Australia Post has announced the return of weekend delivery services throughout the Christmas period to manage the expected surge in online shopping and gift sending. The temporary measure will see parcels delivered on both Saturdays and Sundays across major metropolitan areas and selected regional centres.
Weekend Services to Ease Holiday Pressure
The national postal service is bracing for what it anticipates will be an even bigger holiday season than last year, when it delivered an impressive 103 million parcels during November and December. Australia Post Executive General Manager Gary Starr confirmed the weekend deliveries would provide "added flexibility for customers and help ensure timely arrival of parcels" during the busiest shipping period.
"We're seeing a significant spike in parcel volumes and we're ready to go even bigger this holiday season," Starr stated. "Weekend deliveries are just one of the ways Australia Post is stepping up to support our customers during the busiest time of the year."
Extended Services and Christmas Deadlines
Beyond weekend deliveries, Australia Post has implemented several other measures to handle the Christmas rush. The organisation has hired thousands of additional team members and expanded delivery options, including more self-service parcel lockers and extended post office trading hours.
To ensure gifts arrive before Christmas Day, customers need to be mindful of crucial posting deadlines:
- Interstate deliveries: Send by Friday, December 19
- Same-state deliveries: Send by Monday, December 22
- Express Post items: Send by Tuesday, December 23
For Parcel Post items lodged over the counter, there's a 2.30pm cut-off time on these dates. The service covers all metro capital cities and extends to parcels sent to or from Geelong, Gold Coast, and Newcastle, which follow the same metro deadlines.
Regional and International Considerations
Customers sending parcels to or from Western Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania, or regional and remote locations should allow extra days for delivery. Similarly, items sent from South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory must travel interstate before departing Australia and may take longer.
International sending deadlines vary significantly depending on the destination country and chosen delivery service. Australia Post recommends checking their website for country-specific guidance on recommended posting dates.
While parcels sent after these key dates will be delivered as quickly as possible, Australia Post cannot guarantee they will arrive before Christmas. The weekend delivery initiative represents a significant boost to Australia's holiday logistics network, ensuring more Australians receive their packages in time for Christmas celebrations.
