Redirecting mail – Australia Post 40 times more expensive

Before leaving Germany, we filed a request to Deutsche Post to redirect our mail. This was possible online and costs only EUR 34.90 (about 55 AUD) for 24 months. We chose the address of the parents-in-law here on the Gold Coast because we were not sure where we eventually would end up, and we also regularly see the parents-in-law.

That was a good thing, because when I inquired about what Australia Post charges for re-directing private mail, it just overwhelmed me.

Getting your letters redirected to your new address for only one month within Australia costs AUD 30.80 and up to 3 months AUD 53.10 ….

Worldwide it is AUD 115 for one month and AUD 297.55 (!!!) for 3 months. For one year it would be a stunning AUD 1,124.85. Two years would then cost AUD 2,249.70. Remember, I paid AUD 55.00 for two years from Europe to Australia.

Now I understand why we regularly have been receiving letters addressed to people who previously had lived at our current address. Understandably, considering the mail redirection prices of Australia Post, people are reluctant to redirect the mail for more than 1 to 3 months.