However McCullum, in an aside which almost slipped by, having paid tribute to Australia's strength in depth, gave an insight into his thinking of what lies ahead.
"We're very respectful of how good they are and how big a challenge we have - at the same time I'd rather have our team than theirs."
When the first test against the Aussies starts in Wellington, it will be six years since the last transtasman test on this side of the water.
Christchurch's Hagley Oval has the second test, and a chance to back up a strong start to its return as an international venue last summer.
The three Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-dayers should draw bumper crowds, given their two clashes last season - the World Cup final in Melbourne and, perhaps more pertinently, New Zealand's stunning one-wicket win at Eden Park in pool play.
New Zealand Cricket has inked in eight Chappell-Hadlee series in the next seven years as on-field relations with New Zealand's nearest and dearest go from famine to feast in one giant leap.
McCullum should complete his 100th successive test in the first Australian test in what will almost certainly be his last year in all international forms. He insists the impending century hasn't occupied his mind - "I've been focusing on horses," he quipped. "That's not my motivating force for playing the game. It's about going out, playing with your mates and trying to get some results for your country."
And he hasn't felt the tingle in the fingertips to be in the middle on the just-completed African limited-overs tour either. He felt from the development perspective, the tour - which ended with an ODI defeat in the third and final match of the series against South Africa in Durban yesterday - had been a success.
Among the individuals to shine have been opener Tom Latham who, in the course of the 2-1 series loss, rattled up scores of 60, 64 and 54, all at a highly acceptable run rate.
When McCullum returns, expect him to resume his limited-overs opening arrangement with Martin Guptill. But the clock is ticking on McCullum and Latham appeals as the next cab in line.
McCullum will have one last outing on his Dunedin home ground in the first test against Sri Lanka.
The three tours will feature games in eight locations, with the smaller provincial locations getting a nod in the form of two Sri Lankan ODIs in Nelson, and an ODI and a T20 in Mt Maunganui. Auckland has two T20s - against Sri Lanka and Pakistan - and two ODIs, against the Pakistan and Australia.
New Zealand's international home season
v Sri Lanka
Dec 10-14: first test, Dunedin
Dec 18-22: second test, Hamilton
Dec 26: first ODI, Christchurch (day)
Dec 28: second ODI, Christchurch (day)
Dec 31: third ODI, Nelson (day)
Jan 2: fourth ODI, Nelson (day)
Jan 5: fifth ODI, Mt Maunganui (day)
Jan 7: first T20, Mt Maunganui (day)
Jan 10: second T20, Eden Park (day)
v Pakistan
Jan 15: first T20, Eden Park (d/n)
Jan 17: second T20, Hamilton (d/n)
Jan 22: third T20, Westpac Stadium, Wellington (d/n)
Jan 25: first ODI, Basin Reserve, Wellington (day)
Jan 28: second ODI, Napier (d/n)
Jan 31: third ODI, Eden Park (day)
v Australia
Feb 3: first ODI, Eden Park, (d/n)
Feb 6: second ODI, Westpac Stadium (d/n)
Feb 8: third ODI, Hamilton (d/n)
Feb 12-16: first test, Basin Reserve
Feb 20-24: second test, Christchurch
