How long for customs and quarantine clearance - port of melbourne?

Hi

I'm having a bit of an issue with my removal company and I was to check if i'm being reasonable or not.

My belongings arrived in Melbourne port on 13 March

The removal company told me they will deliver on 2 April.

I asked them could they deliver before Easter but they said that quarantine will come in and physically inspect my goods on the Thursday before Easter so they cannot deliver any sooner.

It seems to me that arrival on 13 March to only being inspected by quarantine on the 28 March is a long delay, surely quarantine visit these large removal companies on a more frequent basis? I asked this question of my coordinator but did not get a reply.

Do you think the above timeframes above are long or reasonable for Melbourne port for a very large removal company?

Thanks

Most companys quote 2 weeks in quarantine for your container to be inspected, sometimes they call you sooner and say its been done but normally its 2 - 3 weeks until you see your stuff at your house.

Hope this helps

Cal x

There will be a large number of containers arrive on each ship - not just from people emmigrating but also from goods being imported. Quarentine will not be able to inspect them all on a single day and it is likely it will take a couple of weeks to get through them all. Then if a couple of ships come in around the same time there may be even more of a queue for the inspection service. Like Cal says most companies will quote two weeks for quarentine, but it's not unreasonable for it to take longer and there is really nothing the removal companies can do about it.

We were lucky - our ship arrived on the Monday and our contianer was inspected on the Wednesday and delivered the Friday. But we are in Adelaide not Melbourne and things may be generally quieter here.

I don't think any priority is given to personal furniture and effects or to a large removal company. Your belongings have to wait their turn along with everything else to be inspected by Quarantine and Customs - which is everything which enters the country. My husband used to import motorcycles from the US and they always spent several weeks waiting to be cleared in Port Melbourne.

For Melbourne, yes those time frames are completely normal, unfortunately.

My shipping arrived in Melbourne 9th March so a few days before yours. I've not heard anything yet but I was also told 2 weeks so it sounds right to me. I'm hoping to receive my boxes before easter so I can have a few clear days off work to sort it all out!

Thanks for the replies everyone, sounds like a reasonable timeframe and i'll accept it.

Cheers

Ours left the UK in Nov 2011, arrived Dec 27th then took til mid Jan to clear customs but our van people in Melbourne couldnt deliver to us til mid Feb, super frustrating.