* Shares edge up 0.17 pct
* All sectors up except resources
* 132 shares up, 54 down, 14 unchanged (Adds analysis, quotes, stocks on the move)
By Pauline Askin and Naomi Tajitsu
SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose for a sixth straight session on Tuesday to a six-week high, led by gains in banks and consumer staples, but plunging resources stocks capped a sharp rally.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 0.17 percent, or 9.7 points, to 5,696.6 by 0249 GMT, a level not seen since June 2. All sectors rose except resources. The benchmark rose 0.3 percent on Monday.
"The banks are going well today. It's kind of like the opposite side of the coin to the materials stocks," Tom Piotrowski, market analyst at Commonwealth Securities said.
"The market seems to have taken in its stride that tier 1 capital position news," he added.
Australia's banking regulator set a July 2016 deadline for the country's major banks to lift their capital reserves against mortgages to 25 percent, the lower end of an expected band. ID:nL3N0ZZ0EV
Solid gains in banks and consumer durables helped boost the index with National Australia Bank NAB.AX rising 1.2 percent and Westpac Bank WBC.AX up 0.9 percent.
Wesfarmers WES.AX , which runs Coles supermarkets, and Woolworths WOW.AX rose about 0.7 percent each.
Mining shares weighed heavily with BHP Billiton BHP.AX and Rio Tinto RIO.AX falling 1.1 percent and 1.5 percent respectively each. Gold miner Newcrest Mining NCM.AX fell as much as 5.6 percent as gold hovered near a five-year low.
"The weakness there has been sought out by opportunistic investors in banks," Piotrowski added.
Terramin Australia TZN.AX fell 3.1 percent after earlier hitting its highest since April 2012 after its joint venture deal ended. ID:nL3N10118A
Base metal miner South32 S32.AX fell 3.3 percent after Morningstar downgraded to 'accumulate' from 'buy'. The stock has fallen about 11 percent since its debut on May 18. ID:nL3N1011AB
For more individual stocks activity click on STXBZ .
New Zealand's benchmark NZX50 index .NZ50 traded 0.2 percent higher, or 14.2 points, at 5,876.11, having touched a six-week intraday high of 5,876.70 in early trade on gains in healthcare and industrial-related sectors.
Auckland Airport AIA.NZ led the index higher in early trade, rising 2.3 percent to a lifetime high of NZ$5.37 ($3.54).
Fisher and Paykel Healthcare FPH.NZ climbed roughly 2 percent to a lifetime high of NZ$7.46 on growing expectations that the maker and exporter of breathing apparatuses will post strong full-year earnings next month, due in part to a weaker domestic currency.
A2 Milk Company ATM.NZ rose 2.7 percent to $0.78, clawing back from a slide to $0.700 on speculation that the niche milk processor may be considering better takeover offers than the one it rejected on Monday. ID:nL3N10003T
(Editing by Christopher Cushing)