australia. In january, the average daytime high is 27.8 °C and the night-time low is 13.8 °C. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
Choose a month
Selected month: January
Temperatures by month
Air temperature: Canberra
Contents
Weather at a glance
- Daytime high
- 27.8 °C
- Nighttime low
- 13.8 °C
- Monthly precipitation
- 84.4 mm
- Days with at least 1 mm
- 12.5
- Daylight
- 14.2 h
2015–2024 averages. Daytime temperature is the average daily maximum; nighttime temperature is the average daily minimum.
Early, middle and late month
| Period | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Days with at least 1 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–10 | 27.4 | 13.8 | 4.3 |
| Days 11–20 | 27.7 | 13.1 | 3.7 |
| From day 21 | 28.2 | 14.5 | 4.5 |
What this month is like
Canberra, Australia. In january, the average daytime high is 27.8 °C and the night-time low is 13.8 °C. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
There are 12.5 wet days on average, with about 84.4 mm of precipitation. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
How to plan the day
Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
Average daylight is 14.2 hours, so put longer routes in the brighter part of the day.
What to pack
Pack light clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for the evening. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
Precipitation and an alternative plan
Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What to pack
Light breathable clothes, a hat, sunglasses and a water bottle will be useful. The day-to-night temperature difference is noticeable, so dressing in layers is practical. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
Compared with neighbouring months
Average daytime high: previous month — 26.0 °C, January — 27.8 °C, next month — 26.4 °C. Days with at least 1 mm of precipitation: 10.6, 12.5 and 10.0.
Things to do
Canberra was planned as a capital: broad avenues radiate from Lake Burley Griffin, and the national museums and parliament stand in the parkland of Parkes. The city is spread out with long distances between stops, so a day is best built around one section at a time.
Parliament and Old Parliament House
Inside Parliament House you can walk the foyer, look into the chambers and go up onto the grass roof. Old Parliament House next door, where government once sat, now holds a museum.
National Gallery of Australia
The gallery holds paintings by Australian artists, Aboriginal art and an outdoor sculpture garden. Two hours covers the main galleries, and the permanent collection is free. Leave time for the sculpture garden, which runs down to the lake shore.
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial keeps records, vehicles and a Hall of Memory listing the dead. A short ceremony is held there each evening, and the view runs along Anzac Parade.
Where to stay
Parkes
Parkes is the museum quarter by the lake, home to parliament, the gallery and the National Library. Almost nobody lives here, but every major sight is walkable and a path follows the shore.
Braddon
Braddon suits anyone who wants to stay near the centre among coffee shops, breweries and small restaurants. The district is young and lively, and the museums are a thirty-minute walk away.
Kingston
Kingston is a calm quarter of restaurants and a market that fills with locals at weekends. It works well for families and lakeside walks, though Parkes needs a car or bus.
Getting there and around
Canberra Airport is ten minutes from the centre, and buses or taxis reach Civic faster than the map suggests. The light rail runs from Gungahlin through Civic, and buses connect the districts, though evening timetables thin out. The museums and parliament spread widely, so a car or a bicycle makes the day noticeably easier.
Three days in Canberra
Parkes and the lake
Start at the National Gallery, then walk to the National Library and the lakeside obelisk. Boats are hired at the Acton jetty, and the shared path follows the shore for an evening loop of the lake.
Parliament and the memorial
Spend the morning in Parliament House and Old Parliament House, then head to the War Memorial after lunch. Climb Mount Ainslie for the sunset, where the summit shows the whole city and the lake, with kangaroos on the slope.
National Museum
See the National Museum of Australia on Acton Peninsula. In the afternoon drive out to Tidbinbilla, where kangaroos and emus live in the reserve. Trails in the reserve lead to eucalyptus groves where wallabies hide.
Weather throughout the year
| Month | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Precipitation, mm | Days with at least 1 mm | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27.8 | 13.8 | 84.4 | 12.5 | 14.2 |
| February | 26.4 | 12.9 | 65.9 | 10.0 | 13.4 |
| March | 23.5 | 11.4 | 88.7 | 12.4 | 12.3 |
| April | 19.2 | 8.2 | 47.8 | 6.7 | 11.2 |
| May | 14.6 | 4.4 | 33.1 | 6.7 | 10.3 |
| June | 11.2 | 2.3 | 42.9 | 7.1 | 9.8 |
| July | 10.9 | 1.6 | 29.9 | 6.2 | 10.0 |
| August | 12.5 | 2.0 | 38.4 | 6.7 | 10.8 |
| September | 16.2 | 4.1 | 32.3 | 5.9 | 11.8 |
| October | 20.0 | 7.0 | 68.4 | 10.4 | 13.0 |
| November | 22.7 | 9.6 | 87.2 | 11.1 | 13.9 |
| December | 26.0 | 11.8 | 70.6 | 10.6 | 14.5 |
Frequently asked questions
Canberra: what is the temperature in January?
The average daytime high is 27.8 °C and the night-time low is 13.8 °C. Start a long walking route in the morning. Plan lunch and shaded breaks for the middle of the day.
How many days with precipitation are there in January?
On average, there are 12.5 days with at least 1 mm of precipitation; the monthly total is 84.4 mm. Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What should I pack for walks in January?
Light breathable clothes, a hat, sunglasses and a water bottle will be useful. The day-to-night temperature difference is noticeable, so dressing in layers is practical. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
How does the weather change from the start to the end of the month?
Average daytime highs by part of the month: 1–10 — 27.4 °C; 11–20 — 27.7 °C; 21 to month-end — 28.2 °C.
How many daylight hours are there in January?
The average is 14.2 hours. Long daylight hours make it easy to split a walk between morning and evening, with a longer break in between.
Is Canberra worth visiting in January?
The climate suits a trip if daytime temperatures around 27.8 °C and nights around 13.8 °C work for you. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
What can I do in Canberra on a wet day in January?
Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag. Keep a museum, market, café or another indoor route near your accommodation.
What should I pack for Canberra in January?
Pack light clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for the evening. Average daylight is 14.2 hours.