Packing list for Australia in summer

What to bring for Sydney, Melbourne and the coast from December to February: a UV index of 12 means a hat, a rash vest and SPF 50+, a layer for Melbourne's cold changes and the air conditioning, a type I adapter, and nothing in the bag that quarantine will fine you for.

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Checked October 10, 2026.

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Packing

0 of 18 packed

Sun and swimming

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A hat with a wide brimSydney's January UV index averages 12 and can reach 13; unprotected skin burns in around ten minutes between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
SPF 50+ broad-spectrum sunscreenPut it on twenty minutes before you go out, every two hours and after a swim. Pack a small tube for day one; 50+ is the highest rating sold in Australia and supermarkets stock it.
A rash vest or long-sleeved swim topTwo hours of a surf lesson or snorkeling in UV 12 burns straight through sunscreen
Sunglasses that wrapGlare comes off sand and water, and wraparounds also block light from the side.
Swimwear and a quick-dry towelBondi, Manly, St Kilda and the ocean pools, with the sea at 72 to 75°F (22 to 24°C). Swim only between the red and yellow flags where lifesavers patrol; rips pull swimmers off unpatrolled beaches every summer
Flip-flops (called thongs in Australia) and water shoesSand at midday burns feet, and rock platforms and ocean pools are sharp

Clothes and layers

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A light sweater or fleeceMelbourne can go from 95°F (35°C) to 68°F (20°C) in an hour when a cold change arrives, and evenings by the bay are cool
A windproof shellA southerly can drop Melbourne by 59°F (15°C) in an hour and bring a squall, then sun.
A layer for the air conditioningTrains, shopping centres and restaurants are chilled hard against the heat outside
One business casual outfitRooftop bars and Melbourne laneway restaurants have a dress code and the door enforces it
Light long pants and sleevesA coastal walk is three hours in full sun, so cover your arms and legs. It also keeps mosquitoes off at dusk.

Bags and gear

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A daypack of about 20 litersThe Bondi to Coogee walk and the Royal National Park tracks are 6 to 10 km in full sun; carry water, sunscreen and the hat
A reusable water bottle, one liter or moreTap water is safe and bubblers line the beaches and parks. A day in the 30s takes about two liters.
A type I adapterAustralia uses the angled three-pin plug on 230V; nothing else fits
A small first aid kit with blister bandagesCoastal paths are long and sandy, and the nearest pharmacy can be a town away

Border and money

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Clean walking bootsSoil on soles is a biosecurity risk; scrub them before you fly and declare them if you have walked on farmland
A contactless card or phone walletAlmost nothing needs cash. Sydney's trains, ferries and buses take a tapped bank card; Melbourne uses a myki card, sold at stations and 7-Eleven
Your ETA or eVisitor approval on your phoneMost visitors need an Electronic Travel Authority through the Australian ETA app, or an eVisitor, before boarding; the airline checks it

What the weather is like

Sydney summer days average 79 to 81°F (26 to 27°C) with nights at 64 to 68°F (18 to 20°C) and the sea at 72 to 75°F (22 to 24°C). February is the wettest summer month at around 130 mm, often as short heavy storms, and a westerly can push the city past 104°F (40°C) for a day. Melbourne averages 77 to 81°F (25 to 27°C) by day and 57 to 61°F (14 to 16°C) at night, but swings from 104°F (40°C) to 68°F (20°C) in an afternoon when a cold front comes through. Sydney's January UV index averages 12.

Leave at home

CashCards and phones pay for everything from the train to the pie cart, and many cafes are card only
Food, seeds, honey and wooden souvenirsDeclare all food, plant material, seeds and wooden items on the arrival card, airline snacks included. Undeclared goods draw on-the-spot fines from around A$700, and a visitor visa can be canceled.
An umbrellaSummer rain comes as a brief downpour or a Melbourne squall; a shell jacket does more, and the wind eats umbrellas

Buy when you land

SunscreenAustralian sunscreen is regulated as a medicine, sold cheaply in every supermarket and pharmacy, and comes in liter pump bottles
An Opal or myki card, or just tap your phoneSydney takes a bank card at the gate; Melbourne sells myki at stations and 7-Eleven
Insect repellentMosquitoes come out at dusk on the coast and in the parks; the local brands are made for the local mosquitoes

Worth knowing

Check the UV index in the Bureau of Meteorology app each morning. It is 3 or above every summer day, which means all five: slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade, slide on sunglasses.
Swim only between the red and yellow flags on a patrolled beach. If a rip takes you, float, raise an arm and let the lifesavers come to you; do not swim against it.
Bushfire season runs November to February. On a total fire ban day national park tracks close and smoke can reach the cities, so check the state fire service app before a coastal walk, and skip the Bondi to Coogee at noon on a 104°F (40°C) day.

Packing list for Australia in summer

Sun and swimming

Clothes and layers

Bags and gear

Border and money

What the weather is like

Worth knowing

Trips to pack this for

Never leave the charger in the hotel again.

Packing list for Australia in summer

What the weather is like

Worth knowing

Trips to pack this for

4 days in Sydney

Never leave the charger in the hotel again.