There are many good reasons to pull up your mainland roots and move to a home in Tasmania, from the stunning scenery to the often surprisingly affordable real estate market. However, moving from the mainland to Tasmania can be a more complicated process than simply moving from one home to another over land, and ensuring that your valuables survive this long and potentially treacherous journey is vital if you want your move to go smoothly.
As such, individuals, couples and families seeking to move to Tasmania should keep the unique demands of Tasmanian transportation in mind and do everything they can to protect their belongings on their journey across the Bass Strait. Keep the following advice in mind when planning and arranging your move, as it can help you to avoid many of the common pitfalls associated with moving to Tasmania:
Pack your belongings securely
The Bass Strait is a notoriously rough stretch of water, particularly during bad weather, and it's fair to say that your belongings may take one or two bumps while they are nestling within the holds of a cargo ship. As such, you should pack your belongs more robustly than you would for a simple move over land. Extra padding within your shipping boxes and containers is vital to counteract rough seas — ideally, your goods should not be able to move around at all within their containers.
The containers themselves are also important for protecting your belongings, and traditional corrugated cardboard boxes, while surprisingly strong and durable, may not provide the protection or peace of mind you desire. Consider investing in custom shipping boxes made from timber or foam — many removals companies (particularly those specialising in moves to Tasmania) will be able to advise you on the best shipping containers and packing practises to use and can also supply you with suitable packing materials.
Book your ship carefully
Of course, protecting your belongings from the vagaries of sea travel isn't much use if they never make it to sea in the first place, and the shipboard cargo space that will transport your goods should be booked well in advance. This can be challenging for the uninitiated, as the Bass Strait is an enormously busy shipping route with fast-changing timetables and frequent cancellations due to adverse conditions.
Fortunately, most removals companies that service Tasmania offer a booking and arranging service for transport across the Strait, and leaving the booking and scheduling of your transport ship to them is a great way to shorten your ever-growing to-do list. Experienced removals companies may also be able to get you a better price for transport across the Strait, as private individuals and groups trying to rent out cargo space can find themselves staring at some very hefty quotes.
Have a home ready for your belongings when they arrive
Once your belongings have been safely and securely transported to Tasmania, they will ideally travel with you to your new home. Unfortunately, the unpredictable nature of the Bass Strait means that many people have their belongings shipped over, only for their own trip to Tasmania to be delayed by days or even weeks. If you are superbly unlucky, you may even find yourself on the island while your goods remain sitting by a mainland dock.
As such, you should arrange for safe emergency storage of your possessions if you find yourself separated from them for extended periods. Hiring a removals company who keeps dedicated storage facilities for left-behind goods is ideal, and many companies who specialise in Tasmanian moves keep storage facilities on both the island and the mainland. Alternatively, you can hire a small storage space yourself, and instruct your moving company to transport your goods there if your own trip is delayed.
Share