How to Track Australia Post Packages in Real-Time

A nation's postal service forms the core of its courier services. Established in 1975, Australia Post is the government-owned postal service for Australia that enables the citizens to send/receive domestic and international shipments.

Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Auspost has about 4300+ locations, over 30 offices, and covers over 7,950 postal routes nationwide to keep everything moving. Just like any other courier, Australia Post does its best to offer affordable and smooth shipping services to and from Australia to more than 220 countries across the world.

To make the delivery process more streamlined, Australia Post offers tracking to help avert delivery anxieties that arise due to unforeseen shipping challenges such as lost/stolen packages, customs clearance issues, or even issues related to covid-19  that can result in a negative buyer experience.

In this article, we'll give you an overview of Australia Post tracking, how to track an Australia Post shipment, and how Easyship helps optimize tracking.

How to track an Australia Post Shipment

Australia Post tracking offers package tracking for both domestic and international shipments. The whole tracking system is enabled by the Australia Post tracking number. The Australia Post Parcel Number is a unique code assigned to each parcel where all the shipment details are encrypted.

The Australia Post Tracking Number Format

The most common Australian post tracking number format is a combination of 13 alphabetic and numeric characters. Usually, the number starts with 2 alphabets, followed by 9 digits, and then ends with "AU".

Here is an example of a 13-digit Australian Post tracking number:

• EE 999 999 999 AU

The tracking number is usually found on the receipt provided by the Australian post office officials, the barcode of the item for items sent using the Auspost tracked services, or on the invoice or confirmation email sent to you when you purchase an item online.

Once you get your tracking number, you can track your Australia post packages in the following ways:

1. Easyship Dashboard

Easyship integrates with the Australian Post to enable eCommerce merchants to offer a seamless tracking experience to their customers. You can track your Australia Post packages through your Easyship Dashboard by simply navigating to Manage Shipment > All or searching for the Australia tracking number in the search bar.

You will be able to conveniently follow the progress of your shipment with custom branded emails and text alerts. See our guide on how to track shipments for more details.

2. Australia Post Website

You can follow the progress of your shipment using your PC, tablet, or smartphone via the Australian Post website. You will be able to track the different statuses and know whether your package is Despatched, In transit, Pending, Processing, Possible delay, Delivered, or Awaiting collection.

All you need to do is navigate to the Australia Post tracking page from the homepage by going to Receiving > Track an item. Then enter the tracking number in the field and hit the red "Track" button.

There, you can input up to 10 Australia Post tracking numbers separated by commas or spaces to track multiple shipments. You will see how each item is tracked and the different delivery options available.

3. Australia Post Mobile App

To make it easier to track and manage shipments on the go, Australian Post offers mobile apps for Android and iPhone. Once you download and install the app on your smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch, all you need to do is sign up for a MyPost account.

You will be able to track your parcels in one easy location, add nicknames to each item for easy identification, redirect them if required, get push delivery notifications, and more.

Can You Track an Australia Post Package Without a Tracking Number?

Unfortunately, you can't keep tabs on the delivery progress of your parcel without the tracking number.  That means if you lose your tracking number, you can't track your parcel. But that doesn't mean that your parcel is lost or won't be delivered.

If you have purchased the item online, you can request your seller to resend the tracking number. Otherwise, just relax and wait for the delivery.

Related Post: Tracking USPS Shipments

What About Tracking International Shipments?

Australia Post global tracking for international shipments works pretty much the same as domestic shipments. You won't need any special tracking code or page to follow the progress of your international shipments.

You only need to get hold of the correct tracking number for your international shipment and enter it on the tracking page to follow the progress of your package.

Which Australia Posts Services Offer Tracking?

To maintain delivery visibility for both international and domestic services, Australian Post offers tracking to different destinations. In most cases, Australian Post tracking is available for most of its services. Here is a list of the most commonly used Australian Post services that offer to track.

• Australia Post Standard International
• Australia Post Economy Air International
• Australia Post Express International
• Australia Post Courier International
• Australia Post Registered Post International
• Australia Post Parcel Post Domestic
• Australia Post Express Post Domestic
• Australia Post Courier Post Domestic

Understanding Australia Post Tracking Status

Australia Post tracking statuses are real-time updates that appear on the shipment history page's tracking column. Here are the different statuses that you need to understand so that you can decipher what is happening to your package.

• Awaiting Collection: This means that your item has arrived and is awaiting collection in the Post Office.
• Delivered: Your parcel has been delivered to the designated address.
• Despatched: Your parcel has been dispatched by the sender and is on its way to or from an international location or it has been received into the international system awaiting delivery.
• In transit: Your parcel is moving through the parcel network on its way to being delivered.
• Pending -no events yet: Your item hasn't been scanned yet. The status should update within 24 hours.
• Processing: The information that the sender entered into the Australia Post's online system has been received and approved.
• Started:  The sender has entered shipping details into the Australia Post's online system, but the information hasn't been received yet.
• Unable to gain access: It means that Australia Post Post delivery staff couldn't access the property to deliver your items due to some reasons such as a locked gate or a dog. Your parcel will be taken to a nearby Post office, and the postie will leave a note to let you know where and when you can collect it.
• Unsuccessful pickup: A pick-up has been booked for the parcel, but posties are unable to collect it.  Top reasons include the inability to gain access, incorrect address, the parcel wasn't ready to be collected, or because there was no one at the pickup address.
• Possible delay: Your item has been received, but there might be delivery delays due to floods or traffic incidents,  or even customs delays. You are advised to contact the sender to follow up or try tracking your item in a day or so.
• Not trackable: This status appears when using an international delivery service that doesn't come with tracking as a standard feature.
• Invalid track ID: This appears when you enter the wrong tracking number, enter a number that isn't recognized by the system, or try to track an item that is more than two months old.
• Contact sender: Your item has been returned to the sender. In that case, contact the sender directly for an update.
• Customer inquiry lodged: The sender or the receiver has contacted the Post Office Customer Care team with an inquiry.

What Happens When Australia Post Tracking isn't Updating?

If your Australia Post tracking isn't updating, you are advised to wait for 24 hours to have your tracking information updated. Sometimes, there may be delays before your package is picked up, or before it is scanned by the driver.

In case of a prolonged delay beyond 24 hours, consider reaching out to the Post Office Customer Care team to make an inquiry and resolve any issues.

What Happens If My Package Doesn't Arrive?

Cases of a parcel not arriving are rare with the Australia Post, and chances are very slim that your items will be lost. If the parcel doesn't arrive within the designated time frame, don't panic.

Sometimes, your packages may not arrive as scheduled to unavoidable circumstances. Allow for a 3-day delivery delay from the estimated delivery date because 90% of parcels are delivered during this time.

If this time lapses and your parcel doesn't arrive, and you haven't received any updates concerning the delay, you must take the necessary steps to report the issue with the courier. Here are steps you should follow if your parcel doesn't arrive.

• Log into your MyPost account
• You will be asked to fill a form to provide some relevant information like a tracking number, postage date, contact number, description of the content, mode of the parcel (Express or Parcel Post), and so on.
• Fill in and submit the form.
• You will be given a reference number and Australia Post officials will contact you to discuss your case.
• An investigation will be launched and you will be updated as per the progress
• If it is true your item was lost or damaged in transit, you will be compensated as per the Australia Post's compensation policy.

Easyship Helps Optimize Tracking

Australia Post tracking enables eCommerce merchants to keep their customers updated on what is happening to their parcels in transit. Buyers can keep tabs on their order statuses and delivery progress using Australia tracking on the website or mobile apps for almost all the Australia post service options.

Easyship integrates with Australia Post to help eCommerce merchants maintain order fulfillment and delivery visibility with branded tracking emails, dedicated tracking pages, and email & text notifications.

Sign up for a free Easyship account and integrate your account to the Easyship Dashboard to get started.

Australia Post FAQ

What happens if Australia Post delivers to the wrong address

In case of indirect delivery, where your parcel is delivered to a neighbor or nearest post office, you should find a card notifying you of the address to which your packages were delivered. If your parcel was misdelivered due to a miswritten address, consider conducting the Post Office Customer Care team to explain the situation. They will do their best to resolve the issue.

Why is my Australia Post package stuck in transit?

Customs delays or further checks as in Australia Post facilities are the top reasons as to why your parcel can get stuck in transit. In most cases, the package is cleared and released to continue in transit.

How long does Australia Post take to clear customs?

There is no golden standard period when it comes to the Australia Post customs clearance process. This depends on the type of parcel being shipped. In most cases, it takes less than 24 hours to clear customs, unless there are issues.

Why is my Australia Post shipment delayed?

Breakdowns, bad weather, wrong address, traffic jams, customs clearance, or attempted delivery to a closed location are the top reasons as to why your Australia Post shipments may be delayed.