KarenWoo

Hello everyone,
My husband and I will be leaving for Australia on October 7 for a 6-week trip that includes New Zealand. In Australia we will be in Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Blue Mountains and Sydney for the last 3 weeks of October. We will be on the South Island of NZ for the first 3 weeks of November.

I would appreciate practical advice and information on what to expect for weather from locals. I know weather can change from year to year and is not always predictable but there must be some norms. And I want to make sure my packing list is accurate. Of course, I did homework when I started planning our trip but just want reassurance, I guess!

For our Australian destinations, I am expecting temps ranging from mid-60's to low 70's. Hopefully sunny weather. For the South Island of NZ I think it will be colder and weather could be less predictable. Am I right?

For clothing and footwear, we are planning on long pants, a combo of short and long sleeve tops, and planning on layers. Such as zippered fleece jacket with hood, waterproof windbreaker with hood, and 1 or 2 heavy shirts, such as from LL Bean. Is a winter coat necessary for NZ? I hope not because it would take up a lot of space. Should I buy a packable puffer jacket? I assume temps would not be warm enough for shorts/capris?

For footwear I am bringing hiking boots, sneakers, and good sturdy walking shoes. Assume it would not be warm enough for sandals?

Just trying not to overpack but make sure we have the right clothing and footwear.

Thank you!

Melnq8

For clothing and footwear, we are planning on long pants, a combo of short and long sleeve tops, and planning on layers. Such as zippered fleece jacket with hood, waterproof windbreaker with hood, and 1 or 2 heavy shirts, such as from LL Bean. Is a winter coat necessary for NZ? I hope not because it would take up a lot of space. Should I buy a packable puffer jacket? I assume temps would not be warm enough for shorts/capris?

I'd leave the winter coat behind. You're on the right track with layers, and most importantly, a rain jacket. I've spent many winters in NZ without an actual winter coat...just a fleece layer and waterproof layer that fits over the fleece. You should be fine in Oct/Nov. We take rainpants too, and waterproof hiking boots, but we're hikers.

I packed shorts one year for a summer trip to NZ and only wore them once - just to take them off again as the weather changed. You'll see Kiwi workers who wear shorts year round - they must be immune to sandflies. You'll be prime sandfly food if you wear shorts in some parts of NZ.

You might want them for OZ though, which can be quite hot in Oct and Nov (and be prepared for lots of flies - not to be confused with the NZ sandfly).

I never take more than two pairs of shoes, no matter where I go. A pair of hiking boots and a sturdy pair of shoes - usually a cross between a hiking shoe and a sneaker but with a good sole and tread. Shoes just take up too much space. Some Aussies wear thongs year round, so yes plenty warm for sandals, but why take more than you need?

I'd add a sun hat and possibly a sunshirt for that intense Aussie sun.

kja

Weatherspark.com has more complete climate information than other climate information sites I've seen.
https://weatherspark.com/

KarenWoo

melnq8, thank you for your detailed reply. It's very helpful. Will bring a sun hat. What do you mean by a sunshirt?

kja, thanks for the link to weatherspark. I've never used it.

Melnq8

Sunshirts - an example:

https://www.salty-crew.com/collections/sun-shirts

They can be found everywhere - dirt cheap at Costco, etc. But, all you really need is a long sleeved shirt or sunblock. I'm not a fan of sunshirts, so I opt for the zip up variety instead - it's all about sun protection, doesn't really matter how you get it. I just happen to hate sunblock, so find a long sleeved light weight shirt/jacket a better option. The Australian sun is fierce, no ozone layer.

I've recently had some skin cancer issues, so I'm a lot more careful than I used to be. Stupid youth and all that

KayF

You've probably read that Melbourne weather is very changeable so layers will work well. There's a saying, if you don't like the weather, wait half an hour. Temperatures can drop suddenly too.

October could be sunny, cool, rainy, grey. Probably not very hot or very cold. Low 20's if you're lucky. (We use celsius.) Be sure to put on sunscreen before heading out, and you should apply more during the day. You can get burnt here quite quickly.

I'm like Mel, I wear one pair of shoes and pack another. They are bulky and heavy.

kja

I've tried to bring it to your attention before! Take a peek at post # 3 on your thread on SE Asia.
Best time to visit SE Asia

KarenWoo

That's funny. I just saw your recommendation a few minutes ago. I checked the Asia forum and was surprised to see some new responses to my question. And then I browsed through all the earlier responses. I am not on that forum too frequently yet. But for some reason I haven't used weatherspark yet. Will have to rectify that.

KarenWoo

Oh, they look similar to what my grandchildren sometimes wear when we are at the beach or a pool. If I can find a cheap one at Costco I will probably buy one. Good to have. But I also don't mind wearing sunblock. I do all the time at home. Planning on bringing a factor 50 sunscreen.
Thanks so much!

KarenWoo

Yes, I know you use celsius. So low 20's Celsius would be approximately low 70's F. Which is not very hot to me. But it sounds like you and Mel are saying that we should still use some kind of sun protection because of the hole in the ozone layer. That's the case with NZ, too, right?

I always wear one pair of shoes (of course, I don't go barefoot and pack 2 others. I always have this fear of needing that 3rd pair for something. I know I pack too much but I am doing much better than when I was younger.

kja

I'm very sensitive to the sun, so I do wear long sleeved sun-protecting blouses even in places where the sun is less intense. I've had good success with Coolibar UPF 50s:
https://www.coolibar.com/?srsltid=Af...uA0h6zWjjmndLa

Melnq8

From Google:

New Zealand lies directly beneath a gaping hole in the ozone layer.

We've had bigger issues with rain (and snow a few times), but we've only visited once in summer. Most of our trips to NZ have been in spring, autumn and the dead of winter.

Bokhara2

Buy 50+ sunblock and insect repellent with DEET ( Rid or Bushmmen’s) in Australia or New Zealand. They are made for our conditions.

Great advice above about layers. Uniqlo does an excellent range of Heatech that is an essential in my wardrobe whether at home or travelling.

kja

@ Bokhara2: Why DEET-based insect repellents? Won't those with picaridin work as well?

Diamantina

Karen Woo, there are a few reasons why NZ's summertime UV index values are much higher than countries at a similar latitude in the Northern Hemisphere are in their summertime, in addition to the ozone hole. According to Stats NZ, a major reason the country's UV index values are highest in its summer months of December and January is because this is when the Earth's eliptical orbit is closest to the Sun. Also, "NZ's relatively clean air means UV radiation is less likely to be scattered by airborne pollution" so more UV radiation reaches the ground. While the UV index values are highest in December and January, they're also relatively high in autumn and spring.

This link on EHINZ (Environmental Health Intelligence New Zealand) shows a monthly chart of UV index values for major towns and cities in NZ and Australia.

Yes, perhaps NZ's weather can be more unpredictable than Australia's. Here's a link to an article about last November's wildly variable weather, when a "warm blast" from Australia was followed by a "polar blast" from Antarctica.

Please check Metservice while you are in NZ. It will list how many layers of clothing you will need. For instance, for today, in my city, it lists, "4 layers, 1 windproof." In summer, it will also post a sun protection alert that looks like this:

The Sun Protection Alert graphic as displayed on metservice.com Their forecasts are not extremely reliable beyond a day or two.

KarenWoo

Bokhara2, thank you! We will plan to buy 50+ sunblock and insect repellent in Australia and/or NZ. I will probably bring some from home, too, so that we have it when we first arrive as a backup.

KarenWoo

Diamantina, thank you so much for your very helpful information. On my To Do List, I already have a note to put the metservice app on our phone. That's great that they list the layers of clothing required for that day! And the Sun Protection Alert graphic!

Do you think my packing list is pretty much accurate for NZ? Any changes or additions you would add? Our itinerary is a clockwise route from Christchurch to Christchurch. It includes Aoraki/Mt. Cook, Queenstown, Te Anau and Milford Sound Cruise, Wanaka, Franz Joseph Glacier, Pancake Rocks, Kaiteriteri, and Picton.

Tarakona

Your packing list sounds good and you don't need a puffer jacket as well. The wind jacket will be fine and we are pretty casual here in NZ about clothing. No need to bring a heavy winter coat to New Zealand or anything to 'dress up' in.
I take a light rain jacket on any holiday regardless of season and a long cardigan which can double as a bathrobe over my pj's should there be a fire alarm in the middle of the night at the hotel!
Footwear sounds fine - sneakers can be worn out for dinner etc. Bring all your own brand of toiletries. medicines, bathroom stuff etc as the choice here is not great. We have pharmacies but it's not unusual for them to be closed all weekend.

Diamantina

KarenWoo, you're welcome.

I already commented on clothing recommendations on one of your earlier AU/NZ post--I think from October 2023, so I don't want to repeat what I said there, but I think you are absolutely all set for clothing choices and seem fully aware and prepared for our climate variability and volatility.

This is how I personally dress for the outdoors, which I did not previously describe. I have long hair, so one thing I always need for windy November days is a knit hat to keep it from flying all around. The cloth summer hat I have has a wide brim and and a tie, so it doesn’t get blown off my head. It also folds up into my pocket and a built-in mesh band for air flow. If it’s not windy, a baseball cap will do. Of course, polarised sunglasses are a must, even on cloudy days because conditions can change quickly. I wear a 50 spf suncreeen year-round, though it's probably not needed in our South Island winter. Because I'm usually so covered up I only use it on my face, neck and hands. In summer, when I walk and swim outdoors, I also slather it on my arms and the back of my ears and neck.

Please allow me to share a little personal story about forgetting to use sunscreen on all exposed skin. I'm not fair-skinned. On a sunny day about two summers ago, i went for a walk to my nearby beach, my head topped with a baseball cap, my eyes protected by sunglasses, my face and arms slathered with sunscreen. i struck up a conversation with a visitor from Germany while we both watched a fur seal lazing on rocks. I hadn't expected to be out for long, so didn't bother with sunscreen on my decolletage, that is, the area between the base of the neck and the top of my scoop-necked tank top. He was so interesting, I lost track of time. We must have spoken for about an hour. When I got home, I saw my decolettage was reddish. Nearly two years later, it still is! Here, peak UV index values can be 40% higher in our summer than peak UV index values at similar latitudes in North America. I'm nearly 70, and that was only the second time in my life I've been sunburned.

In breezy, cool weather, I usually wear a tank top, topped by a fleece lined merino hoodie with lots of pockets, topped by a long Goretex jacket, if needed. The merino hoodie is lightweight and rolls up small into my daypack. But, often, if I become warm, I’ll tie it around my waist. Merino is fantastic, not scratchy, but soft and comes in various thicknesses, from light and thin (almost see-through) to thick. It’s breathable and manages moisture effectively. Those sheep you’ll see on the mountains of NZ’s South Island are usually merino.Here, on the Otago coast, they tend to be Romney sheep, which better handle damp, warmer conditions.

For hiking, I wear lightweight, quick-dry, convertible zip-off pants or fleece lined leggings. I pack waterproof pants if there's a chance of rain, and when I travel far from home and plan to hike. My zip off pants are No Fly Zone made by Kathmandu, imbued with .52% permethrin that supposedly remains effective at repelling many types of insects up to 70 washings. I have used permethrin spray to treat clothes that I’ve worn in other parts of the world where malaria and dengue are present because mosquitoes love me, NZ sandflies, not so much. Permethrin spray must be kept away from pets when applied.I think Kathmandu has discontinued its No Fly Zone line, but there are similar brands out there.

In winter, I often wear a thermal base layer, but didn't need this this winter, as it has been relatively warm. Last Wednesday we had a high of 18C, but, then, we had a polar blast yesterday that dropped the temperature to 2C (in daytime 4C). I'm cautiously optimistic that we will have a warm, sunny and mild spring and summer, but one never knows what to expect.

kate_brownell86

Your packing plan sounds pretty spot-on, especially for the mix of climates you'll be experiencing. For Australia in October, those temps you mentioned are about right, and layers will definitely be your friend. The weather should be pretty mild, and you might get away with some lighter layers during the day, but keep that windbreaker handy just in case. As for New Zealand in November, it can be a bit more unpredictable, especially on the South Island, so layering is key there too. A packable puffer jacket could be a great idea since it’s lightweight and warm without taking up too much space. I wouldn’t worry about a full-on winter coat; the puffer should do the trick. And for footwear, your choices seem perfect—hiking boots for the trails, and sneakers or sturdy shoes for everything else. You might not need sandals unless you’re planning on hitting a beach, but better safe than sorry!