Climate Zones for Australian Gardeners

Knowing your climate zone will help you decide the best time to sow the vegetables, herbs and flowers you want to grow, and which varieties should perform well in your garden. Growing plants that are suited to your climate zone will usually give you the best results in your garden.

How to Use Climate Zones

First, find your climate zone using the map or descriptions below. Next, refer to our sowing chart, which provides approximate sowing times for our most popular seeds for each climate zone.

While knowing your climate zone is helpful when planning your garden, there are many other factors that may affect how your plants grow, including unseasonal weather conditions, the specific microclimate of your garden and how you care for your plants. You know your garden better than us, so if a different climate zone seems to ‘fit’ your garden better, go ahead and use it as a guide.

Our climate zones cover huge areas of Australia, so we recommend gardeners also consider their local conditions when planning what and when to plant. For example, gardeners in alpine areas have shorter growing seasons than gardeners in cool coastal areas, even though both alpine and coastal areas are included in our ‘Cool Temperate’ climate zone. We recommend gardeners in cool regions look at the ‘days to maturity’ information provided for each variety and choose those that will mature in a short (6-12 week) growing season.

climate map

Tropical

Includes: Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Exmouth
High humidity summers with most rainfall in summer and dry, warm winters. Includes northern Australia from Exmouth (WA) across to south of Townsville (Qld).
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Arid

Includes: Alice Springs, Mildura, Albury-Wodonga, Shepparton, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo
Hot dry summers, winters can be warm or cool depending on the region. Includes a large area of central Australia from the WA coast to Charleville (Qld), Tamworth (NSW) and Albury-Wodonga (NSW/Vic).
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Subtropical

Includes: Brisbane, Bundaberg, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast, Hervey Bay, Mackay, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast
Warm humid summers with high summer rainfall and mild winters. Includes coastal Queensland and northern NSW from north of Mackay to just south of Coffs Harbour.
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Temperate

Includes: Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Toowoomba, Central Coast NSW, Wollongong, Bunbury
Moderate humidity and reliable rainfall, with four distinct seasons. Includes coastal areas from north of Port Macquarie to south of Woollongong in NSW, coastal SA and the southeastern coast of WA.
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Cool Temperate

Includes: Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart, Launceston, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mt Gambier
Low humidity with most rainfall in winter; hot dry summers and cold winters. Some regions will experience frosts and snow. Includes coastal areas of south-eastern Australia and alpine areas of Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
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Climate Zones FAQ

What if I can’t find my climate zone?
If you can’t locate your zone from looking at the map or the descriptions on this page, we suggest that you think of an area that has a climate that’s similar to yours and use the zone for that area as a guide.

What if I live on the border of two zones?
If you live near the border between two zones we suggest you read the descriptions for both zones and decide which best describes the climate where you live. Depending on the microclimate in your garden, you may be able to grow a wider range of plants over a longer season than others in your zone. Lucky you!

What is a microclimate?
A microclimate is a small area where the temperature or humidity differs to the climate of the surrounding area. For example, if you live in a climate zone where frosts are common but your garden is protected by buildings or large trees, your garden may be frost-free. Similarly, if you live in a warm temperate zone but your garden is at a high altitude your microclimate may have more in common with the cool temperate zone, so use this as a guide when deciding which zone is relevant to you.

Can I grow varieties not listed for my climate zone?
While our climate zones and sowing chart will help you decide what is suitable to plant in your garden, they provide general guidance only. We recommend you start by sowing seed that’s recommended for your climate zone; once you get a few successes under your belt you can experiment with varieties in neighbouring zones and see how you go – gardening is all about experimenting after all!

Garlic is a staple in the kitchen, but there is nothing quite like the flavour of a fresh bulb pulled straight from your own garden. While it requires a bit of patience, growing garlic is incredibly rewarding and relatively low maintenance. In most Australian climates, autumn is the perfect time to get your cloves in the ground, so follow along below to get a head start on your planting!

Growing your own garlic requires just a few simple steps and the right timing, making it an excellent project for gardeners of all skill levels.

What you will need

Garlic bulbs: High quality, Australian grown (avoid supermarket garlic which may be treated) Browse all garlic here
Location: Choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight daily
Soil: Ideally loose and well draining, enriched with organic matter such as compost or aged animal manure
Mulch: Peastraw or Lucerne mulch is best for Garlic

How to Plant Garlic

Step 1- Prepare the Soil: Garlic loves a loose, rich bed. Weed the area thoroughly and turn over the soil to break it up. Mix in plenty of organic matter like compost and aged manure. If your soil is heavy clay, consider planting in raised beds or mounding the soil to ensure excellent drainage.

Step 2- Separate the Cloves: Carefully break your garlic bulbs apart into individual cloves just before planting, keeping the skins intact. Choose the largest, healthiest-looking cloves for the best results, and save the tiny ones for the kitchen.

Step 3- Plant Pointy-Side Up: Make small holes about 3-5cm deep. Space them 10-15cm apart, with 20cm between rows. Place one clove in each hole with the thick end at the bottom and the pointed end facing the sky.

Step 4- Water and Mulch: Smooth the soil over and water in well. Apply a thick layer of organic mulch like peastraw or lucerne. This keeps the soil temperature stable and prevents weeds from competing with your garlic. You should see green shoots appearing in 2-6 weeks.