shipping to Aus

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Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
Hi folks - nothing to do with bikes, but does anyone know anything about shipping to Australia?
My son is on a working holiday in Australia and could be doing with some more of his stuff, including his bagpipes. We felt this would be relatively easy, but my wife has spent a great deal of time trying to work out a way with no success.

They wont ship musical instruments worth more than £250 and most options seem to take 3 months.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Are you sure the couriers won't ship instruments, or are the Aussies just trying to keep bagpipes out.... ;)

Sorry, no help! Hope you find a way.
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
I don't know how it compares, but i shipped a load of components to Cyprus last year, valued at around £1000, in 3 boxes, about 60 kilos total, i think it took about 3 days by air via Parcel Monkey and cost £180.

It was a bit of a mare calculating it all online, but it got there as promised. I couldnt find anyone cheaper by air.
 
OP
OP
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Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
Aussies are big on bagpipes. They have some of the top bands in the world, and some of them make the trip to Glasgow for the world championships every year.

I'm thinking one possibility might be finding someone going and persuade them to take some excess baggage - it would certainly be quicker than 3 months!
 
Make sure you pack the box upside down, so that it arrives the right way up, and makes it easy for the pipes to breathe en route.
I suggest securing the valuable items with a Strathspey Reel of packing tape. :smile:
A mine of useless info - as you might read - sorry!

Actually, in the dim and distant past, having played in a P&D band, don't the pipes dismantle sufficiently for them to be packed as one or two boxes? DHL or UPS? them...which gives a tracking number to keep tabs on the pack progress etc. All the sundry, 'ordinary stuff' can be sent by more economical means...to arrive just as your son is getting thrown out of Aus for Kangaroo frightening.

'Mr Preston', of this parish, works for UPS - he may know something.
 

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
The word is 'ship'
sending stuff by ship is a lot cheaper than by air.
typically though the shipping time will be about 8 weeks, whereas by air takes a couple of weeks
 
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OP
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Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
The word is 'ship'
sending stuff by ship is a lot cheaper than by air.
typically though the shipping time will be about 8 weeks, whereas by air takes a couple of weeks

Price is not an issue at this point - until I find out what it is!

My wife was quoted £170 with 6 weeks delivery, but they wouldn't take (insure) musical instruments over £250 and anecdotal advice she got was that 6 weeks was far too optimistic, with 3 months being more typical. It also appears there are restrictions in Australia on the import of wood, which means they will have to be declared and potentially delayed at customs.

I don't know how it compares, but i shipped a load of components to Cyprus last year, valued at around £1000, in 3 boxes, about 60 kilos total, i think it took about 3 days by air via Parcel Monkey and cost £180.

It was a bit of a mare calculating it all online, but it got there as promised. I couldnt find anyone cheaper by air.

That looks promising - thanks. £1000, give or take, would just about cover the pipes. I could go for 1 box around 15 kilos, but of course its quite a bit further. I need to get exact sizes and check out the insurance issues, but its a useful starting point.
 

YahudaMoon

Über Member
I don't know about musical instruments though I ship vinyl Albums worldwide @ Discogs http://www.discogs.com/explore

Ive never had any issues with Australia even though the record sleeves are of paper / card and music related.

The only place with problems being Brazil that takes 3 - 5 month for arrival.

Simple solution is to send insured less than £250

Ive sent about 400 pieces of vinyl worldwide and never had any damage or lost packets. Also Australia in my opinion are one of the safest countries for shipping outside the UK'

This page here: http://www.royalmail.com/price-finder Just add country, weight, Item. Job done

Hope that helps
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
Sending vinyl and sending bagpipes are very different things. The volume of the package makes a tremendous difference to the cost and regulations.

Small packages are a breeze to send. Expensive bulky items are a nightmare. I've been there....
 

YahudaMoon

Über Member
You may also have to add a customs declaration sticker

10900160_CN22_white.gif


Available from the post office or print online http://www.royalmail.com/price-finder
 

YahudaMoon

Über Member
They wont ship musical instruments worth more than £250 and most options seem to take 3 months.

Simple solution is to send insured less than £250

Sending vinyl and sending bagpipes are very different things. The volume of the package makes a tremendous difference to the cost and regulations.

Small packages are a breeze to send. Expensive bulky items are a nightmare. I've been there....

Sending 25 vinyl albums worldwide weighing about 8kg don't come under 'small packet'
 
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