What to bring, what to leave behind

Stories, adventures, tips and questions about moving to Australia
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rod
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What to bring, what to leave behind

Post by rod »

Clothing and furniture are expensive in Australia, and we decided to pack up most of our stuff in a 20 foot shipping container and ship it over. Cost was in the vicinity of $USD 10,000 but we think it was worth it, also considering the time it would have taken to shop for replacements.

However some things couldn't be used here. A big difference is that power is 240V 50 Hz, as opposed to 120V 60 Hz in the US. Most electronics and other gadgets that convert to DC power are OK, but things that have motors, heating elements or filaments are usually not. Most lighting we had to leave behind. But there are exceptions so always check the label on the plug or power supply to see what its requirements are.

You will need outlet adapters as Australian outlets are "Type I". This and this are examples that we bought.

If there is an incompatible gadget that you cannot live without, a step-down transformer will probably be your answer. We bought this one and it works great with our Kitchenaid mixer. Do not try to get by with a cheap power converter!

Cars here have the steering wheel on the right so don't bother with trying to bring a car from a country that has it on the left. Motorcycles should be OK but do your research first, there are many rules. I didn't bring mine mainly because I was ready for a different one.

We resolved grey areas with the question "does it fit in the shipping container?" We packed that sucker full. :lol:

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What did you bring or leave behind that you shouldn't have?
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