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What to Take
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IntroductionWhen you are getting quotes from removal companies, you will have to list all the household items you intend to take to Australia. At this point you will probably wonder if some things (a) will work in Aus, and (b) are worth taking. Hopefully this section gives you some answers to these questions. Please check the discussion on this topic and if your question is still not answered, post the question yourself. Please read our disclaimer statement. ----- CarsApart from the cost of shipping, there is import duty payable on an imported vehicle. It will also be inspected for road-worthiness and compliance to Australian standards and may require modification. In many cases, this makes it uneconomical to import a car. However, if you're particularly attached to your vehicle or it's a classic, we suggest you ask a removal companies for advice and a quotation, or visit the Australian Customs site for more details - follow menu path: ----- Electrical appliancesAustralia's electrical system is 240V therefore, in general, UK appliances are OK. European appliances should be OK, but we suggest you check with a manufacturer or electrician. From US or Canada, you have a problem, unless you can get your appliances modified. You can buy a 240V-110V step down voltage converter (transformer) - see www.voltageconverters.com for more. Australia uses a 3-pin plug (see an example), which you can buy at hardware stores and supermarkets. Washing Machines & DryersThe standard Aussie washing machine is a top loader - front loaders are generally more expensive (than UK). So if you like your front-loader and it's in good condition, we recommend shipping it. You don't need a dryer much (in Perth anyway), but they're still useful in winter, so worth shipping. Fridges & FreezersA typical Aussie fridge-freezer would be around 500L capacity (rough dimensions = 180cm tall, 80cm wide, 68cm deep) - that's a lot bigger than its British counterpart. Some people have a separate fridge and freezer, each one this size, standing side-by-side. So, your average British unit is probably not going to be adaquate in terms of size. However, as a temporary measure, or to be used as a second (eg. beer) fridge, it may be worth shipping. ----- TV,VCR,DVD & PS2,XBOXFirst, your hardware must work on 240V or use a transformer, as discussed above. TV, VCR, RadioRadios work fine. TVs and VCRs (from UK) receive pictures OK, but may not process sound. They can be modified - we have had this done to both TV and VCR and it costs around $100 each. Note that you can play pre-recorded video tapes without modification to the VCR, the problem is only when you want to record Australian transmissions. I'm not sure about TVs/VCRs from the US or Canada (if anyone knows, please post a message with details). DVDsDVD players are generally region-specific - Australia is in Region 4, so if you bring your Region 1 (US) or Region 2 (UK/Europe) or other region machine, it may not play Aussie DVDs. If you're lucky enough to have a multi-region player, you should be OK. For more on regions and DVDs in general, see DVD FAQ at www.dvddemystified.com. Now, if your DVD player is region-specific (most likely), all is not lost. Some models can be converted via a hardware fix ("chipped") and others can be converted by just keying codes into your remote control! There's some very useful information on this at the following websites: Just remember to do your research before attmpting to update your DVD player, as it's all done at your own risk. Playstations, XBoxAs for the DVD-playing capability of PS2's and Xbox, the issues are the same as discussed above and the same links may be useful. I have also seen a software product called "DVD Region X" that you can buy (eg. from Amazon), but no direct experience (any feedback from anyone who's used this?). Regarding the games themselves, I have read that PS2's use a separate region-coding for games, but no further information as yet (contributions welcomed, as always). Update July 2007 (info kindly provided by KangarooJack)... DVD region X available from Play £6.00. You need a memory card, then you run the DVD Region X CD and select the region, it saves a block on the memory card telling your PS2 that is now that region for DVD's.eg 4 for Oz. Games are not affected. To change to another region , just run the disc again, or remove the memory card and you are back to UK region 2. Another alternative is the Action Replay MAX EVO Edition £14.99 from Play.com. Same idea but comes with a usb memory stick containing cheats for ps2 games. ----- Other Household ItemsFurnitureBear in mind that many houses have built-in-wardrobes in most bedrooms, so you shouldn't need to bring more than one or two. Houses are large by UK standards and have more living areas. Typically, your house may have a living area, a family room and a games room. So if you do bring a lot of furniture, you can probably find somewhere to use it. Musical InstrumentsThey seem to be really expensive, at least in Perth, so if you're debating whether to bring that old piano, I would suggest you do. Lawn MowersAn average size Aussie lawn is probably going to be too much for an electrical mower, so if you have a small Black&Decker, you might think about selling it. But if you have a 2- or 4-stroke petrol machine, it should be OK. The main problem is that you will probably have to strip and clean it to remove all traces of grass and soil. ----- What do Goods Cost?Before you decide to ship your belongings or sell them, you probably want to know how much things cost in Australia.We have some links to retailers in the next section, but note that many do not list prices on their website, while others may show the "recommended retail price", which can be quite a bit higher than you will actually pay at the store. Therefore, we have listed below a few advertised prices:
These are indicative prices advertised in Perth, July 2007. Please check with retailers if you need to know exact current prices of particular products. ----- RetailersElectricalFurnitureGeneral----- ----- DisclaimerInformation on this website is intended to give the reader an overview of many aspects of life in Australia, such as healthcare, real estate, tax, superannuation etc. While we at Aussiemove.com have performed a large amount of research on each subject area, we do not claim to be experts in those fields and we recommend that migrants discuss their requirements with companies specialising in those fields before making purchases, investments or other decisions concerning their move. The content of this website is general in nature - no specific advice is intended. We provide links to other companies as a service to our readers. We have taken reasonable care to ensure that each linked website does not contain offensive or inappropriate material. However, we are not responsible for the accuracy of any of the material in any linked website, or the advice that may be contained therein. ----- |
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