Tips For Shipping Your Stuff From The UK To Australia

Tips For Shipping Your Stuff From The UK To Australia

Shipping Tips for Your Stuff From The UK to Australia: Australia has a thousand and one good reasons to move there. The only downside is the creepy crawlies. But you get used to them; you just have to think of them as unwanted house guests.

So if you’ve decided Australia will be your next port of call, you’ll need to think seriously about what to take and how to get it to your final destination safely.

Local import laws – Shipping to Australia

The first thing you need to do is consider the local import laws. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) has strict regulations regarding importing food, plants, and animal materials into the country to prevent pests and diseases from entering and affecting the natural environment. We all know what happened with Johnny Depp’s furry friends recently.

Shipping – Don’ts

The following types of items will be seized and destroyed by AQIS, so don’t try to ship them!

• Any dairy products (unless listed as being from a country confirmed free of foot and mouth disease)
• Live plants (including potted, bare-rooted, roots and bulbs)
• Seeds and nuts (including cereal grains, popping corn and pine cones – including those in decorations!)
• Uncanned meat products (from any animal, including preserved or dried meats)
• Refrigerators, air conditioners or anything else containing CFCs or HCFCs

In addition, AQIS will frown upon any item covered in mud, such as boots or camping equipment, so clean and disinfect everything thoroughly before packing. And if you’re taking any of the following items, please note they could be problematic if they’ve not been washed and cleaned:

• Shoes and footwear (soles must be sterilised appropriately)
• Clothing used in countryside areas that could carry seeds, plant bits or soil
• Sports equipment and clothing (including golf gear, fishing equipment, bicycles, etc.)
• Camping equipment (tents, stoves, bedding, etc.)
• Gardening equipment (lawn mowers, patio furniture, gardening tools, etc.)
• Outdoor toys and other play equipment (swing sets, paddling pools, outdoor rockers, etc.)

Once you’ve worked out what you’re going to take, how best to transport it to your new Aussie home?

Many prefer sea freight because it’s a greener option than air freight and much more affordable. The only downside is that due to the process of international shipping, your items will take much longer to get to you. Air freight takes a fraction of the time. A good tip would be to plan a sea freight transfer as early as you possibly can. Start packing boxes today, even if you’re not leaving until next year!

Packing Tips for Shipping

• Always stick a label on the package you ship with a complete list of the contents. It sounds like a chore and, well, it is, but if you find yourself in Australia, staring at a hundred boxes, wondering which one the kettle is in, you’ll only have yourself to blame
• Check both locations in the UK and Australia to determine the best place to park the removal lorry or container. The new location may have parking restrictions you don’t know about.
• Don’t just drape a bit of bubble wrap over your treasured possessions. Your boxes are going halfway round the world in various forms of transport – wrap all fragile items tightly and securely.y
• Before you start wrapping and packing TVs and other devices, check that they will work in Australia.

So that’s it.

If you’re looking for a revolutionary, hassle-free approach to removals, why not check out the MoveCube® from Seven Seas Worldwide? It’s a mini shipping container inside a trailer that comes directly to your home for loading!

To ship your stuff from the UK to Australia, visit www.sevenseasworldwide.com.au.