Shipping Furniture from the UK to Australia

It depends on the value, quality and sentiment of your furniture. Heirlooms, antiques and well-made or custom pieces are often worth shipping, as they can be expensive to replace and hard to find again in Australia. For flat-pack or low-cost items, it can work out cheaper to replace them on arrival. A good test is to compare the shipping cost against buying the same quality new in Australia, and to factor in anything you'd struggle to part with.

Used furniture you've owned and used for 12 months or more is normally free of duty and GST. New furniture, or anything owned for less than 12 months, is usually subject to 10% GST and possibly duty. Keep purchase invoices for recent buys. Antiques proven to be over 100 years old can qualify for duty-free treatment, although evidence such as a Certificate of Antiquity may be required and GST can still apply depending on the circumstances.

A B534 Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement, a detailed inventory of your furniture, and a copy of your passport and Australian visa. Our Australian agent lodges the clearance with the Australian Border Force and books the biosecurity inspection.

Our palletised shared-container service is the most economical option for smaller and mid-sized loads, because you only pay for the space your furniture occupies. Booking early helps too: we offer a 10% discount when you confirm within 10 days of your quote, and you can reserve up to 12 months ahead with no deposit.

No. Our packing team handles any disassembly and reassembly required. Where larger items can be flat-packed, we will do so, as this reduces the volume your shipment occupies and therefore the cost.

Australia has strict biosecurity rules, and every shipment is physically inspected on arrival. Untreated or raw timber, wicker, cane, bamboo, and anything carrying soil, seeds or plant material may be held for cleaning, treatment or fumigation. Furniture must be clean and free of soil, and outdoor items in particular should be thoroughly cleaned before shipping. We review your inventory beforehand and flag anything likely to be inspected.

Yes. High-value and delicate items are individually wrapped and protected, and can be custom-crated for extra security. Antiques proven to be over 100 years old can qualify for duty-free treatment, although evidence such as a Certificate of Antiquity may be required and GST can still apply depending on the circumstances. Bear in mind that antique timber furniture may still be subject to biosecurity inspection, and we'll advise on documentation and valuation for insurance.

Yes. Most customers send a mix of furniture, boxes and personal effects in the same shipment. Everything is packed and palletised together and travels as one protected unit.

Sea transit is typically 6 to 9 weeks depending on the port, with total door-to-door delivery of 8 to 14 weeks. That total includes UK collection, the sea crossing, Australian Border Force clearance and the DAFF biosecurity inspection, which usually takes 7 to 10 days.

It's not compulsory, but it's strongly recommended. Our Move Protect cover is designed specifically for international furniture shipments and provides far greater protection than standard limited liability, based on your declared replacement valuation.

Yes. Free storage is available in the UK until your scheduled departure. Extended storage can be arranged at additional cost, based on your volume and how long you need it.

Once your shipment is loaded onto the vessel you'll receive a tracking number, allowing you to follow its progress online through to arrival in Australia using our container tracking tool.