MetEx House, 496a Great West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW5 0TE  ·  Shipping since 1998
0800 096 38 39
Your situation • UK → Australia

Moving from Birmingham to Australia with suitcases and boxes

A full walkthrough of the classic move — several bags plus boxes, collected from your door.

This is one of the moves we handle most often: you’re relocating from Birmingham (or anywhere in the UK) to Australia, you’ve got several suitcases plus a stack of boxes, and you don’t want to drag it through the airport or pay the airline per kilo. Here’s exactly how it works, start to finish.

Collection from your door

We collect from your home, university or office anywhere in the UK — Birmingham included — so nothing goes to the airport with you. You pack, we pick up. You can mix suitcases and strong cardboard boxes in the same shipment; most Australia moves are exactly that.

Air or sea — the honest trade-off
Air freight Faster — typically a matter of days once your shipment is booked, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. Best for a few bags, or when you need your things soon after you land. Priced by weight, so it suits lighter loads.
Sea freight More economical for larger volumes — several boxes plus suitcases. Sea takes weeks, not days (broadly in the region of 8–14 weeks to Australia). These times are approximate: the exact time depends on when your container finishes consolidating, the sailing date and route, any transhipment, and customs, so allow a week or two either side.

As a rule of thumb: a couple of bags in a hurry → air; a household’s worth of boxes you can wait for → sea. We’ll tell you honestly which fits your load and timeline.

Customs & paperwork

For a genuine move, your used personal belongings may qualify for relief from Australian import duty under their unaccompanied personal effects rules. We prepare your UK export documentation and help you put together a valued, itemised inventory of what’s in the shipment (see what a valued inventory means). Import clearance in Australia is the importer’s own responsibility, and Australia’s biosecurity rules are strict — no food, seeds, soil, or unclean outdoor gear.

What you can’t send

No aerosols, flammable liquids, or loose lithium batteries. Devices with built-in batteries and anything classed as dangerous goods must be declared — ask us first and we’ll tell you what’s allowed and how.

What it costs

Price depends on the volume and weight and the freight method. As long as your shipment is what you told us, that’s the price you pay, subject to airline rates at the time of booking. Tell us roughly how many bags and boxes and we’ll give you a clear quote up front.

Get a quote Call 0800 096 38 39

Common questions for this move
Should I ship or just pay Qantas/the airline for extra bags? +
For one extra bag on the flight, the airline can be simpler. For several bags plus boxes — a real move — shipping is usually cheaper per kilo and you don’t carry any of it. We’ll compare it honestly for your load.
Can I send boxes as well as suitcases? +
Yes — strong double-walled cardboard boxes are ideal, and you can mix them with suitcases in one shipment.
How soon should I book before I fly? +
As early as you can, especially for sea freight given the transit time. We can also collect after you’ve flown if someone can hand the bags over.
Can someone else hand the bags over if I’ve already left? +
Yes. A partner, parent, flatmate or neighbour can be there for the collection — just let us know who.
Related

Ship luggage to Australia  ·  Collection from Birmingham  ·  Ship or pay the airline?  ·  Valued inventory explained