What to Wear When Travelling In Australia

Jeans & T-shirt. Skirt & blouse. Technical pants & T-Shirts. What shall I wear? An obvious question we all ask ourselves all the times before packing. What to wear when when travelling in Australia is challenging, especially for the first time traveller, who does not know much about the country and its environment.

Travelling around Australia means crossing different climate zones with varying conditions of weather and temperatures. You can be travelling from desertic areas of theAustralian Outback with hot and dry weather to the mild Mediterranean climate of the South-West regions, too hot and humid areas of the Tropical North.

And this happens within a few hours of flight. To enjoy Australia’s great outdoors and diverse environment, you must be active and quickly adjust to weather changes. And the weather can suddenly change in Australia with big temps drop overnight.

So it’s good to be prepared and know when it’s the best time to visit Australiaand pack efficiently.

How to choose what to wear in Australia for travel

To get active in the outdoors, you will need comfortable, light-weight travel wear that offers maximal freedom with any movements and high comfort in any situation and weather.

I always travel long-term in Australiaand know how important it is to travel light and at the same time to wear proper clothes that make you feel warm, dry and protected in all weather conditions.

What not to wear in Australia

There are a few things you should not do in Australia and also not wear when travelling in Australia:

1. Tight Jeans and Leggings, especially on long haul-flights.
2. Synthetic fabrics for all kind of clothing, they are not breathable.
3. Dark colours, avoid black, blue and brown and prefer all pastel colours, beige, etc.
4. Singlets at the beach, the Australia sun is strong, cover your shoulders and arms.
5. Flip flops (thongs) in the bush or on walking trails.

On my solo travels in Australia, I have learned many things about the most suitable wear, so I put together these tips to help you get started with the essential things from what to wear on a long-haul flight to what to pack for your Australia Trip.

What clothes to pack for Australia

I know how difficult it is to choose what to pack for Australia. Whether you travel to Australia, climate zones and weather conditions can change abruptly, even in peak summertime. So my best tip is to pack multifunctional clothes that can easily adjust to weather and temperature changes. Technical clothing that you can wear anywhere at all times.

Wear versatile travel clothes

By choosing the right travel clothes, you will feel comfortable in all situations. From bush-walking to dining out, from camping in the dusty red outback to sunbathing in the tropical beaches, you will need to have the right travel dress that is versatile and easily combined with other garments used in different situations. So pick travel garments that can be used for various purposes and conditions.

Prefer functional clothing to jeans

I love technical wear. It’s my favourite clothing for travel because it is ultra-lightweight. It allows you to stay dry, adjusts to your body temperature, and keeps you dry, warm, and comfortable in all weather conditions. Most fabrics are technologically advanced; they are waterproof, breathable, and moisture-wicking, i.e., they allow the body’s moisture to pass through.

Moreover, functional wear is easy-care and durable; you can wear technical clothing for years and years. When I am on the road, I use functional wear because it provides the highest comfort for travel, and I often wear travel clothes in everyday life.

Choose clothing that allows the layering principle

This means trying to use a piece of garment in as many different situations. Either as a lower, a mid or an outer layer. I always pack these high-comfort technical garments in my travel bag:

• 3 singlets (light colours)
• 3 T-Shirt  (light colours)
• 1 long-sleeve + 1 short-sleeve shirts
• 2 fleece jumpers, one with sleeves and one without
• 2 pairs of trousers (pants)
• 2 pair of shorts
• 1 rain & wind jacket (foldable)
• 1 waterproof jacket

What to wear in Australia in Summer

Australian summer starts around the beginning to the middle of December and lasts till the end of February, but March can have hot days. Depending on which region you travel to, the weather changes a lot. In the southern regions from west to east, the weather can be pretty hot and dry so you must wear shorts with T-shirts, possibly in light colours.

I recommend wearing long sleeves if you are sensitive to the sun. In Australia, you must protect your skin from the high UVs in the sun-rays. At the beach, always wear a wide-brimmed hat and cover your shoulders and arms to avoid sun-burning. Make sure you protect your eyes from the intense sunlight with the right sunglasses.

In Northern Tropical Australia during summer, it will be raining a lot and, it will be hot and sticky with temps around 35-45°C, not the best time for a visit. If it happens to travel to North Queensland, Darwin, or Nort Western Australia, pack functional light-wear to minimise the high humidity’s side-effects in the air.

The perfect outfit for travelling in Summer

There are a few must-have garments that belong to your packing list for Australia. Here are my tips:

1. Shorts above the knee or just underneath. Choose some with multiple pockets. I have chosen these shorts with extra side-pockets of a light and breathable fabric. See them here.
2. A short sleeve-shirt or T-Shirt. I love the ones from Odlo; they are the best for body comfort.
3. A wide-brim hat, I would suggest you get one in Australia as they are specially designed with an extension to protect your shoulders from the intense sun rays. Click on my favourite summer hat.

Read on to learn about the benefits of multi-functional wear.

What to wear in Australia in Winter

Australia is one of those countries where winter weather conditions can set in even in summer. Moreover, in most Australian regions, you get cool nights and warm days throughout the year. You must remember that wind will be your travel companion, especially when travelling in coastal areas.

You should pack a rain and wind jacket for travelling in Australia during winter and summer, too. I chose essentially and can put an overlay on a fleece, lighter jacket, or shell.

Footwear  – 3 pairs of shoes is the right number

Footwear is essential when travelling in Australia as you will walk in all kinds of weather and landscapes. You will constantly be outdoors. Therefore, comfortable and suitable shoes are a must. The same principle is valid here. Pack possibly not more than three pairs of shoes that can be used in different situations. Like the example here below:

• Technical Boots for outdoor activities, walking, hiking, in different environment+ climate.
• Technical Sandals or sneakers for leisure activities, city walking.
• Flip flops, an institution in Australia! You can use them every day and everywhere if you feel comfortable with them. And they can be used indoors too. But avoid using them in public, on trains, aeroplanes, buses, public toilets, eateries, etc., where you can get infections.

Underwear and Sleepwear – discover multi-functional garments

You may think, what? They are also essential garments, such as travel trousers, travel jackets, and anything else. If you plan to be physically active outdoors, you need underwear that keeps you dry when you sweat.

Sleepwear is also essential, whether you wear a pair of leggings and a top, a shirt or a pyjama. In Australia, temperatures drop dramatically in Outback areas and the forest. On my last trip, I tried to wear leggings and a top, but it was not good in the Outback. I remember waking up feeling cold. In Melbourne, I discovered a functional Body Map ideal for running or using as a base layer. And then I turned my body map into a fantastic piece of travel sleepwear, too.

Choose and pack travel wear with purpose

Make a list of planned things and outdoor activities and a shortlist of categories along the time allocated. Here it is a simple example:

• Outdoor 60%
• Entertainment 20%
• City Sightseeing 20%
•  

This list will help you to identify what to pack for Australia quickly. It will also show you how to take advantage of multi-functional garments while combining clothing altogether and use them in different situations.

By choosing wisely what clothes to wear in Australia, it will be easy to know how to pack your luggage.

Finding a balance between choosing the proper travel clothing and packing light. While it takes time to create your packing ritual, travelling is the best way to put into practice ideas and develop new packing habits that work well and fit your travel style.

I’ve also put together this list of packing tips for Australia.

Pin it for later!

Related Articles:

Australia Trip Plan

What To Pack For Australia

Flying to Australia

Getting Around Australia

Campervanning around Australia

Car Rental in Australia

A Guide To Travelling To Australia 

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First published in 2015, last updated in March 2024

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