Shipping your goods by container

Shipping goods, known as Unaccompanied Personal Effects, tends to be cheaper than buying them again overseas. However, keep in mind that Australia is a very expensive country for purchases. When considering what to ship, perhaps look at Australian shopping websites to get an idea of the cost of replacements. This might help with your packing! Also remember that our voltage is 220-240, so shipping electronics and white goods (fridge, microwave, etc) may not be practical.

Container shipping methods

Full Container Load Service (FCL) / Exclusive Use

If you have a lot of belongings to ship, you can hire an entire 20 foot or 40 foot steel shipping container.  To give you an idea of the size, a 20 foot container should fit the contents of a three-bedroom house.

Groupage Service / Shared Container

If you don’t have enough goods to fill a 20 foot container, you can share one with other people/companies. This is a much more cost-effective way to move your goods to Australia.

Quarantine

Remember that Australia has very strict quarantine rules. Ensure that any outdoor items such as garden furniture, sports shoes, bicycles, swing sets, and gardening equipment is cleaned and disinfected. There cannot be any soil on these items.

Also be aware that wooden items will be inspected for woodworm and other issues.

Sending Belongings as Cargo or by International Mail

This an excellent document with more detailed advice from Australian Customs.