Winter last year in Melbourne wasn’t a great one. This was the heart of the COVID-19 lockdown in the state of Victoria, so many people across Melbourne (and the rest of Australia) missed out on a lot of their typical winter activities. That being said, winter was probably the best possible time to be stuck indoors and to wear a mask. It’s amazing how much warmer those were on our faces in the winter. Much better than the current summer season.
When is Winter in Australia?
Australians experience winter during June, July and August each year. This puts us in a very different situation to those in the Northern hemisphere, especially if you celebrate Christmas. You won’t be having a white Christmas in Melbourne unless you go to the Ice Bar in Melbourne.
Guide to Winter Activities
Here is a guide to some fun activities that we are hoping will be available once winter rolls around for Melbournians in the western suburbs for 2021.
Film Festivals
Melbourne is home to many film festivals, many of which are indoors. The Melbourne International Film Festival is 5 to 22 August 2021. MIFF, as it is commonly referred to is on from one of the world’s oldest film festivals and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest. This is one of many film festivals in Melbourne and can be a great way to get some culture whilst avoiding the dreary Melbourne weather. Another one is the French Film Festival.
Bastille Day
A lot of people in Melbourne love Bastille Day or Fête Nationale, which is a French national festival similar to St Patrick’s Day. It falls on the 12th of July which is right in the middle of winter.
Play Video Games
If you can’t go outdoors to play, you should go to an arcade for some video games such as the arcade bar at Bartronica in Melbourne’s CBD or your local Timezone if you’ve got kids. Playing video games is a great indoor activity for the colder months and these locations mean you can do it whilst getting out of the house!
Coburg Drive-In
The Coburg Drive-in is a great venue in the winter, you can sit in your own car with your heater on and it’s very COVID-safe compared to your local cinema.
Go Ice Skating
Whilst it’s not snowy in Melbourne itself, you can go to the O’Brien Icehouse to go figure skating. Here you can pretend you’re experiencing winter somewhere up north. Way up north, not Queensland, keep going!
