Australia is the number 1 destination in the world for Brits to send food to. Sending food to anywhere can be a tricky proposition, as there are a lot of details to get caught up in. We’ve worked out three easy steps to make sure that whatever tasty treat you’re sending over to OZ, it’ll make it there just fine.

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Every country in the world has their own variety of things that are allowed to be imported. This is no different here, and since Australia is an isolated island nation, they make a big effort to make sure that they are not exposed to diseases or vermin that are not native to the country. This means that their list is a little more extensive than you might think, though it’s certainly not the longest in the world. It’s really important to make sure you don’t try and send anything that Australia have on their list of restricted and prohibited items. If the item you’re trying to send is prohibited then you’re out of luck. Some restricted goods can be sent, but may require some extra paperwork on the other end.

You should probably take particular notice of the prohibition on wood, which is strictly enforced. That means wooden boxes, pallets or crates should be steered clear of. In the unlikely event that they are unavoidable, they have to fumigated and then dispatched with their certificate of fumigation. They’re not big fans of straw or egg boxes either, so those are a no go too.

Most companies will have a list of items that they don’t carry, so make sure to check that out before you get your package sent off.

Now that your list has been whittled down a bit, there’s one more box you have to tick. Couriers won’t take any food items with an expiry date of less than six months from the date of shipping, so there’s no hope of a nice British steak in any Australian stockings this winter. They will take preserved foods like Jam or Marmalades – or Marmite if you’re feeling extra British – and they will of course take whatever variety of classic English sweets you’ll think those down south might be having a hankering for, as long as they have a shelf life of over six months past the day of dispatch.

To make sure that there are definitely no problems with what you’re sending, you should make sure you post them in the sealed manufacturers packaging, with a full list of ingredients clearly visible. You’ll also want to make sure that you’ve clearly noted everything you’re sending in your package or hamper to make sure that it’s easy to identify everything.

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In fact, making sure you’ve got your paperwork nailed will help the process along, from making sure you get the address spot on to correctly filling out the customs invoice – which ParcelHero’s system will help you create when you book a delivery. Try and be as clear as possible. Package items with labels out, so customs officers can easily see what they are, avoid using the local lingo to describe things – think “Hard candy/confectionery” instead of “Scottish Rock” – and don’t forget to label the value of everything in your box.

• Store bought foods in the manufacturer’s original unopened packaging
• Food that has food labels that list all ingredients
• The expiry date has more than 6 months from the date of shipping
• There’s no alcohol, dairy, meat, poultry, fish or seafood ingrediants
• No homemade food

Oh, and don’t worry about having to pay customs fees – as long as your delivery is worth less than AU$1000, those won’t be an issue. That is, as long as you make sure that your gift is allowed in the country and all your paperwork is correct. If you do try and send something that is prohibited, you’re like to find that object seized and destroyed, or you might have to pay to have them returned to you. It’s much cheaper and easier to make sure you get it right in the first place.

If you’re after a little more information before you send some delicious treats winging around the world, have a look at the official Australian regulations to find out more about the rules and restrictions about bringing food into Australia. Plus, if you’re planning on sending something that isn’t edible, check out our guide on shipping to Australia to make things as easy as possible.

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