Request a move quote
Moving to Australia is about as far as a household can travel. Your belongings will spend five to seven weeks at sea and then meet one of the strictest border inspections in the world before they reach your door. Neither of those is a problem if it is planned for. Both become one when nobody explains them in advance.
This page sets out what a move to Australia costs, how long it really takes, and what we do before the container is sealed so that it clears on arrival.
Your move starts with a survey by one of our removal specialists. From there, a dedicated move manager is your primary contact throughout: they receive the full survey file, plan your packing and sailing dates, prepare the customs and biosecurity paperwork with you, and coordinate with our Australian partner, who clears your belongings and delivers them to your new home.
When your belongings are on the other side of the world, you will still be talking to the person who knows your move. You will not be explaining it again to a different team. How we work sets out who does what.
Most households move by sea. You can have a container to yourself, or share one.
| Service | What it is | Guide price | Door to door |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared container (groupage) | Your belongings share a container with other households’ and you pay for the space you use. Suits a one-bedroom home or a part load | From around £2,500 | 8 to 12 weeks; sails when the container is full, so the departure date is less fixed |
| Dedicated container | A container for your home only, sealed in the UK and opened in Australia | £5,000 to £8,000 for a typical 3-bedroom house | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Air freight | A small consignment of things you need straight away | Priced by weight and volume | 2 to 3 weeks |
What these figures include. Our prices are door to door: packing at your UK home, sea freight, standard customs clearance and delivery to your Australian address. Some quotes you will see elsewhere are port to port, which leaves out packing and collection in the UK and delivery in Australia. When you compare, check which you are looking at.
What is charged separately. Biosecurity inspection is carried out and charged by the Australian Government, by time. It is not something any remover can include in a fixed price, and we will tell you so at quote stage.
Why 8 to 12 weeks. The sea leg alone takes 35 to 45 days. Add packing and collection, UK port handling, biosecurity and customs clearance on arrival, and delivery. Plan for the full range. A straightforward move lands at the shorter end; a move selected for inspection lands at the longer end. Every quote starts with a pre-move survey, and the Australia guide has the full timeline.
Duty. The Australian Border Force allows household goods to enter free of duty and tax when you have personally owned and used them for 12 months or more before you leave for Australia. Anything you have owned for less than 12 months must be declared and can be assessed for duty and tax.
The B534 form. This is the Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement, your declaration of what you are importing. Your move manager prepares it with you, checks it against your inventory, and it is submitted with your packing list before your belongings arrive.
Biosecurity. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry reads the B534 and the packing list to decide whether anything in your container could carry soil, seeds, insects or plant and animal material. If your container is selected for inspection, it is held at the port while inspectors examine it. That is common and is not a sign that something has gone wrong.
Why the packing list matters so much. Inspection is charged by time. A list that says “garden tools, cleaned” and “wooden bed frame” tells the inspector what to look at and where it is. A list that says “misc. household” tells them to open everything. Our crew writes the list as they pack, in the terms inspectors expect, which is the single most useful thing a remover can do to shorten a hold. If treatment is needed, for example fumigation of timber, it is arranged at the owner’s cost before release. Our guide to belongings held at customs explains who pays for what.
Tell us where you are moving from, which city you are moving to, and roughly when. A move manager will give you a door-to-door price, a realistic timeline for your route, and a list of what to clean or leave behind.
Clean before packing day. Garden furniture, tools, lawnmowers, bicycles, golf clubs, camping gear, walking boots and pushchairs should be free of soil, grass and leaves. Your surveyor will point out what needs attention.
Declare, do not hide. Wooden items, anything made with natural fibres, feathers or shells, and Christmas decorations made from plant material should be listed clearly so they can be found quickly.
Leave out. Food of any kind, plants, seeds and soil. If you are unsure about something, ask your move manager before it goes in a box.
It couldn’t be easier to relocate with our international removals from the UK to Australia. Your move is as easy as these 4 simple steps:
Get A Move
Quote
Packing &
Collection
Sea, Air or Road
Transport
Delivery and
Unpacking
At Gerson, we offer a comprehensive range of services for removals to Australia that ensure your move across the globe is smooth, efficient, and stress-free.
Our professional team uses high-quality packing materials and expert techniques to carefully wrap and protect your belongings for international removals to Australia. From delicate ornaments to bulky furniture, everything is packed with international transit in mind for your peace of mind.
We handle everything from single pieces to full household shipments as part of our international removals to Australia. Our team ensures your furniture is carefully disassembled (if needed), securely wrapped, and expertly loaded for safe transport to Australia.
Special care is taken with items that are fragile, valuable, or sentimental. We offer custom crating and enhanced protection for artwork, antiques, electronics, and more to ensure they arrive safely and intact.
Comprehensive, flexible storage services in secure, well-maintained facilities across the UK, Europe, and overseas, ideal as short or long-term solutions.
We provide complete door-to-door removal services, with efficient collection of your belongings from your home in the UK to fast and safe delivery to your new address anywhere in Australia. Wherever you are heading, leave it to our expert team to handle the small details of the move.
Need flexibility during your move? We offer secure short and long-term storage solutions in both the UK and Australia. Whether you need to store your belongings before departure, during transit, or after arrival, we’ve got you covered.
Regional addresses add delivery time after the port. We will tell you how much at quote stage.
Gerson Moving Services is a member of the British Association of Removers, with the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee protecting money you pay in advance. We are IAM accredited, hold FIDI FAIM, the international quality standard for removal companies, and are part of the AGM Group. Disputes can be referred to the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman.
Real feedback from people who chose our international moving company.
“My move was way less stressful than expected! Gerson Moving Services packed everything, stored it for a week, and moved it all to my new home just as promised!”
“Moved from Kent to Brisbane with our two boys. They warned us early to scrub the bikes and garden tools for the quarantine check, and everything cleared first time.”
“Heading home to Melbourne after fourteen years in Leeds. There was a fair bit of paperwork on our end, but our contact walked me through it despite the time difference.”
Allow 8 to 12 weeks door to door by sea. The sea leg takes 35 to 45 days; the rest is packing, port handling, biosecurity and customs clearance, and delivery. Air freight for a small consignment takes 2 to 3 weeks.
As a guide, a shared container for a smaller move starts from around £2,500, and a dedicated container for a typical three-bedroom house costs £5,000 to £8,000, door to door. Biosecurity inspection fees are charged separately by the Australian Government. A survey gives you an exact figure.
Not on household goods you have personally owned and used for 12 months or more before you leave. Items owned for less than 12 months must be declared on the B534 form and can be assessed for duty and tax.
It may be. Every household consignment is assessed from its paperwork, and some are selected for physical inspection. A clear, specific packing list and clean outdoor items make a hold shorter and less likely.
Yes, and most people do. Your move manager will plan the sailing around your arrival, and storage can be arranged if your home is not ready.
Food, plants, seeds, soil and untreated plant or animal material. Wooden and outdoor items can be shipped but must be clean and clearly listed. The Australia guide has the full list.
Tell us where you are moving from, which city you are moving to, and roughly when. A move manager will come back to you with a door-to-door price, a realistic timeline and the next step.
