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Special services

Australia Post has a commitment to provide specialised delivery services for certain groups within our community.

If you are sending medical or educational supplies, articles for the blind or parcels to defence personnel, your parcel/shipment may qualify for free or concessional postage rates.

Information on sending articles for the blind and eligibility criteria.

Information on sending parcels to defence personnel and concession rate criteria.

Criteria for sending medical and educational supplies to remote areas, including eligibility information.

Articles for the blind

Australia Post will deliver some items that aid the blind of charge or at concessional rates.

Eligible items

  • Correspondence, documents or literature wholly written in embossed characters as used by the blind - for example, Braille or Moon.
  • Aids for the teaching of Braille.
  • Plates for embossing literature for the blind
  • Special paper intended solely for the blind, on condition that any communication on the paper is wholly in Braille or Moon
  • Any form of speech recording for the use by the blind.

Only items on the list are eligible for the concessional rate.

Parcels must be posted by or to one of the following:

  • The sender and/or the recipient must be a blind person
  • An organisation recognised by Australia Post as one that serves the needs of blind people.

How it works?

  • Check the eligibility criteria of your parcel
  • Ensure the delivery or return address is written on the outside of your package
  • Attach a 'Articles for the Blind" label (available at Post Offices) or write the words "Materials for the Use of the Blind" or similar.

Rates within Australia

Letters and parcels up to 7kg are delivered free of charge.

Defence Mail

Our Defence Mail service is a specialised service for sending mail to defence personnel within Australia or overseas.

While normal rates apply to articles being sent within Australia and overseas, articles addressed to HMA ships (irrespective of location) or an overseas Australian Forces Post Office (AFPO) may attract a concessional rate.

Postage rates

  • Free postage applies for all mail up to 2kg3 (cubed) to all AFPOs, with the exception of AFPO2 (Malaysia)
  • For mail to AFPO2 (Malaysia) and mail over 2kg3 (cubed) to all other AFPOs will attract the domestic rate of postage for the total item weight (calculated from the point of lodgement to Sydney).
  • The maximum weight for an item sent to AFPO15 is 2kg. Mail over 2kg will not be accepted under any circumstances.
  • Postage is assessed on the post office shown in the address.
For delivery to: Address on item:
An AFPO Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of unit
AFPO [insert number of AFPO]
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCES NSW 2890
An HMA ship in NSW Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCES NSW 2890
An HMA ship in VIC Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
An HMA ship in SA Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
ADELAIDE SA 5000
An HMA ship in QLD Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
BRISBANE QLD 4000
An HMA Ship in TAS Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
HOBART TAS 7000
An HMA ship in WA Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
PERTH WA 6958
A west-coast based HMA ship at an unknown
Australian location		 Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
PERTH WA 6958
An HMA ship at an unknown Australian location
(based on any coast other than the West)		 Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCES NSW 2890
An HMA ship overseas Serial number, rank and name of serviceman/woman
Name of HMA ship
AUSTRALIA DEFENCE FORCES NSW 2890

Medical and educational remote area parcel service

If you are sending medical or educational supplies to remote areas we offer a reduced cost delivery service to meet your needs.

The recipient or the sender as well as the parcel will need to meet set criteria to be eligible for the reduced postage fees.

Parcels must be 5kg or under to qualify for the reduced costs.

How does it work?

  • Check the eligibility criteria of your parcel
  • Ensure the delivery or return address clearly indicates your eligibility
  • When presenting your parcel at your nearest Australia Post retail outlet, please advise the staff you wish to use the remote area parcel service.

Eligible medical parcels

  • Prescription medicine
  • Non-prescription pharmacy medicines
  • Other medical products specified by a registered medical practitioner

Parcels must be posted by or to one of the following:

  • Registered medical practitioner
  • Practising ophthalmologist, optometrist, optician
  • Dentist
  • Retailer or wholesaler of medicines and medical supplies.

Dietary supplements, alternative, complimentary or herbal remedies, vitamins, veterinary supplies and nappies are excluded from this service.

All existing Terms and Conditions for sending parcels with Australia Post still apply when sending medical supplies including size and weight limitations as well as dangerous goods restrictions.

Eligible educational parcels

Education materials eligible for this service include, written, printed or electronic media related to recognised course of study administered by a certified educational institution.

Parcels must be posted by or to an educational institution or private tutor.

Stationery, educational toys, office supplies or books are excluded unless specifically related to a course of study.

Eligible postcodes

To be eligible for the remote area parcel delivery services the parcels must be posted to or from one of the following postcodes:

  • 0822, 0837, 0845-852, 0854-0899
  • 2361, 2386-2388, 2396, 2400, 2405-2407, 2410, 2551, 2672, 2675, 2711, 2715, 2824-2825, 2828-2829, 2831-2840, 2873, 2877-2880, 2898-2899
  • 3396. 3419, 3424, 3485, 3500, 3506, 3509, 3512, 3889-3892
  • 4025, 4183, 4385, 4406, 4416-4420, 4422-4423, 4425-4428, 4454-4498, 4627, 4702, 4705, 4707, 4709, 4718-4736, 4739, 4741-4746, 4756-4800, 4802-4805, 4807, 4816, 4820-4830, 4854, 4871, 4890-4891
  • 5220-5223, 5267-5268, 5275, 5302, 5304, 5341, 5432, 5434, 5440, 5575-5577, 5582-5583, 5602-5607, 5630-5690, 5710-5734
  • 6161, 6262, 6328, 6335-6348, 6353-6367, 6369, 6372-6375, 6386, 6398, 6415, 6418, 6420-6427, 6429-6430, 6434-6441, 6443, 6445-6450, 6468, 6472-6479, 6484-6485, 6488, 6490, 6514-6519, 6522, 6532-6537, 6603-6799
  • 7109, 7140, 7186, 7190, 7215, 7255-7257, 7264, 7330, 7467-7470

If you want more information or require help accessing the remote areas parcel delivery service, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 13 11 18.

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