Removals to Australia from the UK
1st Choice Removals, a family-run BAR member near Wimborne in Dorset, handles removals to Australia from the UK: we survey, export-pack and ship your belongings by sea, and partner agents in Australia handle customs clearance and delivery. You arrange your own marine insurance for the voyage.
How removals to Australia from the UK work
Every overseas move starts with a quote. If you live in a BH postcode or DT11, Book your free home visit. Everywhere else, Get an online quote by sending short room videos or photos from your phone, or call 01202 570970.
From there we plan your shipment together, and your written quote sets out exactly what is included. Australia is one of the most demanding destinations for household goods, so we plan the paperwork and preparation early.
- Free home visit or online quote, then a written quote
- Export packing by our own full-time, uniformed crews, never agency staff
- Loading and shipping by sea
- Help preparing your export and import paperwork
- Customs clearance and delivery in Australia handled by our partner agents there
- Unpacking and furniture dismantling and reassembly available as optional extras, charged on top of your quote
Packing for a long sea journey
Goods shipped to Australia travel a long way and are handled several times, so they need more protection than a local move. Our crews wrap fragile items properly, pad furniture and build bespoke wooden crates for antiques, artwork and other valuable pieces.
Everything is listed on a detailed inventory, which you will need for customs and for your insurance. Tell us about anything made of wood, cane or wicker, as Australian biosecurity will want to know about it.
Prefer to pack some things yourself? We sell packing materials individually, or our packing service can do as much or as little as you like. Unpacking at your new home and furniture dismantling and reassembly are available as optional extras, charged on top of your quote.
Australian customs and biosecurity
Australia has some of the strictest biosecurity rules in the world, and household goods can be inspected on arrival. Anything carrying soil, seeds, insects or plant material can be held, treated at your cost or destroyed.
- Clean garden furniture, tools, bikes, prams, boots and camping gear thoroughly before packing
- Drain fuel and oil from lawnmowers and other machinery
- Declare wooden items, cane, wicker and anything made from plant or animal material
- Do not pack food, plants, seeds or soil
You will normally need your passport, visa details, the inventory and an unaccompanied personal effects statement for the Australian Border Force. Personal effects you have owned and used can often come in free of duty, but new items may attract duty and GST. Fiona holds a BTEC in Customs Export and Import Procedures, so we can talk you through what applies to you.
Marine insurance: you must arrange it yourself
This is the most important point on this page. 1st Choice moves are insured for goods in transit, but that is not marine insurance and it does not cover the sea voyage to Australia.
If you want your belongings covered while they are shipped, you must arrange marine insurance yourself before they leave the UK. We do not provide it.
- Value your items properly, using your inventory as the basis
- Check the excess and any limits on single items
- Ask whether items you packed yourself are covered, as many policies treat them differently
Storage and currency exchange
If your home in Australia is not ready, we can keep your belongings in containerised storage in Dorset until you are ready to ship. We run around 1,000 storage units across four local sites, for short or long periods.
Sending money for a deposit, rent or a purchase? Our partner Regency FX offers currency exchange into Australian dollars, as a one-off transfer or regular payments.
For a step-by-step plan, read our moving abroad checklist, or see all our worldwide removals.
Your questions answered
How much does it cost to move to Australia from the UK?
We do not publish prices for overseas moves because every shipment is different. The cost depends mainly on how much you are taking, how much packing you want us to do, any crating for valuable items and where in Australia you are going. Book your free home visit if you live in a BH postcode or DT11, or Get an online quote from anywhere else, and we will give you a clear written quote.
Do I need marine insurance to ship my furniture to Australia?
We strongly recommend it, and you must arrange it yourself. 1st Choice moves are insured for goods in transit, but that does not cover your belongings on the sea voyage to Australia. Take out a marine insurance policy before your goods leave the UK, value items using your inventory, and check the excess and what the policy says about items you packed.
Who handles customs clearance and delivery in Australia?
Our partner agents in Australia handle customs clearance at the destination and deliver your belongings to your new home. 1st Choice surveys and plans the move, export-packs your belongings in the UK and arranges the shipment. Unpacking and furniture dismantling and reassembly are optional extras, charged on top of your quote.
What can't I take to Australia in my shipment?
Food, plants, seeds and soil should not be packed, and anything with soil or plant material on it may be held for treatment. Garden tools, outdoor furniture, bikes and shoes must be spotlessly clean. Wooden, cane and wicker items and anything made from animal products should be declared. Firearms, some medicines and certain wildlife products need permits or are prohibited, so check before packing.
What paperwork do I need to ship household goods to Australia?
You will usually need your passport, your visa details, a detailed inventory of your goods and an unaccompanied personal effects statement for the Australian Border Force. The shipping documents are prepared as part of the export. We will go through the paperwork with you at the planning stage so nothing is missing when your shipment arrives in Australia.
Can you ship a piano, antiques or artwork to Australia?
Yes. Pianos, antiques and artwork are part of our specialist removals work. We build bespoke wooden crates for delicate or valuable pieces so they are protected in the container. Mention these items at your survey so we can plan the crating and include it in your quote, and make sure your own marine insurance covers their full value.
Can you store my things while I find a home in Australia?
Yes. We can keep your belongings in containerised storage in Dorset for as long as you need, then ship them when you have an address in Australia. This is useful if you are renting first or waiting on a visa. We run around 1,000 storage units across four local sites, for short or long term storage.