Diagrams from yourhome.gov.au.
A north facing slope increases the potential for access to northern sun. A south facing slope increases the potential for overshadowing.
Views to the north are an advantage, as north is the best direction to locate windows in living areas. If the views are to the south it is best to avoid large areas of glass in order to minimise winter heat loss.
The ideal orientation for living areas is within the range 15° west to 20° east of north, although 20° west to 30° east of north is considered acceptable.
This allows standard eaves overhangs to admit winter sun and exclude summer sun at no additional cost to the build. Poor orientation can exclude winter sun, and cause overheating in summer by allowing low angle east or west sun to strike glass surfaces.
To use the sun and local climate to your best advantage read more about Passive Solar Heating and Passive Cooling Pages.