Articles / Sending
How to send a birthday card to Australia, and have it arrive on the day
Your sister's turning 40 in Fremantle, your best mate's birthday is in Brisbane, and you're in London, Auckland or just the wrong side of the Nullarbor. Here's when to post, what to do about weekends and time zones, what to write, and how to land the card on the day itself.
When to send it, wherever you are
The single biggest reason birthday cards arrive late is starting the clock too late. Work back from the birthday, using the way the card will actually travel.
| How it travels | Usually takes | Send it by |
|---|---|---|
| You post it from overseas | 1 to 3 weeks, longer in December | Three weeks before the birthday |
| Regular post, from within Australia | 3 to 7 business days | A full week before, more to the country |
| Express Post, from within Australia | Next business day within its network | Two business days before, to be safe |
| Ordered online and posted in Australia | Next business day to most capital cities, three elsewhere | Order up to the day before, or schedule it weeks ahead |
Interstate counts too. A card from Melbourne to a farm outside Toowoomba is still a regional delivery, and regular letters are now delivered every second business day in most places, so the slow end of the range is the one to plan for.
Need the address format? Suburb, state and postcode go together on one line, in capitals: FREMANTLE WA 6160. Our guide to sending a card to Australia from overseas walks through every line of the envelope.
Weekend birthdays and public holidays
Letters aren't delivered in Australia on Saturdays, Sundays or national public holidays. Roughly two birthdays in every seven land on a weekend, so this catches a lot of people out.
- Saturday or Sunday birthday: aim for the Friday before. A card that's waiting when they wake up on the day is a nice bonus, not a guarantee, so hand it to someone in the house if you can.
- Monday birthday: the Friday before or the Monday itself both work. Choose Monday if the card's a surprise.
- Public holidays: count them like a weekend. Some are state-only, like the King's Birthday in Queensland and Western Australia, which aren't in June like the rest of the country, and Melbourne Cup Day in Victoria.
- December birthdays: the Christmas rush slows everything. Post earlier, or order online and pick the date.
The cut-off in your time zone
If you order a card online to be posted within Australia, the deadline is set in Australian time. With Snailgram, cards ordered before 2pm Sydney time on a business day are posted the same afternoon. Here's roughly when that is where you are.
| If you're in | 2pm in Sydney is |
|---|---|
| London, Dublin | 3am to 5am the same day, so order the night before |
| New York, Toronto | 10pm to midnight the night before |
| Los Angeles, Vancouver | 7pm to 9pm the night before |
| Auckland, Wellington | 4pm the same day, sometimes 5pm |
| Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur | 11am or midday the same day |
| Perth | 11am in summer, midday in winter |
The range is because daylight saving starts and ends on different dates in each hemisphere. The easy rule from Europe and the Americas: order the evening before you'd want it posted, or better, schedule it when you think of it.
Time zones matter on the day, too. A birthday in Sydney starts while it's still the afternoon before in London and the morning before in New York. If you're sending a message on the day, send it in their morning, not yours.
Milestone birthdays in Australia
Every birthday deserves a card, but some get more attention in Australia than you might expect, especially if you grew up somewhere else.
- 18th: they can vote and legally drink, and it's often marked with a party.
- 21st: still a big one in Australia, often with speeches, embarrassing photos and a family party, even though 18 is the legal age. A card that sits on the gift table matters here.
- 30th, 40th, 50th: a card that remembers something from the last decade lands better than a joke about getting old. If you do go for the joke, our guide to roasting someone in a card, kindly has the line not to cross.
- 80th, 90th and 100th: family often gather from all over, so this is the one to get there on time. Australians turning 100 can also receive a message from the King, which family can request through the Governor-General's office.
What to write in a birthday card from far away
A card from a distance has one job a card from down the road doesn't: it has to close the gap. The simplest formula is happy birthday, something specific, and when you'll next talk or see them. Some examples, each short enough for a card:
For a parent
"Happy birthday, Mum. I'm raising a cuppa to you from London at a very silly hour. Save me a slice, and I'll call you Sunday morning, your time."
For a sibling
"Happy 40th, Jess. You're still the one I ring first with news, even from 15,000 kilometres away. Proud of you. Drinks are on me at Christmas."
For a friend
"Happy birthday, Tom. It's strange not being at the pub with you tonight. Have one for me, and expect a long phone call this weekend."
For a grandparent
"Happy 90th birthday, Nana. I think about your kitchen and your scones more than you know. Sending all my love from Auckland, and a big hug when we visit in April."
For a partner
"Happy birthday, love. Another one apart, and the last one, I promise. Counting down the days until I'm home."
Stuck? Our four-part formula for what to write in a card works for any birthday, near or far.
What to leave out
- Cash. It isn't trackable, and postal services advise against it. Transfer money or send a digital gift card, then mention it in the card: "There's a little something in your account. Spend it on something silly."
- Seeds, pressed flowers, wattle or leaves, if you're posting from overseas. Australian biosecurity can stop or destroy them, and the card with them.
- Glitter and confetti. Not banned, just not popular with whoever opens it.
- Anything lumpy. Badges or a sound chip can push a card into large letter or parcel rates, and need a customs form from overseas.
Send it online, posted within Australia
If you're overseas, interstate, or simply short on time, the fastest route is to skip the post office altogether. Order the card online and have it written and posted from within Australia.
Posting it yourself
- Buy a card and the right stamp
- Get to a postbox before the last collection
- Up to three weeks from overseas
- No way to know when it lands
With Snailgram
- Design the card on your phone, from anywhere
- A real pen writes your message in real ink
- Posted in Australia by tracked Express Post
- Pick the day it arrives, even weeks ahead
With Snailgram, you describe a cover in one sentence, like "my sister on a surfboard at Cottesloe with a birthday cake", and pick from three made only for you. Then you write your message exactly as you want it; we never edit or rewrite your words. A pen writes them inside the card, and it's stamped and posted to arrive on the date you choose. It's A$50 all in, with the card, envelope, stamp and tracked delivery anywhere in Australia. You can check the earliest arrival date for their postcode with our delivery date calculator.
The card is from you, not from us: we never contact the person you're sending to. Cutting it really fine? See how to send a last-minute greeting card.
Questions
How long does a birthday card take to get to Australia?
Posted from overseas, a card commonly takes one to three weeks, and longer in November and December. Posted within Australia, regular letters generally take three to seven business days and Express Post is next business day within its network. A card ordered online from a service that posts within Australia, such as Snailgram, arrives the next business day in most capital city postcodes if ordered before 2pm Sydney time.
Can I send a birthday card to Australia from the UK or US online?
Yes. You can order a card online from anywhere and have it posted from within Australia, so it only travels through the domestic post. With Snailgram you design the cover and write your message on your phone, a pen writes it in real ink, and it's posted in Australia to arrive on the day you pick.
Will a birthday card be delivered on a Saturday or Sunday in Australia?
No. Letters aren't delivered on weekends or national public holidays in Australia. If the birthday falls on a weekend, plan for the card to arrive on the Friday before.
Can I schedule a birthday card in advance?
Yes. With Snailgram you can pick any arrival day from the earliest one shown, whether it's next week or next month, and the card is posted in time to arrive that day. It's a good way to get a birthday sorted when you remember it, not when it's too late.
Can I put money or a gift card in a birthday card to Australia?
It's best not to send cash in the post. It isn't trackable and postal services advise against it. Send money by bank transfer or a digital gift card instead, and mention it in the card. From overseas, also leave out seeds, pressed flowers and other plant material, which Australian biosecurity can stop.
What should I write in a birthday card when I live far away?
Keep it warm and specific: say happy birthday, name one thing you love about them or hope for their year, and say when you'll next see them or call. For example: "Happy birthday, Mum. I'm raising a cuppa to you from London at a very silly hour. Save me a slice, I'll call you Sunday."
Sources and useful links
- Australia Post, addressing guidelines and postcode search.
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, sending or ordering goods from outside Australia.
- The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, messages for milestone birthdays and anniversaries.