A guide to shipping your belongings to Australia
Whether you are starting a degree in Melbourne, taking a job in Sydney or retiring to the Gold Coast, the question is the same: how do you get your things from the UK to the other side of the world without paying a fortune? This guide covers shipping belongings to Australia from the UK for every type of mover, from one extra suitcase to a full family home. You will find costs, transit times, Australia’s strict biosecurity rules, the customs paperwork you need and how to ship things back again.
| from £180 one suitcase by sea |
from £290 three to five boxes by sea |
8 to 12 weeks sea freight door to door |
7 to 10 days air freight door to door |
Checked October 2026. All prices are indicative “from” figures for door to door shipping and are confirmed when you book. Customs and biosecurity rules change, so check the official source before you pack.
Your shipping options at a glance
There are six realistic ways to move your belongings to Australia. Most people combine two of them: a fast option for the first few weeks and a cheaper sea option for the rest.
| Option | Typical cost | Transit time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airline excess bag | £60 to £120 per extra bag, per leg; a 23kg case at the check-in desk can pass £400 on long haul | Arrives with you | One extra bag you need on day one |
| Excess baggage by sea | From around £180 for one 23kg suitcase | 8 to 12 weeks | A few cases of clothes and personal items |
| Excess baggage by air | From around £320 for one 23kg suitcase | 7 to 10 days | Items you need soon after landing |
| Shipping boxes by sea | From around £290 for three to five boxes (around 0.5 cubic metres) | 8 to 12 weeks | Students and light movers |
| Sea freight Groupage | From around £550 for around 1 cubic metre | 8 to 12 weeks | Small flat contents or a few pieces of furniture |
| FCL (20ft or 40ft container) | Quoted on survey | 8 to 12 weeks | Full home moves |
For one or two cases, see baggage shipping to Australia. For boxes, see shipping boxes to Australia. For larger loads, Groupage and FCL are covered on our freight to Australia page.
Shipping options by persona
The right service depends on who you are and how much you are moving. Here is how each type of mover usually ships to Australia.
Students
Most students moving to Australia ship three to five boxes by sea, from around £290, and fly with one suitcase of essentials. Collection is available from halls, student flats or your family home, and delivery can go straight to your accommodation. Book sea freight 8 to 12 weeks before semester starts, so a February start means booking in November or early December. Our student shipping service is set up for this.
Professionals relocating for work
If you are relocating for work, check whether your employer offers a relocation allowance and what it covers. A common pattern is air freight for work clothes and a laptop bag of essentials, plus sea freight Groupage for the rest. If you are on a temporary visa, keep your inventory and receipts in order, as customs looks at your residency status when deciding on duty.
Families moving home
Families usually move the contents of a home in a 20ft or 40ft FCL container, which keeps your belongings sealed from your UK doorstep to Australia. A free video survey through the Anglo Pacific app gives you an accurate volume and a same day quote. Allow time for the biosecurity inspection of outdoor furniture, bikes and garden tools. Full details are on our removals to Australia page.
Retirees
Retirees often downsize before moving, so Groupage for around 5 to 15 cubic metres of furniture, art and keepsakes is a common choice. If you hold a parent or retirement visa, gather your visa grant and passport early, as customs will ask for them with your personal effects statement. Think carefully about large electricals: Australia uses the same 230V supply as the UK but a different plug.
A few extra boxes or excess baggage
If you just have a few more things than your airline allows, two or three suitcases by sea from around £180 each is usually cheaper than paying excess at the airport. Read our guide to excess baggage shipping for the options.
What it costs to ship your belongings to Australia
Anglo Pacific prices by volume, door to door, and fixes the price when you book. The figures below are starting points from the UK; your quote depends on your exact volume, collection postcode and delivery address.
| Shipment | Approximate volume | Sea freight from | Air freight from |
|---|---|---|---|
| One suitcase | Up to 23kg | around £180 | around £320 |
| Three to five boxes | around 0.5 cubic metres | around £290 | Quoted on inventory |
| Small flat contents (Groupage) | around 1 cubic metre | around £550 | Quoted on inventory |
| One bedroom flat (Groupage or 20ft FCL) | around 10 to 15 cubic metres | Quoted on survey | Rarely cost effective |
| Three to four bedroom house (40ft FCL) | around 50 to 65 cubic metres | Quoted on survey | Not suitable |
Australian customs charges and quarantine inspection fees are separate from freight and depend on what is in your shipment..
How long shipping to Australia takes
Australia is one of the longest sea routes from the UK, so plan backwards from your arrival date.
| Service | Door to door transit | Book ahead by |
|---|---|---|
| Excess baggage or boxes by air | 7 to 10 days | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Excess baggage or boxes by sea | 8 to 12 weeks | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Sea freight Groupage | 8 to 12 weeks, plus time to consolidate | 8 to 12 weeks |
| FCL container | 8 to 12 weeks | 8 to 12 weeks |
Biosecurity inspections can add a few days to a few weeks at busy times, particularly for shipments with outdoor items.
What you can and cannot ship to Australia
Australia has some of the strictest biosecurity laws in the world. Rules are set by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and enforced at the border with the Australian Border Force (ABF).
| Category | Rule |
|---|---|
| Food | Most food is restricted. Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy and seeds should not be packed. Shelf stable commercially packaged food may be allowed but must be declared. |
| Soil and plant material | Prohibited. Clean all soil from shoes, boots, garden tools, bikes, prams and outdoor furniture. |
| Wooden items and cane | Allowed if clean and free of bark and insects, but they may be inspected. |
| Medicines | Prescription medicines must be in original packaging with a prescription or doctor’s letter. Some medicines need a permit. |
| Weapons | Firearms, knives and some self defence items are prohibited or need a permit. |
| Vapes and nicotine | Vapes and nicotine products are tightly controlled and should not be shipped. |
| Alcohol and tobacco | Duty usually applies to alcohol and tobacco sent as unaccompanied goods. |
Check DAFF’s BICON database for anything you are unsure about. This is general guidance and not legal advice.
Customs paperwork for Australia
Your personal effects can usually enter Australia free of duty and GST if they are used, owned by you and imported for your own use, but the concession depends on your circumstances. To clear your shipment you will normally need:
- A completed Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement (form B534) from the Australian Border Force
- A copy of your passport photo page and your Australian visa
- A detailed, numbered inventory of every box
- Receipts for any new items, which may attract duty and GST
Anglo Pacific prepares the customs paperwork with you and our Australian agent handles clearance on arrival. For the latest rules, see the Australian Border Force and DAFF websites. This is general guidance and not legal advice.
Pros and cons of shipping instead of flying with it
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Far cheaper than airline excess fees once you send two or more bags | Sea freight needs several weeks of notice |
| Collection from any UK address, including halls and family homes | Someone must be available to receive the delivery |
| Door to door with customs paperwork prepared for you | Restricted and prohibited items cannot be shipped |
| Scales from one suitcase to a full container | Your inventory must be accurate for customs |
Ship the bulk of your belongings by sea, fly with what you need for the first two months, and keep every box clean enough to pass biosecurity.
Ten packing tips for shipping to Australia
- Use double walled boxes. Supermarket boxes are rarely strong enough for an international move.
- Pack heavy items in small boxes and light, bulky items in large ones. Keep each box to around 30kg.
- Fill every gap with paper or soft items so nothing moves in transit.
- Vacuum pack bedding and winter clothes to cut volume, which cuts cost.
- Number every box and keep a matching inventory. Customs will ask for it.
- Scrub boots, bikes, tents and garden tools until there is no soil left, as Australian biosecurity will inspect them.
- Wrap electricals in their original packaging where you can, and remove batteries from devices that do not need them.
- Label each box with your name, destination address and phone number on two sides.
- Keep passports, visas, medication, laptops and jewellery with you on the plane.
- Take photos of valuable items before packing in case you need to make an insurance claim.
Shipping your belongings back to the UK from Australia
The same services run in reverse through partner agents in Australia, so you can send boxes, excess baggage or a full home back to any UK address. Many people ship home at the end of a working holiday, a degree or a long contract.
- Transfer of Residence relief. If you are moving your normal home to the UK, you may be able to bring personal belongings in free of duty and import VAT by applying for Transfer of Residence relief (form ToR1) on GOV.UK before your goods arrive. In general you must have lived outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months and owned and used the items for at least 6 months.
- Students. If you studied in the UK on a study visa and are returning with used personal belongings, relief may apply. Confirm the position when you get your quote.
- Restricted goods. The UK also controls meat, dairy, plants and some medicines. Check the GOV.UK guidance on bringing goods into the UK before you pack.
- Timing. Allow the same transit time in reverse: 8 to 12 weeks by sea and 7 to 10 days by air.
This is general guidance and not legal advice.
Moving money to Australia
If you are moving savings or a house sale deposit, a specialist currency provider such as Halo Financial can help you fix an exchange rate ahead of your move. This is general information, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the cheapest way to ship belongings to Australia from the UK?
Sea freight is usually the cheapest, from around £180 for one suitcase or around £290 for three to five boxes door to door. It takes around 8 to 12 weeks, so book early.
2. How long does it take to ship boxes to Australia?
Sea freight takes around 8 to 12 weeks door to door. Air freight takes around 7 to 10 days.
3. Is it cheaper to ship or pay excess baggage?
For one bag, airline excess can be competitive. For two or more bags, or if you pay at the check-in desk, shipping is usually cheaper.
4. Do I pay duty on personal belongings in Australia?
Used personal effects you own are often free of duty and GST, but new items, alcohol and tobacco can attract charges. Check the Australian Border Force website.
5. What is the B534 form?
It is the Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement you complete for goods arriving separately from you. Anglo Pacific helps you prepare it.
6. Can I ship food to Australia?
Most food is restricted and must be declared. It is safest to leave food out of your shipment altogether.
7. Can I ship my bike or garden tools?
Yes, if they are spotless. Any soil or plant material can lead to cleaning or treatment fees at your cost.
8. Should I use Groupage or FCL?
Groupage suits smaller volumes such as a flat or a few pieces of furniture. FCL suits full home moves and keeps your goods sealed in one container.
9. Can I ship my belongings back to the UK from Australia?
Yes. The service runs in reverse through partner agents, and Transfer of Residence relief may apply.
10. How do I get a quote?
Book a free video survey through the Anglo Pacific app or send an inventory, and you will get a quote the same working day.
Ready to ship your belongings to Australia?
Get a fixed quote today, or choose the service that fits your move: baggage shipping to Australia, shipping boxes to Australia, freight to Australia or a full removal to Australia. Still planning? Read our guide on how to move to Australia from the UK, or call 020 8965 1234.
