Articles / Sending
How to send a greeting card to Australia from overseas
Mum's birthday is in Brisbane, you're in London, and the post office closes at five. Here's how to get a card to Australia on time: how to address it, how long it really takes, what to leave out, and a quicker way that skips international post altogether.
Your three options
If you live overseas and want a card to reach someone in Australia, you can post one yourself, order one that's posted from within Australia, or send something digital.
| Post it yourself | Posted within Australia | E-card or text | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to arrive | Often 1 to 3 weeks | A few days | Instant |
| Effort | Buy card, stamp, post office | Online, from anywhere | Low |
| Something to keep | Yes | Yes | No |
| Best for | When you're well ahead of the date | When time is short, or you're busy | A same-day "thinking of you" |
Posting it yourself is the classic route, so let's start there.
How to address a card to Australia
Australian addresses are simple once you know the pattern. The most important line is the second-last one: suburb, state and postcode together, in capitals.
- Your return address in the top-left corner or on the back, ending with your country. If the card can't be delivered, this is how it finds its way home.
- International postage in the top-right corner. A standard card in an ordinary envelope usually goes at your post's international letter rate.
- Their name, as they'd want it on the envelope.
- Street number and street name. Units are often written as "3/14 Jacaranda Street", meaning unit 3 at number 14.
- Suburb, state and postcode on one line, in capitals, for example TOOWONG QLD 4066. Use the state abbreviation and the four-digit postcode.
- AUSTRALIA in capitals on the last line, on its own.
Australian states, abbreviations and postcodes
| State or territory | Write | Postcodes start with |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | NSW | 2 |
| Australian Capital Territory | ACT | 2 (also 02) |
| Victoria | VIC | 3 |
| Queensland | QLD | 4 |
| South Australia | SA | 5 |
| Western Australia | WA | 6 |
| Tasmania | TAS | 7 |
| Northern Territory | NT | 08 |
Not sure of the postcode? Australia Post has a free postcode search on its website. A wrong postcode is one of the most common reasons mail is delayed.
How long it takes, and when to post
Standard international letters to Australia commonly take one to three weeks, depending on where you send from and the time of year. Once a card lands, it joins the Australian network, where regular letters are now delivered every second business day in most places. In the weeks before Christmas, everything slows down.
A simple rule of thumb:
- Birthdays and everyday cards: post at least three weeks before the date.
- Christmas: post in early November if you can. Postal services publish international last posting dates each year, usually in early December, so check yours.
- Remote or regional addresses: add a few extra days.
Remember that Australia is ahead of Europe and the Americas. A birthday that starts on Tuesday in Sydney is still Monday afternoon in London and Monday morning in New York. Australia also spans several time zones, and Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory don't use daylight saving.
What not to put inside
Australia has some of the strictest biosecurity rules in the world, and international mail is screened. A card can be delayed or destroyed if it contains:
- Seeds, including "plantable" seed paper cards
- Pressed flowers, leaves, wattle or other plant material
- Soil, sand, feathers or other animal products
- Food, even tea bags or sweets, which may be held for inspection
Don't send cash in a card. It isn't trackable, and most postal services advise against it. If you're including money, use a bank transfer or a digital gift card and mention it in the message.
Keep it flat, too. A card with a badge, a battery-powered sound chip or anything lumpy may count as a large letter or small parcel, cost more, and need a customs declaration. A card with only a written message generally doesn't.
Australian dates that catch people out
Plenty of cards arrive at the right address on the wrong day, because some Australian occasions fall on different dates from the rest of the world.
| Occasion | In Australia | Watch out if you're in |
|---|---|---|
| Mother's Day | Second Sunday in May | The UK and Ireland, where Mothering Sunday is in March |
| Father's Day | First Sunday in September | The UK, Ireland, the US and Canada, where it's in June |
| Christmas | 25 December, in summer | Anywhere: winter scenes are fine, but a beach or a pav is a nice touch |
The faster way: post it from inside Australia
If the date is close, or you just don't have time for the post office, skip the international leg. Order a card online that's made and posted within Australia, so it only travels through the domestic post.
Posting from overseas
- Find a card and an international stamp
- Get to a post office or postbox
- One to three weeks in transit
- Biosecurity screening on arrival
With Snailgram
- Design the card on your phone, from anywhere
- Write your message; a real pen writes it in real ink
- Posted in Australia with next business day delivery
- Pick the day it should arrive
With Snailgram, you describe a cover in one sentence 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 by the date you choose. The card is from you, not from us: we never contact the person you're sending to.
Questions
How long does it take to post a card to Australia from overseas?
Standard international letters to Australia commonly take one to three weeks, depending on the country you send from and the time of year. Allow longer in November and December. Check your postal service's current estimate before you post.
Do I need a customs form to send a card to Australia?
A card containing only a written message is generally treated as correspondence and doesn't need a customs declaration. If you add goods, such as a gift, a badge or anything thicker than a letter, you'll usually need a customs form and a different postage rate. Check with your postal service.
How do I write an Australian address on an envelope?
Write the recipient's name, the street number and street name, then the suburb, state abbreviation and four-digit postcode on one line, for example TOOWONG QLD 4066, then AUSTRALIA in capitals on the last line.
Can I send a card to Australia without posting it internationally?
Yes. You can order from an online card service that prints, writes and posts the card from within Australia, so it travels in the domestic post instead of crossing borders. Snailgram does this: you design the card and write the message online, and a pen writes it in real ink before it's posted with next business day delivery anywhere in Australia.
When is Mother's Day and Father's Day in Australia?
Mother's Day in Australia is the second Sunday in May, the same as the US but not the UK. Father's Day in Australia is the first Sunday in September, not June as in the UK and US.
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.
- Australia Post letter delivery changes, reported by SmartCompany.