Australian police have raided two homes in New South Wales state as part of the investigation into the New Zealand mosque shootings.

Religious representatives perform a special blessing ceremony on the site of Friday's shooting outside the Linwood mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, Monday, March 18, 2019. (Photo: AP)

Australian Brenton Tarrant has been charged with murder over the shootings in Christchurch on Friday.

Police said in a statement the raids occurred in the towns of Sandy Beach and Lawrence early on Monday.

The statement says: "The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand Police in their ongoing investigation."

Tarrant grew up to the north of the raided towns in the New South Wales town of Grafton.