Deadline approaches for Christmas deliveries. These are the Australia Post cut off dates

The New Daily
Dec 04, 2024, updated Dec 04, 2024

Australia Post delivered more than 100 million parcels in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Photo: TND/Getty

Deadlines are fast approaching for Australians planning to send Christmas gifts and cards to loved ones this festive season.

Australia Post delivered almost 100 million parcels in November and December last year and is expecting similar volumes this year.

Australia Post recommends sending Christmas parcels and cards as early as possible, or at least by the cut-off dates below.

For Parcel Post items sent outside a metro area or lodged over the counter, please allow additional time.

Sending within Australia

*Parcels sent to/from Geelong and Gold Coast follow the metro location cut-off dates.

Domestic express post

For packages sent from the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia by express post, the cut-off date is December 20.

For all other states, the deadline is December 23.

Overseas deliveries

International cut-off dates vary depending on the destination and the chosen delivery service.

Parcels sent after the dates below will be delivered as quickly as possible, but may not arrive until after Christmas.

Items sent from South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory must travel interstate before departing Australia. You can factor this in by adding 2 business days for Express items, and 5 business days for Standard and Economy items.

Mail deliveries to Canada have been temporarily suspended due to a strike by Canada Post workers.

Some 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers walked off the job on November 15 and disruptions are ongoing.

Christmas card costs

The postage cost of a Christmas card this year is 65 cents during December.

To be eligible for the discount price, your card must be no larger than 130mm x 240mm, no thicker than 5mm and no heavier than 250g.

Overseas Christmas cards will cost $3 to anywhere in the world as long as they are no larger than 260mm x 360mm, on thicker than 5mm and no heavier than 50g.

And be sure to to write ‘Card Only’ on your envelope.

Christmas parcel costs

If you’re using your own packaging, parcels are charged according to their weight.

Parcels up to five kilograms cost $10.95 for small Parcel Post, while extra large Express Post is $31.35. Delivery options and postage costs are available here.

Postage for parcels weighing more than five kilograms is determined by weight and destination. Australia Posts has an online calculator to estimate postage cost and delivery timeframes.