Shipping to Australia

[zuzkah]

Hi ladies. Not sure Im in the right topic here but thought I try my luck. We are planning to move down under from London. Im trying to find anyone with experience with shipping their stuff that way. Do you have any recommended companies? Any tips? Is it a big pain? We are not bringing any furniture, possibly only a baby cot and a pusher. Thanks for any commnents!

If you are not using a container for furniture you might be better buying a new cot when you arrive and just taking your pushchair on the flight. If you ship just your cot it will take up to 4 months to get there.

If you really want to take your cot there are excess baggage places that will fly it out for you. I have not used them but if you have a look at the british expats website (google it) they have loads of shipping threads on there.

If you do decide to use a container and take furniture PSS are highly recommended.

Or check with your airline and see what the fees for excess baggage are there.

We're going in September. When you off?

Go to TNT magazine online. All the shipping companies advertise there. I recently sent 92 cubic feet of stuff from London to Brisbane and it cost me just under 500. Excess baggage on planes is a rip off. Don't do it unless you need the stuff ASAP on arrival. Try flying via the US. They usually allow more bagagge.
Shipping by ship is good. Remember it takes about 12 weeks to arrive. You have to label the boxes carfully. You cant sent anything wood (thats not treated) or from a natural product as Austrailian quarantine are incredibly strict. Have a look at thier website for what you can and cant send.
Hope that helps a bit.

I really would not send a cot. for the price to buy a new one here, you will pay far more in shipping. Prams on flights are not classed as luggage so no cost or weight applied.

Where are you going to ??

If you're only planning on moving a baby cot and a pusher I'd forget the hassle and expense of shipping both and buy these items on arrival. I would instead take the pushchair on the flight; that will go in the hold and you won't get charged.

The other thing is that items will take around 3-4 months to be shipped to Australia then there can be delays on arrival because of customs issues. It can be a big headache.

Airline allowances re baggage can be very strict these days. The max weight is 23kg now per case if flying to the US. Excess bag allowance is very expensive as well.

If you are moving to Australia as well I would much rather fly east from London and stopover than go via the US.

Thanks for the advice ladies!

InScotland - good point about the cot and waiting for it for 3months! I guess cot is staying in London. We haven't decided when to leave yet. How did you set a date? We keep talking about it but can't actually set the bl.... date!

Lou- thanks for your experience. I'll check it out. Both the gov webside and TNT. I'd love to bring some wooden lamps we got from Thailand...oops... and I've heard something about gama treatment they can do for you? I'll have to have a look into it.

Lula - We are going to Melbourne. About the pushchair...we would bring our stroller on board but I have another big pusher which I love and want to use for another baby - maybe. Although of course, if this is going to be very expensive I'm prepared to be flexible.

Attila - Even though we won't bring any furniture, there's loads of other stuff which you collect after nearly 8 years here. Clothes, books, photos and who-know-what-else... And yes, we are planning to definitely go east! Somewhere lovely and tropical with great food...hmmmmmm...and at least for a month!