‘Early as possible’: Australia Post reveals Christmas shipping cut off dates

Australians have been warned to get organised ahead of Christmas as cut off dates for posting parcels, cards and letters have been revealed.

Australia Post has urged people to send off Christmas packages by December 20 for domestic parcel posts, while express post parcels can be sent as late as December 23, with the exception of the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia where residents of are urged to ship items by December 20.

Letters and cards sent interstate should be posted by December 13, while letters and cards sent within the state should be sent off by December 16.

However, those sending items to and from Western Australia and the Northern Territory should allow a few extra days for postage.

“Last year we delivered nearly 100 million parcels to customers during November and December,” an Australia Post spokesperson said.

“We recommend sending your Christmas parcels as early as possible … to help us get them there in time for Christmas Day.

“We’ll deliver items sent after these dates as quickly as we can, but they may not arrive until after Christmas.”

However those planning to send things overseas may need to post items as early as November, with those sending to East and Southeast Asia, the UK and New Zealand urged to ship parcels and letters by economy air by November 28 and 29.

International standard shipping should be done by December 5 for New Zealand, December 6 for East and Southeast Asia and the UK, December 9 for Canada and major European destinations, December 10 for China, December 11 for the USA, and November 26 for other destinations.

Express parcels and letters should be shipped by December 13 for East and Southeast Asia, China, major European destinations, the UK, Canada and New Zealand, December 16 for the USA, and December 2 for other destinations.

Similar deadlines have been issued for international courier parcels and letters, with people urged to send items by December 13 for East and Southeast Asia, China and major European destinations, and December 16 for the UK, Canada, the USA and New Zealand.

No information for courier parcels and letters is available for other destinations.