Moving back to Australia.

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BlacKnox

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As many of you know, I'm heading back to Australia soon to resume studies. That will entail packing up my 3 bedroom apartment worth of stuff and shipping it back home.

I've had a look at the Govt. website Emigrating/moving to Australia @ http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=7D885125-4C41-4CE1-94A7D8C8015E4BDD and started a dialogue with a freight forwarder today. We're also getting quotes from removalists.

Anyone who has done this care to share experience/ tips/ advice/ recommended contractor's names etc etc :?: If we go the container route we intend to bring everything except electricals (fridge, microwave, TV, video, computer monitor...); if we go via removalists then we maybe forced to cull our stuff depending on cost.

Any relevant thoughts/ experiences appreciated. Cheers
 
wouldnt some things, especially electrical be easier to sell, and re-buy over here?
 
I know of one person who managed to take 260kg as checked baggage, would that help?
 
I've done the international move thing four times. I think the top of the list is that whatever you do, make sure you insure the consignment, and make sure the insurance covers both complete loss (eg, if the boat sinks) and breakage, etc -- this can affect which mover/freight company you use, as most will only offer one policy. They also vary in how much the premium is (as a % of consignment value).

I've done the rather stressful pick-the-goods-up-at-the-docks thing and decided never to do it again. It is much much nicer having it all delivered to your door.

More than that I can't think of any particular tips, though something might pop into my head later.
 
Personally, I'd ditch most/all of the furniture (either sell, give away or throw), and the electricals too.

A lot of the time they aren't worth the hassle and cost of moving. Pretty much anything can be bought again in Australia.

(of course that depends what furniture you have, especially antique type items!)
 
Thanks for your feedback :D .

BlacKnox said:
If we go the container route we intend to bring everything except electricals (fridge, microwave, TV, video, computer monitor...); if we go via removalists then we maybe forced to cull our stuff depending on cost.
To clarify, I never intended to bring electricals (via container or removalists). This means I'll already have heaps of things to buy once I arrive back in Oz.

Although NM's suggestion is novel, as I intend to go via NRT-PEK-KIX-(Maybe HKG for the Sevens tournament)-BKK-SIN-MEL-BNE, then it's not too practical :( .

aspro2 can you recommend any removalists/ freight forwarders? The insurance element is a problem, as many Japanese agents only provide insurance IF they perform the packing themselves. This represents considerable additional expense.

I'd also prefer door-to-door delivery, yet this is complicated as I haven't an end address in Australia yet. Of course I could deliver to e.g. Mum's house, but I'm still considering doing the port stuff myself. Because once the consignment arrives in Aust (after me) I should have a rental property by then, and can deliver directly from the port to new-home.

And Mal I'm already ditching a lot of stuff, but still a lot left is "irreplaceable" :roll: .
 
BlacKnox said:
aspro2 can you recommend any removalists/ freight forwarders? The insurance element is a problem, as many Japanese agents only provide insurance IF they perform the packing themselves. This represents considerable additional expense.

I'd also prefer door-to-door delivery, yet this is complicated as I haven't an end address in Australia yet. Of course I could deliver to e.g. Mum's house, but I'm still considering doing the port stuff myself. Because once the consignment arrives in Aust (after me) I should have a rental property by then, and can deliver directly from the port to new-home.

Hi BlacKnox. A few things:
(1) It's hard to know who to recommend because you don't know whether a problem could arise at the Japanese end or the Australian end. As far as Australian companies go, I've used OSS who were competent and I believe are well-regarded, but on the other hand, the person I had to liaise with was unprofessional and offensive. Allied Pickford are large and ok. In the end it still comes down to the insurance when a problem arises:(
(2) Will any of the Japanese companies provide a policy which covers self-packed goods where the goods have clearly suffered damage from external force? If yes, then you pack all the not-so-precious things yourself in appropriate removalist packaging and let the company pack any of the really valuable things. The who-packed-it status would then be listed on the inventory which you would have to sign off on.
(3) Depending on insurer and other factors, your personal effects inventory would need to be very detailed -- also useful when it comes to customs inspection.
(4) It doesn't matter if you don't have a final address in Australia. You just have to provide the shipper with the destination city where you will be settling, and a contact address to which notification of arrival can be sent. You then contact them to finalise the delivery address. (I think most people moving internationally don't know their address at the time of removal.)
(5) Doing the collect-from-port thing involves a bit more admin hassle, as you have to then deal with the freight/shipping agent in Australia and pay port fees separately (if I remember rightly). You then have to arrange to collect it all (often in the form of one or more enormous wooden boxes), get it home, open the box, empty it, and then dispose of the wood).
 
Hi BlacKnox

I to have done several international and interstate moves.

I've used Allied Pickfords a few times and have been happy with them (1 international, 3 interstate).

GET THEM TO PACK - it costs more but is the only way you will be insured for precious things. Don't let them pack the rubbish bins (ask me about that story and all sorts of quarrantine issues!)

Not having a final address on uplift is no problem. That can be advised (and even changed on the day - ask me about that story).

Good luck

Cheers
 
Thanks aspro2 & MetroAir :D .

I actually realised after posting that we wouldn't need a final address in Australia on dispatchment (good part about using AFF for thinking out "aloud"). Yet I appreciate your confimation of this and your other points, especially who-packed-it-status and possibly seperating valuable/ non-valuable (self-packed) goods.

Some other friends have mentioned Allied Pickfords too. Cheers :D .
 
Just a couple of quick comments:

Do get insurance (typically 3% of total insured value-less if you use a insurance broker).

Do get them to pack all goods, this not only gives you insurance but will save you a great deal of time and hassle.

Make sure you remove all fuel/oil from any motors (lawnmower, weedeater ect).

Dont try to take any booze (unless under duty free limit) or chemicals/cleaning products

Dont take any food (unless it is canned or unopened sealed packets).

Make sure that the company you are moving with is the same at both ends-dont let them subcontract the delivery because if something goes wrong you have to decide who to yell at (and they will both tell you its the other guys fault).

The most important thing is make sure that you are there when your goods are packed/unpacked. Some of the guys who do house removals are fantastic and treat your propoerty like it was there own, some are complete &$(*@$# who dont give a rats cough. If you are there they will do a better job (if they dont complain -LOUD).

I have used Grace (good) allied pickfords (ok) and Crown (I cant comment-I might get sued).

Gazza
 
Gazza said:
Dont take any food (unless it is canned or unopened sealed packets).
More complex than that. Sealed packets can still contain products which are restricted (containing milk/milk powder, meat, etc).

Gazza said:
Make sure that the company you are moving with is the same at both ends
In my experience that's pretty difficult. There aren't many companies which have local subsidiaries in a range of international markets -- even the large companies I've used have only had "partners" at the other end.
 
Gazza said:
Just a couple of quick comments:

Dont try to take any booze (unless under duty free limit) ...
Now, I hadn't thought about that Gazza and it's gonna hurt :( . I've got a fairly impressive dry-bar at home (a hangover from my restauranteur days). Looks like I'll have to increase my daily medication :idea: , and run the stock down :wink: .
 
Well, you certainly won't be "dry" during your increased period of medications (funnily enough, my parents call their [beer] cans and [wine] bottles their "medicine bottles" when they are emptied into the recycling truck every week).
 
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Lindsay Wilson said:
Well, you certainly won't be "dry" during your increased period of medications (funnily enough, my parents call their [beer] cans and [wine] bottles their "medicine bottles" when they are emptied into the recycling truck every week).
Time to sign off methinks - over medication perhaps :?: :p
 
Well its a pretty damn expensive exercise to move anywhere I'm sure. On guestimates, I'll drop 15K on giveaways here, another 15K to purchase comparative electricals in Oz, and over 10K to move the remaining stuff. That's over Aus$40,000 excluding cats (another $1,500) and incidentals.

Please someone stop me :!: I'm considering taking my second love (digital camera) & photographing everything and torching the place - cash is mobile and the insurance settlement would come in handy :shock: .
 
BlacKnox said:
That's over Aus$40,000 excluding cats (another $1,500) and incidentals.
Surely a one-way trip to the vet does not cost $1,500 :shock: . Ouch, that's gonna hurt.

Does the last option include the $1,500 saving on feline relocation?

I'd be very tempted to leave behind anything that doesn't fit into checked baggage allowance, and start again. But I don't have any emotional attachment to you stuff (or your cats :p ).
 
Hi y'all. I have done the big move several times.. NZ to Australia. Australia to MI (USA) USA to Australia and last of all Australia to OH (USA). I have found the easiest way to do it is to have many garage sales!!!! The checked luggage limits have dropped over the years and the costs have increased considerably. Now it is very expensive to go over the Airline limits. I just take my most valuable possessions and some clothes etc.. rest I get rid of thru garage sales or ebay!! I am at a stage now I dont collect too many possessions because I never know where I am going to be next and when... Hope this helps you BlacKnox.. Australian Quarantine is very pedantic & picky these days as to what they will allow in.. even taking lipsticks out of parcels I recently sent to my daughter and confectionery (easter eggs) I sent to my grandsons for Easter.
 
thatwouldbher said:
Hope this helps you BlacKnox.. Australian Quarantine is very pedantic & picky these days as to what they will allow in.. even taking lipsticks out of parcels I recently sent to my daughter and confectionery (easter eggs) I sent to my grandsons for Easter.
Thanks thatwouldbher and welcome to AFF :D . The removalists are coming Thursday and I won't be able to start packing till tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. I'm way behind schedule here. Have given away a heap of stuff and would have liked to have used e-bay etc but ran out of time :( .
 
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