Greetings, we will be in New Zealand from the 19th of December until the 29th (traveling to Raglan Rotorua etc) Then we head to Austrailia and the Great Ocean Road through the first week of January. I know the dress is casual, any detailed suggestions on what to bring to wear ? Any tips ? Thanks in advance

Definitely bring a waterproof jacket. We saw a lot of rain on the South Island in January. Otherwise, just don't overpack-- it's easy to do laundry along the way.

I'm a female and it really is true . Casual is the way to go. We had decided to take one dress and never wore it.
FOr daytime, we wore shorts or cotton pants... Columbia type pants. and jeans.
FOr tops we took T shirts.... that's all and one nicer top. I only took one fleecy jacket and one rainproof jacket and only wore them a couple of times when it rained or was cool at night.
We went our for dinner to a nice place, but not 5 star and were happy in out cotton pants and nice top.
We never founda need to weal our dresses.

I took sandals and a warmer oxford type shoe in case it was cool, but I mostly wore my sandals everyday. But take a warmer pair of running shoes or oxford type. Also take hiking boots if you are going to do any serious hiking.

SO, hope that helps.

The weather along the Victorian coast can be changeable and may be brisk - hard to say. No need to overdo the packing though - as a mere male kodi's advice sounds pretty good.

Ps, the spelling is 'Australia', with only one 'i' - derives from 'Terra Australis Incognito' = 'The Unknown South Land'. (newport, this is NOT a message from the Spelling Police, just a suggestion that may help with web searches.)

thanks all for your advice...no worries on the spell ck I do know the correct spelling however as usual I was speeding along..thanks for the tips...

I took the Great Ocean Road the last week of December three years ago. The ocean water was cold but highs during the daytime were around 100. When I got to Adelaide a cold front came through and temperatures were cold and I nearly froze at Kangaroo Island.

So, layers.

Hi
I live down in Victoria, and can let you know that the weather is VERY unpredictable. The saying goes "if you dont like the weather wait five minutes".
I suggest bringing a variety of things (not a lot, just some of everything) Nights get cool, but can also be SUPER HOT! The days can range from 20-40 degrees Celsius. I would bring thongs (flip flops) as they are the local footwear as well as bare feet (its so odd to see everyone walk everywhere in bare feet..). I had a pair of water shoes (salomons) that I used on hikes and to wear when I was walking lots. The great ocean road is AWESOME. it is a bit cooler there because of the breeze,( we are the close to Antartica!)
Yes the water is a bit cool, (usually 15 degrees Celsius) but its fabulous once you get in!
So I guess overall I would bring; shorts, tank tops, a long sleeve shirt, jacket, pair of pants, a nice skirt/shirt/dress, runners or other hiking shoes, thongs, good walking sandles perhaps. bathing suit a must!
Hope you have an awesome trip!

Good Grief PrincessHeather,

who knew that Victoria and Northern California have the same slogan! go figure!

The key is: LAYER.

Yes, Newport, it is casual, and unless you're going for some posh restaurant on your itinerary, you'll never feel out of place.

And as Tim/Liz pointed out, it's easy to do laundry anywhere (I actually plan my trips to include a place with a washer/dryer for the end of the trip, pop it in the washer during the day, dry it when I get back, pack it and you're done without having to do it when you get home..works really well).

I think the most important thing of any trip is to pack comfortable walking shoes. There's nothing that can ruin a trip more than having your feet hurt or blister. If you have that, you're far ahead; anything else you've forgotton you can always buy there.

I always like to pack a long sleeve blouse that I can use either as a blouse or a lightweight jacket -- see, "double duty" as it were. Pack light and use everything rather than throwing in everything but the kitchen sink!

Regards,

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist