Christmas is just around the corner – and so are the cut-off dates for parcel deliveries if you want them to arrive before 25 December. Make sure you’ve got everything organised in time for the big day.
Last year, Australia Post delivered almost 100 million parcels during November and December. They’re expecting similar numbers this year and they recommend ordering your items or sending your parcels as soon as possible.
But there are always stragglers and last-minute gift ideas, so Australia Post has laid out the absolute last day a parcel can be in the mail if you want it to arrive before Christmas Day.
“We’ll deliver items sent after these dates as quickly as we can, but they may not arrive until after Christmas,” Australia Post warns on its website.
Check out the table below to see when the cut-off day is for your state. Please note the dates provided are for items being sent to/from metro locations in each state. For regional deliveries, Australia Post says to add ‘additional time’ depending on where you’re located.
| From | To NSW* | To ACT | To VIC* | To QLD* | To SA | To WA | To TAS | To NT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW* | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 18/12 | 19/12 | 16/12 |
| ACT | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 18/12 | 19/12 | 16/12 |
| VIC* | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 18/12 | 20/12 | 16/12 |
| QLD* | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 19/12 | 17/12 | 18/12 | 13/12 |
| SA | 20/12 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 19/12 | 20/12 | 18/12 | 19/12 | 13/12 |
| WA | 18/12 | 18/12 | 18/12 | 17/12 | 18/12 | 18/12 | 18/12 | 13/12 |
| TAS | 19/12 | 19/12 | 20/12 | 18/12 | 19/12 | 17/12 | 20/12 | 13/12 |
| NT | 16/12 | 16/12 | 16/12 | 16/12 | 16/12 | 16/12 | 13/12 | 16/12 |
Sending parcels overseas
Australia Post says international delivery times can vary greatly depending on the region and delivery service being used. Again, they recommend sending any packages as soon as possible, but give the following hard limits for common destinations.
Note that if you’re sending packages from South Australia, Tasmania or the Northern Territory, you’ll need add five business days to the dates below as your package will need to travel interstate first.
| Sending to | via courier | Express parcels | Standard parcels | Economy Air parcels & International Post Registered letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 16/12 | 13/12 | 5/12 | 28/11 |
| USA | 16/12 | 16/12 | 11/12 | 4/12 |
| Canada | 16/12 | 13/12 | 9/12 | 2/12 |
| UK | 16/12 | 13/12 | 6/12 | 29/11 |
| Major European destinations | 13/12 | 13/12 | 9/12 | 2/12 |
| China | 13/12 | 13/12 | 10/12 | 3/12 |
| East/ Southeast Asia | 13/12 | 13/12 | 6/12 | 29/12 |
| Rest of world | Not available | 2/12 | 26/11 | 19/11 |
Christmas cards and letters
A little bit lighter and easier to manage than a package, Australia Post says if you’re sending Christmas cards or letters, the cut-off for a 25 December delivery is 16 December if you’re sending it within the same state, or 13 December if you’re sending them interstate.
A reminder that it only costs $0.65 to send a Christmas card during November and December, less than the usual $1.50 sending a card or letter costs. You can get special Christmas card stamps at Australia post outlets.
How much of your Christmas shopping do you do online? Do you send gifts to family and friends overseas at Christmas? Let us know in the comments section below.
