Moving Interstate in Australia: Costs, Backloads and Timing

An interstate move is a different product from a local one. It is priced on volume rather than hours, your goods may travel with other people's, and the delivery date is a window rather than a time.

Understanding those three things makes the quotes make sense.

How interstate removals are priced

Long distance is quoted on cubic metres, worked out from an inventory or a video walkthrough. Rough volumes:

• One bedroom unit: 12 to 18 cubic metres
• Two bedroom unit: 20 to 25 cubic metres
• Three bedroom house: 35 to 45 cubic metres
• Four bedroom house: 50 cubic metres and up

Be thorough with the inventory. Volume added on the day is repriced on the day, and you have no leverage standing in an empty house.

Dedicated truck or backload

A dedicated service gives you the truck to yourself, with firm pickup and delivery dates. It costs more and it is the right choice when you have a settlement date to hit.

A backload puts your goods on a truck already making that trip, often on its return leg. It is significantly cheaper. The trade-off is flexibility: you accept a delivery window, commonly several days to a couple of weeks, and the operator fits you around the schedule.

Backloading works well when you have somewhere to stay at the other end, or you are moving into a place you already have access to. It works badly when you need your bed the night you arrive.

Indicative costs

For a three bedroom house, dedicated:

• Melbourne to Sydney: roughly $3,000 to $5,500
• Sydney to Brisbane: roughly $3,000 to $5,500
• Adelaide to Melbourne: roughly $2,500 to $4,500
• Melbourne to Perth: roughly $6,000 to $10,000

Backloading the same volume can come in well under those figures. Get both quoted so you can price the flexibility.

Quarantine and what cannot cross a border

Australia has interstate quarantine restrictions, and they are enforced. Depending on the route, restrictions can apply to:

• Pot plants and soil
• Fruit, vegetables and honey
• Firewood and untreated timber
• Some seeds and plant material

Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have particularly strict requirements. Check the destination state's requirements before you pack, not at a checkpoint.

Removalists also will not carry paint, fuel, gas bottles, aerosols or chemicals on a long haul.

Insurance matters more here

Your goods are on the road for days, handled more times, and possibly transferred between vehicles at a depot. Confirm goods in transit cover, the excess, and whether items you packed yourself are covered. Many policies exclude or reduce cover on owner-packed cartons, which is an argument for paying for professional packing on the fragile ones.

Timing

Book four to six weeks ahead for a dedicated interstate service, more around Christmas and the end of the financial year. Backloads can sometimes be picked up at shorter notice, since you are filling space that already exists.

Before you leave

• Finalise the bond clean and the final inspection at the old place.
• Transfer or cancel utilities and internet at both ends.
• Update your licence and vehicle registration within your new state's timeframe.
• Redirect mail.
• Keep documents, valuables, medication and a few days of clothes with you.

Frequently asked questions

How long does interstate delivery take?

East coast capital to capital is commonly a few days on a dedicated service. Across the Nullarbor is often one to two weeks. Backloads add flexibility to both.

Can I put my car on the truck?

Some operators offer vehicle transport, others use a specialist. Ask early, since it changes the quote.

What if my new place is not ready?

Ask about storage in transit when you get the quote. It is far cheaper arranged in advance than as an emergency.

Compare removalists, and read how to choose one before you book.