Businesses that are looking to trade with Australia will benefit from an appealing consumer base which has high personal wealth and good intellectual property (IP) protection. To help you determine the logistical steps of shipping to Australia, we’ve created this comprehensive guide with information on weight and size guides, shipping timeframes, address labelling, costs and cost reduction methods.

What's the Cheapest Way to Send a Parcel to Australia?

The cheapest way to send a parcel to Australia from the UK is through DPD via our DPD: Lite service. It could cost you as little as £16.06 for a 0.5kg package. Book today and enjoy £25 free extended liability cover from ParcelBroker.

Your package could arrive in Australia in as little as 3 business days. However, there are some specific factors to consider when shipping to Australia. The most important aspect of shipping variables is the weight and dimensions of your package. You can use our shipping calculator to get up-to-date costs of delivery.

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Can I Send a Pallet to Australia?

You can send a pallet to Australia via ParcelBroker’s PB: Express Pallet service, or through DHL: Express Pallet. Using our pallet delivery calculator, you can get an instant quote for your delivery to Australia.

A pallet delivery can be a cost-effective solution when you are sending large or heavy items, or multiple packages that are intended for the same destination. Simply order your pallet online or obtain one from your local supplier, then pack your items onto the pallet and secure them with pallet shrink wrapping. Your local pallet supplier should be able to provide you with the necessary materials to secure your package.

Packaging Your Pallet

A surcharge will be applied to all non-stackable pallets. These are pallets that cannot be stacked with other freight, if necessary, due to restrictions such as the shape of the items on your pallet, or contents of a pallet which may be fragile and unsuitable for stacking.

We have included visual guidance below on how to properly arrange your pallet. Adhering to this guidance will reduce the chances of any additional handling charges or damages.

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Same-Day Pickup and Local Drop-Off

If you're sending a parcel, most carriers can collect your shipment the same day if booked before noon, or accept packages at one of their local drop off points.  Palletised freight usually needs to have a collection planned in advance to ensure the correct vehicle can be assigned and that space is pre-booked for your pallet/s.  If you do need to drop off a pallet, this will have to be to a local depot rather than a drop off point due to space restrictions.

The time frame of your delivery will also affect the cost of shipping to Australia, so keep this in mind before you guarantee shipping costs and timeframes to the recipient. You can easily compare our live prices for express delivery options below:

How Long Does it Take to Deliver to Australia?

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How to Address my Parcel for Shipping to Australia?

It is important that you correctly address your package before collection or drop-off at your local postal depot, ensuring that your label is free of spelling errors and correctly formatted.

Below we have included some tips on correct formatting for address labels to Australia:

• Write the apartment number with a forward slash before the building number.

• State the apartment or suite number on the second line, followed by a floor number (if applicable), building number and street name on the third.

• The town, suburb, or territory must be written on the fourth line in capitals, and must not include punctuation. Include the four-digit postcode on this line.

• You must write ‘AUSTRALIA’ on the bottom line in capital letters.

• Include your return address on a separate label clearly stating this is the sender’s address.

In this example, the addressee lives in apartment 4, on the 4th floor, at 8 Kane Street - Queensland:

Addressee Name
Apartment 4
Floor 4, 8 Kane Street
SOUTHPORT QLD 4354
AUSTRALIA

Why is my Package Stuck in Australian Customs?

1. Unpaid Duty Payments on Your Item(s)

Duty tax will be payable on almost all items sent to Australia, and this amount is generally based on the commercial value of the item(s) that you are sending.

The recipient can usually expect to pay around 5% of an item’s value for customs duty, and a rate of around 10% for Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Duties and tax are expected to be paid upon collection from the recipient, and they are given up to 30 days in which to pay this fee. Failure to do so will likely result in the package's destruction, abandonment, or return-to-sender for an additional charge.

2. Missing or Incorrect Documentation

Documentation will be required for the shipment of goods, or any restricted items that are included in your package. If you are a supplier sending commercial goods to Australia, then you will require the following:

• Commercial Invoice - A commercial invoice provides details of the price of the goods you are importing to Australia, as well as the amount of items being imported

• Certificate of Origin - this certification states the country of origin for where your goods were manufactured. This type of documentation could even benefit you as the sender if Australia has a free trade agreement with the country of origin.

3. Missing Import Permits

The Australian government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, places restrictions on particular items that are imported into the country. You will require an import permit if one or all of your items fall into the conditions as stated by the Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) database.

It is important that you check your goods on this website before sending, particularly if you are a supplier of agricultural goods, as failure to produce import permits could also result in the package's destruction, abandonment, or return-to-sender for an additional charge.

4. Biosecurity Inspections

Australia’s border forces have measures in place aimed at reducing the introduction of pests, parasites, or diseases into the country. For this reason, your items may be pulled for inspection at any point before release from customs.

If your item is suspected to contain materials that could cause harm to the local ecosystem, then the item may be inspected, and a charge incurred. Specific guidance for this can be found here.

What Can and Can't I send?

There are a number of items that are either prohibited or restricted from being sent to Australia, and it is vital that, as the sender, you ensure any items sent are not included in the prohibited list.

Specific guidance on items considered prohibited can be found on the Australian Government website. It is important you consult this first before sending any items you are unsure of.

Items you Can’t Ship to Australia that May Surprise You

Australia has a relatively isolated, unique ecosystem, so threats to this often include items such as plants, food, and chemicals such as pesticides. These are all items you’d not be able to ship to Australia, but you may not have considered the following restricted items:

1. Seeds - you’re not allowed to import any kind of seeds
2. Milk – unless it is from New Zealand
3. Christmas Decorations - these are often sent to be destroyed (at your expense) because they include pine cones, holly and various wooden items such as carvings and baskets. This can also include furniture if you don’t have the right documentation, as all plant and wood products are restricted as a biosecurity measure.
4. Any air shipment that is from or travelled via Egypt, Bangladesh or Somalia
5. Shipments that are made up of multiple packages from multiple suppliers combined into a single shipment
6. Items that may be contaminated - this can be flagged for items such as bikes, animal bedding, rugs, campaign equipment, barbecues and wetsuits. It’s important to thoroughly clean any items that may be contaminated with plant or animal material. You may risk any items that don’t pass customs to be professionally cleaned or destroyed at your expense.
7. Paintball guns and paintballs

COMMONLY PROHIBITED ITEMS

What are Australia’s Top Imports?

According to the OEC, in 2020, Australia was the biggest importer of Sodium or Potassium Peroxides and Horsehair Fabric. The top in industries they import for include:

• Cars
• Refined Petroleum rail
• Gold
• Broadcasting Equipment
• Computers

As an economy, Australian trade has been growing over the past few years and the fastest growing import market in 2019-2020 was China at $4.16B. It’s a considerably strong economy in terms of growth and relies heavily on import and exports to continue this.

Find out more about shipping to Australia below!

More from ParcelBroker

For more help with your shipping needs, browse our frequently asked questions (FAQs) and helpful shipping guides here.

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