Mail to Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic (travelling south)
Mail addressed to expeditioners in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic is consolidated at AAD’s headquarters in Hobart. Mail is considered as postal articles including items sent via courier or freight companies, delivered to the AAD. This includes envelopes, postcards or small parcels with a maximum weight of 1 kg per item.
Mail items will be placed directly into mail bags at Kingston and these items will not be tracked at an individual item level. Mailbags will be consigned to available transports subject to payloads and weather conditions. Mail may be delivered via other unplanned cargo pathways subject to payload availability.
Biosecurity Officers manually inspect mail, usually with the assistance of dogs, to ensure that there are no Biosecurity Risk Material. Items that have been removed from the mail in the past include foodstuffs, wheat products, and alcohol. For further information please contact Supply Services.
Note: ALL mail articles must be delivered to the AAD at least 10 days before scheduled transport arrival. This delivery deadline must be met for mail articles to be included in the station mailbag.
Please check mail information for further details, including how to check mail closing dates, before sending mail to AAD.
Mail – Return to Australia (RTA)
All Australia Post RTA mail is subject to compliance with the Customs Act 1901 and must be Customs cleared, before mail being released to the Australian Antarctic Division. Once Australia Post mail is released it is then consolidated for collection by Australia Post.
Cargo
Items that exceed 1 kg, parcels that are not easily placed into the mailbag and items that contain dangerous goods will be shipped as ‘cargo’. These items are not transported as mail, will be consigned as personal effects and will be delivered to stations on the next available cargo transport. Designated cargo transports are limited to resupply voyages and heavy lift cargo flights.