Removals to Australia

Usually, we estimate around 6-9 weeks for a sole use or full container (FCL) to arrive at most imports, including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. Shared containers (LCL) take around 8-12 weeks. Removals and shipping to Adelaide, Darwin and Hobart can take slightly longer.

Unfortunately, the timescales for shipping to Australia are not precise. We would love to be able to give our customers exact timings for international removals to Australia, but several factors come into play when shipping internationally, and some of them are beyond our control.

On arrival, your shipping container will need to be cleared by customs and how long this takes can vary depending on how busy the port is. For this reason, all shipping times are only estimates. It is important to mention that there is a good chance that a part load container, sometimes referred to as a shared or LCL, will take longer to arrive than a full container load, FCL.

The cost of removals to Australia will depend on several factors, such as the volume of goods you are sending, what packing is required, and the distance you are from the port.

As a rough guide, expect to pay £1500 – £3500 for an apartment move and £7100 – £9200 for a full household removal to Australia.

There will also be additional costs to consider, such as optional insurance/shipment protection and Australian customs inspection fees that need to be paid on arrival.

The best way to get a more accurate price or estimate is to call our team or request a removals quote online. They can also advise on the best way to reduce your removal costs.

Additional fees that are not part of your removal costs quote include customs inspection fees, duties and port fees payable on arrival in Australia. They can also include storage services (if such are required) and maritime insurance or shipment protection cover, which is recommended but not required.

Items you should avoid importing into Australia

As with any country that you might be thinking of moving to, Australia has its own list of items that are restricted or prohibited that cannot be brought into the country, whether you are simply travelling there or relocating to the country.

Anybody importing anything into Australia must take the appropriate steps to check whether the items in question are restricted or prohibited and then take any necessary action.

Here are some examples of items that are restricted for import into Australia and where pre-approval must be sought:

• Antibiotics, medicines and therapeutic drugs
• Erasers (novelty) that resemble food in scent or appearance
• Some types of cosmetics
• Endangered animal fur, skins, tusks, ivory etc. (With CITES certificate)
• Firearms, ammunition and accessories
• Knives and daggers (including those for sport)
• Martial art swords or weapons
• Bamboo, wicker or cane items

While technically bringing these items into Australia may be possible, it can cause you a lot of trouble with customs and Australia’s biosecurity, so we advise you not to take them.

The following are examples of prohibited items for import into Australia:

• Seeds, plants and dried floral arrangements, including potpourri
• Original pinecones or any plant matter used for Christmas decorations or wreaths.
• Raw untreated wood or bark
• Food and meats
• Endangered animal fur, skins, tusks or ivory (Without CITES certificate)

The Government in Australia provides good, detailed guidance on items you can and cannot import into Australia and advice on how to prepare your items for shipping. There are more details on the official DAWR website.

Whilst you should certainly avoid all prohibitive items to avoid problems with customs and quarantine, we would also advise avoiding shipping restricted items as these can hold up the customs clearance process.

Our international removals service is perfect for shipping your furniture to Australia from the UK.

For furniture removals, every item is carefully packed or ‘export wrapped’ using packing materials such as blanket wrap. All furniture pieces including sofas, armchairs, beds, tables and cupboards can be packed and shipped in a container.

As large items are bulky you consider which are cost effective to send. For example, most houses and apartments in Australia have built-in wardrobes so it might not be worthwhile shipping these.

As cars are expensive and people drive on the left side in Australia, it is certainly worth considering shipping your vehicle in a 40 ft container alongside your house contents. Australia does have strict import criteria for cars so speak to our team to ensure that importing your vehicle is feasible and cost effective. Some paperwork will be required but we can help you ensure it is all completed correctly, and our agents will take care of customs clearance for you.

United International Removals take great care to make sure your belongings are well-packed and taken care of during their journey to Australia. We only use accredited shipping lines and partners that regularly ship to all Australian destinations to ensure high service levels.

However, due to the nature of international shipping and removals, it is recommended that you take out your own maritime insurance policy or shipment protection cover for complete peace of mind. Just like when you mail a parcel overseas, the shipping company cannot cover the full value of your goods in the unlikely event of something going missing or being broken.

We at United International Removals can offer a highly flexible Shipment Protection Cover that will provide you with many advantages for your removal to Australia.

The cover is simple and easy to put in place. All that is required is a shipment protection valuation form detailing the items that need to be covered and their value.

The shipment protection costs are calculated based on the value of the belongings you wish to cover and whether you have packed them yourself or they have been packed professionally.

Will you need storage in the UK or Australia?

Moving from one location in the UK to another is rarely as smooth as people hope for, so it goes without saying that when you move to another country, the process can become even trickier.

People often find that they have a gap of time in-between selling their property and moving into their new home, during which they need to place their belongings in storage. This is something we at United Removals can help you with. 

We have various storage solutions depending on your needs. We can arrange storage for your personal belongings in the UK before they are shipped or in Australia after they arrive – whichever suits your situation best.

For example, if you don’t yet have a fixed address in Australia to ship your household goods and personal effects to, we can arrange for storage in Australia while you sort out your accommodation. Once you have a property ready, our local movers can arrange delivery of your belongings from storage.

Many of our customers worry about customs clearance for all of their belongings when they arrive in Australia. This is something that we can help you with. However, you may find the following information useful when planning your move.

If you are a returning Australian citizen or a migrant with a permanent visa who has been away from Australia for over 12 months, then there will be no Customs Duties or GST to pay on any household effects that you ship. It is important to check if you meet these criteria.

However, other customs-related charges, fees and duties may need to be paid. Antiques, for example, are free of any customs duty; however, there is a 10% GST that will need to be applied. Customs regulations and duties are subject to change, so it can be a good idea to check for the most up-to-date guidelines and information.

If you do not meet the criteria for household effects, or it is deemed that your goods are commercial imports, then Customs duty and GST may be applied. On arrival in Australia, your household goods and personal effects will require inspection and clearance from Australian Customs before they are allowed into the country. In order for your shipping container to be released, you will need to pay any Australian Customs inspections and customs fees, and also any quarantine fees. These will be payable locally.

Our agents in Australia will be able to assist you with the customs clearance process. The personal Move Coordinator who is assigned to you when you choose us to assist with your removal will be able to advise you with information regarding what you can and can’t take to Australia and how you can prepare and clean your items for shipping. If you prefer, our expert packers can help you with this. This information is essential as it can help you minimise customs inspection and quarantine fees that Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) and Biosecurity may change.