The Australian cricket team toured New Zealand in late November and early December 1886. It was Australia's third tour of New Zealand, after tours in 1877-78 and 1880-81, and the shortest of the three. The Australians played five matches against provincial teams, four of which fielded 22 players (the other team, Canterbury, fielded 18) with the aim of providing more evenly-matched contests. As the matches were not 11-a-side they are not considered to have been first-class. The Australians won two of the matches and drew the other three.