Ulladulla's best-known festival is the Blessing of the Fleet, held at the harbour every Easter since 1956. Around it, the year is shaped by the seasons, so you can choose a time that suits you.
This page follows what happens when. Ulladulla events centre on Easter, and the climate figures below, which are for the Jervis Bay area about 37 km away, give a fair guide to the coast around the town.
The Blessing of the Fleet at Easter
This is the headline event. The Blessing of the Fleet festival has been held regularly at Easter since 1956. It is a centuries-old tradition that began in Sicily, Italy, and it has been carried on by descendants of the Italian immigrant fishing community in the area.
The central moment is the religious Blessing of the Fleet ceremony at Ulladulla Harbour on Easter Sunday. The festivities finish with a fireworks display over the harbour that same day, and the Harbour Markets follow on Easter Monday.
Why the harbour suits it
The harbour is the home port of the largest commercial fishing fleet on the South Coast of New South Wales, so a blessing of boats belongs here. If the working harbour interests you, our Ulladulla fishing guide is a good next stop.
A few years of interruption
The festival has not always run smoothly. The accompanying celebration was cancelled in 2004 and 2005 after a sharp rise in the public liability premium, and the ceremony returned in 2008. It was cancelled again in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, then came back in 2022 under COVID restrictions. Check current arrangements before you plan around it.
Ulladulla weather by season
The town has a warm oceanic climate, moderated by the Tasman Sea. Summers are warm and rainy, while winters are mild and somewhat drier, shaped by foehn winds off the ranges to the west. Annual rainfall averages about 1,185 mm across roughly 138 rainy days.
| Month | Max (C) | Min (C) | Rain (mm) | Rain days | Sunny days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24.6 | 18.8 | 73.3 | 11.5 | 28.2 |
| February | 24.1 | 18.9 | 99.5 | 12.0 | 24.6 |
| March | 22.7 | 17.6 | 84.8 | 12.6 | 27.4 |
| April | 20.6 | 15.1 | 72.8 | 10.1 | 26.9 |
| May | 18.0 | 12.5 | 70.0 | 8.2 | 27.8 |
| June | 15.7 | 10.6 | 92.9 | 9.4 | 25.2 |
| July | 15.2 | 9.4 | 59.2 | 7.5 | 28.1 |
| August | 16.4 | 9.7 | 60.2 | 6.7 | 28.7 |
| September | 18.5 | 11.5 | 51.1 | 7.8 | 27.8 |
| October | 20.2 | 13.4 | 70.1 | 9.8 | 28.2 |
| November | 21.6 | 15.2 | 77.4 | 11.3 | 27.0 |
| December | 23.2 | 17.0 | 68.2 | 11.4 | 27.8 |
Summer and autumn
Summer: December to February
Days reach about 23 to 25 degrees, and nights stay mild at 17 to 19. February is the wettest month in the figures, at close to 100 mm over 12 rain days, so a warm day can still end in a shower. The record high in the area was 44.5 degrees on 18 January 2013, a reminder that extremes do happen.
Summer suits beach days and harbour walks. Families can start with our Ulladulla holidays with kids page.
Autumn: March to May
March still feels like summer, with highs near 23 degrees, but it is also the rainiest of the three months at about 85 mm. By May the highs ease to 18 degrees and rain days drop to about 8. Easter falls in this season, so the festival usually arrives with pleasant temperatures.
Winter: June to August
Winter is mild rather than harsh. July is the coolest month, with highs around 15 degrees and lows near 9. June is the odd one out, with about 93 mm of rain, but July and August are drier and brighter, and August has the most sunny days of any month at 28.7.
We reckon winter is underrated here. The coldest recorded temperature in the area was 2.5 degrees on 10 July 1995, so frost is not the story. Clear, cool days are.
Spring: September to November
September is the driest month at about 51 mm, with highs of 18.5 degrees. Warmth builds through October and November, to 20 and then nearly 22 degrees, while rain days creep back up. The wettest single day on record was 12 October 2012, with 233 mm, so spring can surprise you.
Planning your stay
Easter is the obvious time to book ahead, since that is when the festival runs. Our Ulladulla accommodation page covers the options. Discovery Parks at Burrill Lake offers powered sites and cabins, and it is wise to contact the park for current rates and availability before booking.
For wider trip planning, see the Ulladulla travel guide. Official state information is at Visit NSW, and background on the town is on Wikipedia.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Blessing of the Fleet?
It is held at Easter. The ceremony is at Ulladulla Harbour on Easter Sunday, with fireworks that day and the Harbour Markets on Easter Monday.
What is the best time of year to visit Ulladulla?
It depends on what you want. Summer is warmest, September is the driest month, and August has the most sunny days. Winter stays mild, with highs around 15 to 16 degrees.
Which month is wettest?
February, at about 100 mm of rain over 12 days, based on figures for the nearby Jervis Bay area.