Good to Know Tips Before Your Move to Australia
The Australian moving season is around the corner, so NOW, would be about the right time to start planning your international move.
Australian customs regulations are among the strictest in the world. The movement of your household goods could allow the entry of pests and diseases therefore all personal effects entering the country are subject to biosecurity control.
The department is interested in items that originate from animals or plants (including timber). Goods that have come into contact with animals, plants, water food and soil are also subjected to inspection.
There is a complete list of items that are strictly prohibited which can be provided by your moving company but if in doubt please check BICON - Australian Biosecurity Import Conditions
A door to door move (own container basis) from Singapore to Australia will take approximately 5 – 7 weeks (depending on the port of entry) and DAFF Inspection. There are also options for Groupage (shared container) and Less Than a Container Load (LCL) if you do not need a full container but the timing would differ. DAFF ( Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry ) can take up to 2 weeks and all items will be thoroughly checked. Sometimes, boxes will be opened up and not necessarily repacked in its original condition. Insurance is always recommended for all your International Moving needs due to the handling at ports, movement on ships, inspection at quarantine and trucking to your destination.
We cannot emphasize the importance of planning your move early as Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year not just for moving companies but also for the Port Authorities. The earlier the container arrives in December you will avoid any delays due to congestion and the holidays. Any delays at port or dates coinciding with holidays will lead to extra charges.
Where possible, do advise your mover at the earliest possible time on your final address. Australian Movers will charge for delivery to “remote” areas, delivery above ground floor, difficult access, and when a separate truck is needed to transfer the shipment from the container to the house.
Most International Movers will provide you with a list of how to prepare your shipment prior to packing but some of the requirements include thoroughly cleaning dirt off all shoes, sports equipment, outdoor furniture, dust bags and nozzles in vacuum cleaners. Should any items not meet inspection standards, they will either be disposed of, or treated (both at additional charges).
A couple of quick packing tips:
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Packing List should be specific – “wooden chair”, “metal bed frame” , “ cane basket”.
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Keep groups of items in consecutive order when labelling – If there are 3 bikes then they should be labelled 56, 57, 58.
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If you are doing your own packing and using recycled boxes, ensure they have not been used to carry fruits/meat etc. anything that could have been exposed to animal/plant/soil.
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If there are going to be items that could be of interest to the biosecurity officer, pack them in groups for easy identification.
If you have pets that will be relocating with you, the time-frame also applies due to the holiday season and busy international flight schedules to Australia.
