Personal effects allowances
The amount of personal effects that expeditioners can take to station depends on the duration of their stay and transport availability in a given season. The details below reflect typical allowances, but these may vary depending on specific season operations. In some cases cargo space may be limited and consignments may need to be split across multiple transports. Expeditioners will be provided with specific information before deployment. These allowances apply to both southbound and northbound transports.
Accompanied Personal Effects – All Expeditioners
Accompanied Personal Effects allowances vary per transport type, expeditioners will receive information ahead of their departure which will include specific limits and allowances for their transport.
Unaccompanied Personal Effects – Summering Expeditioners
Summering expeditioners typically have an allowance of 50kg for UPE. This allowance can vary depending on the length of stay and transport options available for the season.
Unaccompanied Personal Effects – Wintering Expeditioners
Wintering expeditioners, who generally stay longer and require additional winter clothing and supplies, have an allowance of 250 kg for UPE. However, the combined volume of consignments cannot exceed 1 m³.
Delivery to the AAD
Personal effects should be delivered to the Australian Antarctic Division's (AAD) Kingston Warehouse for processing and packing. For expeditioners employed by the AAD, Supply Chain Operations can arrange the collection of your UPE from your home address. This collection service is limited to the UPE allowance, and any additional cargo exceeding this allowance must be sent at the expeditioner’s expense. A copy of the 'Expeditioner Personal Effects (UPE) Collection Form' can be found on the expeditioner forms page. Please note that Dangerous Goods must not be included in this shipment.
Packing Your Personal Effects
When preparing your UPE for transport, it is important to pack it securely in appropriate containers. Recommended options include sturdy cardboard cartons or plastic tubs and clothing and other nonfragile items can be packed into soft sided bags. Tubs made from brittle plastic or those with built-in wheels should be avoided, as they are likely to break during transport. Suitcases should also be avoided as they are difficult to pack away in expeditioners’ living quarters. Ensuring your UPE is packed securely will protect your belongings throughout the journey. Packages must not include any dangerous goods and should be clearly labelled with your name, contact number, destination station, and package numbering (1 of 5, 2 of 5 etc).
Insurance
The AAD accepts no liability for the loss or damage to personnel effects. Obtaining insurance for personal effects is the responsibility of the expeditioner. Obtaining insurance for personal effects taken to Antarctica or the sub Antarctic can be challenging. Some items may not be covered by insurance, while coverage for others may be cost-prohibitive. Please consider your insurance requirements well in advance of your expedition, check your policy carefully and ensure you understand any exclusions.
Consigning UPE to station
UPE must be consigned in the Australian Antarctic Division's electronic consignment system, eCon, in order to be shipped to station. For information on creating your consignment, go to our eCon system webpage.
Dangerous Goods
To ensure safety during transport, dangerous goods must be packed and consigned separately from non-dangerous goods. Dangerous goods can include items such as lithium batteries, equipment containing lithium batteries, and certain toiletry items like aerosol sprays, perfumes, nail polish, and nail polish remover. These items must be consigned separately to ensure proper handling and minimise potential hazards. For further information please refer to our Dangerous goods page.
Returning to Australia
All cargo returning from Antarctica, including UPE, must be imported into Australia through customs and biosecurity. The package and item information entered in eCon will serve as your packing list when declaring your UPE to customs, and must be accurate. Alongside your eCon consignment, you will also need to complete a Border Force Unaccompanied Personal Effects Declaration (B534 form) to facilitate the import of your goods. This documentation will be lodged with Border Force by Supply Chain Operations’ Imports/Exports team.
Please note that customs and biosecurity clearance may take several weeks, and the AAD has no control over the length of this process. You can help expedite clearance by ensuring documentation is completed in full and by using clear, descriptive language in your eCon consignment. For example, a consignment that lists “Footwear (worn indoors only)” is less likely to require biosecurity inspection than a consignment that simply lists “Shoes”. However, please note that a large proportion of UPE consignments are required to be inspected by biosecurity officers.
Expeditioners employed by the AAD are entitled to have their UPE returned to their home or nominated address in Australia (or New Zealand, if that is where they were initially recruited). UPE allowances for returning cargo are the same as for southbound consignments. Gifts received or personal projects completed on station will be consigned as UPE, and expeditioners must ensure the combined total of their consignments, both in weight as well as volume, does not exceed their UPE allowance. Any cargo exceeding the UPE allowance will be sent at the expeditioner’s expense.
Alcohol
Expeditioners are able to consign their personal alcohol allocation for transport to stations as cargo on AAP resupply voyages. Alcohol must be consigned in eCon separately to personal effects consignments. Alcohol allowances are aligned with current Australian Government health guidelines on personal consumption, and are dependant on the duration of an expeditioner's stay as well as the transport options available.
More information can be found in the AAD’s Drug and Alcohol Policy, which can be located under the 'Community Living' heading in the Expeditioner Hub.
Expeditioners should avoid consigning alcohol in glass bottles where possible, as glass is heavier and also more prone to breakage during transport. Where alternatives such as cans are available, they are preferred.
Mail can be sent to expeditioners staying at Australia’s Antarctic and sub-Antarctic stations through Australia Post or other couriers. Mail articles are limited to envelopes, postcards and small parcels and packages with a maximum weight of 1kg, and a maximum size of a standard shoe box. For more information on sending mail to expeditioners go to the Contacting Expeditioners webpage.