Australian Dollar to New Zealand Dollar exchange rate history 1971 to 2026: two commodity economies
One Australian Dollar bought 0.9991 NZD in 1971 and 1.2068 NZD in 2026. Two commodity economies. The series covers 56 years of annual data.
- 2026 avg
- 1.2068
- year to date
- Highest avg
- 1.5413
- 1984
- Lowest avg
- 0.9990
- 1972
- Traded range
- 0.9933 to 1.7637
- low 1973, high 1984
Source: Federal Reserve H.10 cross rate (DEXUSAL ÷ DEXUSNZ). Latest daily observation 2026-10-30.
Annual averages of daily observations.
AUD/NZD since 1971
Australian Dollar to New Zealand Dollar averaged 0.9991 NZD in 1971 and 1.1082 NZD in 2025, 10.9% higher across 55 complete years.
The annual average has ranged from 0.9990 in 1972 to 1.5413 in 1984. On individual trading days the series reached 0.9933 and 1.7637, a ratio of 1.8 to 1.
What moves AUD/NZD
AUD: The Australian dollar has floated since 1983 and is sensitive to commodity prices, China and global risk appetite.
NZD: The New Zealand dollar has floated since 1985 and is a small, liquid currency driven by dairy exports and risk appetite.
For AUD/NZD, the AUD leg responds to iron ore and commodity prices, Chinese demand, Reserve Bank of Australia policy, while the NZD leg responds to dairy and commodity prices, Reserve Bank of New Zealand policy, global risk appetite. The exchange rate is the market's attempt to balance the two sets of forces.
The trans-Tasman pair
AUD/NZD compares two commodity exporters. The Australian dollar has floated since 1983 and is sensitive to commodity prices, China and global risk appetite.
The New Zealand dollar has floated since 1985 and is a small, liquid currency driven by dairy exports and risk appetite. That means the pair is driven by the relative performance of the two export baskets, not just by the US dollar.
AUD/NZD compares two commodity exporters with close economic links, so the pair is driven by relative export performance. The series moved +10.9% over 55 complete years, and the traded range was 0.9933 to 1.7637.
The five largest AUD/NZD moves
Ranked by absolute year-end change, the five largest moves were 1984 (+26.7%), 1988 (+24.1%), 1985 (-21.5%), 1975 (+19.5%), 2013 (-13.7%). The biggest was 1984, when the rate moved from 1.3697 to 1.7350, a change of 26.7%.
Across 55 complete years the pair rose in 25 and fell in 29. The average annual change was +0.6% with a standard deviation of 8.3 percentage points, which is one way to compare its volatility with other pairs.
AUD/NZD by decade
Grouped by decade, the annual average was 1.0816 in 1971-1979 and 1.1006 in 2020-2026. The widest decade-to-decade change was +21.5% between 1971-1979 and 1980-1989, when the average moved from 1.0816 to 1.3146.
The final bucket, 2020-2026, is a partial decade and includes the year-to-date 2026 average. The table below shows every bucket with its high and low, so the short-run moves and the long-run level can be read together.
How to read the AUD/NZD data
This is a derived cross rate. Each day's AUD/NZD is calculated from the two US dollar legs in Federal Reserve H.10 cross rate (DEXUSAL ÷ DEXUSNZ), joined on the same calendar date with up to seven days of holiday carry-forward. No figure on this page is estimated or interpolated.
AUD/NZD annual average, 1971 to 2026
Annual average with the full trading range for each year. average high–low range
Source: Federal Reserve H.10 cross rate (DEXUSAL ÷ DEXUSNZ). Figures are annual averages of daily observations.
AUD to NZD exchange rate by year
Every year since 1971: annual average, the year high and low, the year-end rate, and the change on the previous year.
| Year | Average | High | Low | Year end | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.9991 | 1.0088 | 0.9973 | 0.9978 | n/a |
| 1972 | 0.9990 | 1.0654 | 0.9933 | 1.0654 | +6.8% |
| 1973 | 1.0453 | 1.0779 | 0.9933 | 1.0422 | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 1.0274 | 1.0842 | 0.9962 | 1.0107 | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 1.0893 | 1.2090 | 1.0023 | 1.2080 | +19.5% |
| 1976 | 1.2322 | 1.2939 | 1.1152 | 1.1524 | -4.6% |
| 1977 | 1.1438 | 1.1574 | 1.1184 | 1.1201 | -2.8% |
| 1978 | 1.1043 | 1.1338 | 1.0751 | 1.0808 | -3.5% |
| 1979 | 1.0941 | 1.1479 | 1.0538 | 1.1248 | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 1.1706 | 1.2299 | 1.1220 | 1.2283 | +9.2% |
| 1981 | 1.3267 | 1.3978 | 1.2260 | 1.3706 | +11.6% |
| 1982 | 1.3529 | 1.4039 | 1.3175 | 1.3379 | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 1.3497 | 1.4048 | 1.3050 | 1.3697 | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 1.5413 | 1.7637 | 1.3401 | 1.7350 | +26.7% |
| 1985 | 1.4181 | 1.7434 | 1.1288 | 1.3622 | -21.5% |
| 1986 | 1.2793 | 1.3924 | 1.1449 | 1.2541 | -7.9% |
| 1987 | 1.1850 | 1.2670 | 1.0858 | 1.0936 | -12.8% |
| 1988 | 1.1986 | 1.3853 | 1.0643 | 1.3569 | +24.1% |
| 1989 | 1.3240 | 1.4753 | 1.2538 | 1.3295 | -2.0% |
| 1990 | 1.3096 | 1.3595 | 1.2465 | 1.3163 | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 1.3474 | 1.4187 | 1.2824 | 1.4053 | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 1.3666 | 1.4209 | 1.3113 | 1.3418 | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 1.2573 | 1.3467 | 1.1686 | 1.2134 | -9.6% |
| 1994 | 1.2330 | 1.2754 | 1.1953 | 1.2110 | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 1.1293 | 1.2049 | 1.0530 | 1.1369 | -6.1% |
| 1996 | 1.1385 | 1.1824 | 1.1013 | 1.1244 | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 1.1229 | 1.1687 | 1.0848 | 1.1227 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 1.1740 | 1.2083 | 1.1209 | 1.1619 | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 1.2203 | 1.2905 | 1.1577 | 1.2533 | +7.9% |
| 2000 | 1.2752 | 1.3507 | 1.1950 | 1.2571 | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 1.2303 | 1.2718 | 1.1876 | 1.2298 | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 1.1729 | 1.2348 | 1.0725 | 1.0737 | -12.7% |
| 2003 | 1.1195 | 1.1643 | 1.0699 | 1.1469 | +6.8% |
| 2004 | 1.1093 | 1.1737 | 1.0570 | 1.0836 | -5.5% |
| 2005 | 1.0821 | 1.1182 | 1.0439 | 1.0726 | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 1.1621 | 1.2431 | 1.0801 | 1.1189 | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 1.1394 | 1.2060 | 1.0930 | 1.1430 | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 1.1932 | 1.2911 | 1.0958 | 1.2009 | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 1.2474 | 1.2900 | 1.1775 | 1.2376 | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 1.2744 | 1.3474 | 1.2152 | 1.3168 | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 1.3056 | 1.3731 | 1.2422 | 1.3134 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 1.2783 | 1.3139 | 1.2387 | 1.2572 | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 1.1798 | 1.2662 | 1.0797 | 1.0851 | -13.7% |
| 2014 | 1.0869 | 1.1299 | 1.0449 | 1.0484 | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 1.0762 | 1.1366 | 1.0066 | 1.0649 | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 1.0677 | 1.1287 | 1.0248 | 1.0391 | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 1.0790 | 1.1282 | 1.0345 | 1.1007 | +5.9% |
| 2018 | 1.0800 | 1.1162 | 1.0454 | 1.0499 | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 1.0551 | 1.0857 | 1.0286 | 1.0423 | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 1.0613 | 1.1014 | 1.0021 | 1.0716 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 1.0622 | 1.0923 | 1.0305 | 1.0616 | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 1.0937 | 1.1419 | 1.0504 | 1.0730 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 1.0816 | 1.1048 | 1.0578 | 1.0770 | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 1.0906 | 1.1146 | 1.0580 | 1.1053 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | 1.1082 | 1.1588 | 1.0662 | 1.1588 | +4.8% |
| 2026 YTD | 1.2068 | 1.2517 | 1.1530 | 1.2485 | +7.7% |
1971–2026 · 55 complete calendar years. Annual figures are averages of available daily observations. 2026 is year to date: the average is based on 209 published trading days through 2026-10-30.
Five largest AUD/NZD moves
The largest absolute year-end changes in the published series, using complete calendar years only.
- 1984 +26.7% 1.3697 to 1.7350
Year-end rate moved from 1.3697 to 1.7350, a change of 26.7%.
- 1988 +24.1% 1.0936 to 1.3569
Year-end rate moved from 1.0936 to 1.3569, a change of 24.1%.
- 1985 -21.5% 1.7350 to 1.3622
Year-end rate moved from 1.7350 to 1.3622, a change of 21.5%.
- 1975 +19.5% 1.0107 to 1.2080
Year-end rate moved from 1.0107 to 1.2080, a change of 19.5%.
- 2013 -13.7% 1.2572 to 1.0851
Year-end rate moved from 1.2572 to 1.0851, a change of 13.7%.
AUD/NZD by decade
Annual averages grouped into decade buckets. The first and last buckets may cover fewer than ten years.
| Period | Average | High | Low | vs previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–1979 | 1.0816 | 1.2939 | 0.9933 | n/a |
| 1980–1989 | 1.3146 | 1.7637 | 1.0643 | +21.5% |
| 1990–1999 | 1.2299 | 1.4209 | 1.0530 | -6.4% |
| 2000–2009 | 1.1731 | 1.3507 | 1.0439 | -4.6% |
| 2010–2019 | 1.1483 | 1.3731 | 1.0066 | -2.1% |
| 2020–2026 | 1.1006 | 1.2517 | 1.0021 | -4.2% |
Average of the annual averages in each period. The first and last rows cover partial decades.
AUD/NZD history: the years that moved the rate
Each event below is dated and tied to one of the currencies in this pair.
- 1983 1983-12-12
Australian dollar floated
Australia floated the Australian dollar, ending the managed exchange rate regime and letting the market set the currency's value.
- 1985 1985-03-04
New Zealand dollar floated
New Zealand floated the New Zealand dollar at an initial rate of about US$0.4444, ending the managed exchange rate system.
- 2008 2008-09-15
Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy
The collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered a global financial crisis, a flight into the US dollar and extreme volatility across currency markets.
- 2020 2020-03-15
Pandemic triggers a global dash for cash
The COVID-19 shock caused a worldwide sell-off and a surge in demand for US dollars, followed by large central bank intervention and emergency rate cuts.
AUD/NZD history: common questions
What was the AUD/NZD rate in 1971?
One AUD averaged 0.9991 NZD in 1971, with a range of 0.9973 to 1.0088 and a year-end rate of 0.9978.
How volatile has AUD/NZD been?
Across 55 complete years the average annual change was +0.6% with a standard deviation of 8.3 percentage points. The largest drawdown was 40.1%, from 1984 to 2016.
What was the biggest single-year move in AUD/NZD?
1984 was the largest, at +26.7%. The year-end rate moved from 1.3697 to 1.7350.
What is the highest AUD/NZD rate on record?
The highest annual average was 1.5413 in 1984. The highest single observation was 1.7637 in 1984.
What is the lowest AUD/NZD rate on record?
The lowest annual average was 0.9990 in 1972. The lowest single observation was 0.9933 in 1973.
What is the AUD/NZD rate in 2026?
The 2026 average is 1.2068 NZD per AUD, based on the year to date. The latest complete year, 2025, averaged 1.1082.
Query any AUD/NZD rate since 1971
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--data-urlencode 'date=1984-06-15' 56 years of AUD/NZD.
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