How to Ship Large or Bulky Items in Australia

To ship a large item in Australia, decide whether it suits a parcel courier, a pallet service or a removalist, pack and protect it, measure and weigh it once packed, then compare quotes for your route and book. For a single item that's too big for a standard parcel, such as a couch, an appliance or a piece of gym equipment, putting it on a pallet and booking it as pallet freight is often the simplest option.

This guide covers each step, with the details that help protect your item and keep your price accurate.

When Is an Item Too Big for a Standard Parcel?

There's no single cut-off, because every courier sets its own size and weight limits. Australia Post's limits are a useful reference point: its domestic parcels can weigh up to 22 kg, be up to 105 cm long and take up to 0.25 cubic metres. Anything bigger or heavier won't go through Australia Post's standard parcel service and may need a large parcel courier or a freight service.

Typical large or bulky items include flat-pack and assembled furniture, mattresses, fridges and washing machines, gym equipment, bikes, and machinery or parts. Limits vary by courier and service, so enter your item's packed size and weight in a quote to see your options.

Courier, Pallet or Removalist: Which Do You Need?

• Parcel courier. Best for boxed items one person can lift, such as a flat-pack bookshelf or a boxed monitor. You book it like any parcel and it's priced on size, weight and route.
• Pallet service. Best for one oversized item, or several cartons that can be strapped together. The pallet is priced as one unit on its size, weight and route. Pallets usually need a forklift, a loading dock or a truck with a tail-lift at each end.
• Removalist. Best when you're moving a whole room or house, or need items carried inside, up stairs, assembled or placed in a room. A removalist quote usually covers labour as well as transport.

For a single large item, we recommend putting it on a pallet and choosing a Pallet quote. Our Large & Bulky Item Courier page explains how to book one, and Pallet & Freight Courier covers pallet sizes and preparation in more detail.

How to Measure a Large Item

Measure the item after it's packed, at its widest, longest and tallest points, including legs, handles and any packaging. If it's going on a pallet, measure the whole load with the pallet underneath it. A standard Australian pallet is 1165 mm by 1165 mm, and the height of the load matters as much as the footprint. Then weigh the whole load, including the pallet if it's going on one.

Size matters as much as weight because couriers and freight companies often charge bulky items on cubic weight (the item's volume converted into a weight) or actual weight, whichever is greater. Take an armchair packed to 90 cm wide, 85 cm deep and 100 cm tall. That's 0.765 cubic metres. At a conversion rate of 250 kg per cubic metre (the rate Australia Post uses for parcels), its cubic weight would be about 191 kg, far more than a typical armchair weighs. Couriers and freight companies use their own rates, so your quote is the best guide, but the example shows why a compact, well-packed item can cost less to send.

Get the measurements right before you book. Quotes are based on the details you enter, and couriers can adjust the price if the size or weight they collect doesn't match what you declared.

How to Pack Furniture and Appliances

• Flat-pack where you can. Take legs off tables and beds, and dismantle what comes apart easily. Put screws and small fittings in a sealed bag and tape it securely to the main piece.
• Secure moving parts. Remove or tape shut drawers, doors and shelves, and take out loose glass and pack it separately.
• Protect corners and edges. Use cardboard or foam corner protectors, then wrap it in moving blankets or bubble wrap, with stretch wrap over the top.
• Prepare appliances. Empty, defrost and dry fridges and freezers, drain washing machines, and fit the transit bolts if you still have them. Tape down cords and hoses. Keep fridges upright where you can, and check the manual for how long to wait before switching one back on.
• Check for dangerous goods. If the item has an engine, drain the fuel first. Items with engines, batteries, aerosols or paint may count as dangerous goods, so tick the dangerous goods box when you quote. Some items can be sent with a declaration and a surcharge, subject to the courier's approval.
• Strap it to the pallet. Centre the item so nothing hangs over the edges, then strap and wrap it to the pallet so it can't shift.
• Label it clearly. Add the delivery address and any handling notes, such as which way up it goes.

For general packing and booking basics, see our guide to sending a parcel in Australia.

Plan Pickup and Delivery

Large items need more planning at each end than a small parcel.

• Mark home addresses in the quote. Switch on residential pickup or drop-off if either address is a home. Residential and remote addresses usually cost more, so enter them accurately.
• Ask for the equipment you need. If you need a forklift or tail-lift at pickup or delivery, request it when you book. If you don't, the courier won't bring one, and your pickup or delivery can be delayed.
• Arrange help to load and unload. Don't assume the driver will carry the item inside or up stairs. Have someone at each end to help move it to and from the vehicle, and clear a path from the door.
• Be ready on the day. Have the item packed and accessible at the pickup address. If the courier can't collect because you're not there, the item isn't ready or you can't be reached, a futile pickup fee can apply.

How to Keep the Cost Down

• Make it smaller. Dismantling and flat-packing reduce the cubic weight, which often decides the price of a bulky item.
• Compare couriers. Prices and delivery dates for the same item and route can vary a lot between couriers.
• Choose road if you have time. Road freight is usually cheaper than faster options interstate.
• Get the details right. Accurate measurements and addresses avoid adjustments after pickup.

Our guide to sending a parcel for less has more ways to save.

Compare Quotes, Book and Protect Your Item

With Pacer Logistics, you choose Pallet or Parcel in the quote tool, enter the pickup and delivery addresses, and add the packed size and weight. You'll see live options from couriers side by side, each with its price (in Australian dollars, including GST, fuel and fees), pickup date and estimated delivery date. Rates can update if your details change during booking.

Book online with no account and pay by card. Standard bookings within Australia include a transit warranty of up to $350. For something worth more, you can add extra cover of up to $100,000 at checkout, before you pay. Some items, including antiques, works of art, valuables and personal effects, are excluded, so read Shipment Cover before you send anything like that.

Questions About Shipping Large Items