If you leave on Thursday you'll probably get here Saturday, but that's ok cos the flights from the US arrive in the morning, so you've got plenty of time. I'll come pick you up from the airport. 😁
I don't do winter so I'm not coming back in July (unless there's some kind of emergency) and I like December/January in Australia. It's a really fun time of the year with summer holidays, Christmas, Australia Day all rolled in together.