A practical 2026 guide for Melbourne businesses importing from China, covering the full process, landed-cost breakdown, shipping times, customs and DAFF biosecurity, and how to claim 0% duty under ChAFTA.
Last updated: 27 June 2026
In short: To import products from China to Melbourne, you find and verify a supplier, order and check samples, arrange sea or air freight into the Port of Melbourne, clear Australian Border Force and DAFF biosecurity, pay GST and any import duty, then truck your goods to a Melbourne warehouse or 3PL. For a typical full-container load, expect 25-40 days door-to-door and landed costs roughly 15-30% above the factory price once freight, duty, GST and local cartage are added. Get the paperwork right and Melbourne is one of the easiest, most cost-effective cities in Australia to import into - it handles more containers than any other port in the country.
The Port of Melbourne is Australia's largest container and general cargo port, handling more than a third of the nation's container trade. That scale matters. More shipping lines call at Melbourne, sailings are more frequent, and freight rates stay competitive because carriers compete hard for the volume.
For Victorian businesses, that means shorter waits for vessel space, more direct services from major Chinese ports like Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen and Qingdao, and a deep pool of local customs brokers, freight forwarders and 3PL warehouses clustered around the western suburbs. If you're a Melbourne SME importing from China, you're starting from a strong position.
The process is the same whether you're bringing in one pallet of homewares or a full container of furniture. Here's the path most Melbourne importers follow.
Start on platforms like Alibaba, Made-in-China or 1688, or skip the noise and use a reliable sourcing agent who already has vetted factories. Always confirm the supplier is a genuine manufacturer rather than just a trading company, check their business licence, and request references. A verified supplier is the single biggest factor in avoiding scams and quality nightmares.
Never place a full order off a photo. Get a pre-production sample, check it against your spec, and only then approve bulk production. The cost of a sample is trivial compared with a container of unsellable stock sitting in a Melbourne warehouse.
Sea freight is the default for most goods into Melbourne - cheaper per kilo and ideal for bulky or non-urgent stock. Air freight costs far more but lands in days, which suits high-value, low-volume or time-critical products. Most Melbourne importers use sea freight for the bulk and air for samples or urgent top-ups.
Your goods arrive at the Port of Melbourne and must clear Australian Border Force (customs) and, for many products, DAFF biosecurity. A licensed customs broker lodges your import declaration, calculates duty and GST, and flags anything needing fumigation or inspection. Timber, packaging with bark, food and certain natural materials are common triggers.
Import duty (commonly 0-5%, and often 0% from China under ChAFTA with the right paperwork) plus 10% GST on the landed value are payable before release. Once cleared, your container is trucked from the port - usually via the West Gate Freeway or M80 Ring Road - to your warehouse or 3PL in the western or northern suburbs.
Your landed cost is the factory price plus freight, insurance, duty, GST and local cartage (here is how to calculate landed cost when importing from China to Australia). The single biggest variable is whether you ship a full container (FCL) or share one (LCL). Here's a worked example for a Melbourne importer bringing in homewares worth AUD $20,000 at the factory.
Cost componentEstimated amount (AUD)NotesFactory cost of goods (FOB)$20,000Price loaded onto the vessel in ChinaSea freight (20ft FCL, China to Melbourne)$2,500Varies with season and laneMarine insurance$250About 1% of cargo valueImport duty$00% under ChAFTA with a valid Certificate of OriginGST (10% of landed value)$2,275Generally claimable back if GST-registeredCustoms brokerage plus port and cartage to warehouse$1,400Includes ABF/DAFF processing and transportTotal landed cost~$26,425About 32% over factory price (GST recoverable)
Strip out the recoverable GST and your real cost uplift is closer to 21%. That's why getting your Certificate of Origin right to claim 0% duty under ChAFTA, and shipping FCL where volume allows, makes such a difference to your margins.
Sea freight from major Chinese ports to the Port of Melbourne typically takes 18-28 days at sea, plus a few days for loading, customs clearance and local delivery - so 25-40 days door-to-door is a realistic planning window. Air freight lands in 5-10 days door-to-door. Always pad your timeline around Chinese New Year (late January to February), when factories shut and freight backs up for weeks.
The classic Melbourne import headaches are quality defects discovered too late, biosecurity holds at the port, surprise duty bills, and communication breakdowns with the factory. Every one of these is preventable. Inspect before you ship with a pre-shipment quality check, use a customs broker who knows the DAFF triggers, confirm your duty position before you order, and either speak fluent Mandarin yourself or work with a bilingual team on the ground in China who can resolve issues in real time.
Epic Sourcing has helped Australian businesses source over 20,000 products with an average saving of around 77% versus local wholesale, backed by 300+ happy clients, bilingual teams on the ground in China and Vietnam, and offices across five countries. We verify factories, manage samples and quality control, arrange freight and customs into the Port of Melbourne, and keep you in the loop the whole way - so you're not crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. If you're a Melbourne business ready to source smarter, give us a bell.
Australia has no general import licence, so most products don't need one. However, specific goods such as food, therapeutic products, certain chemicals and some electronics have permits or standards you must meet. Check the product category before you order, or ask your customs broker.
DAFF is the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, which runs Australia's biosecurity. At Melbourne it inspects goods that could carry pests or contamination - timber, natural fibres, food, and packaging with bark or soil. If your goods are flagged, expect fumigation or treatment costs and a few days' delay, so declare your materials accurately.
Freight rates into Melbourne and Sydney are broadly similar, but Melbourne's larger container volume and competitive 3PL market can make local handling and storage slightly cheaper. The bigger savings come from shipping FCL, claiming 0% duty under ChAFTA, and choosing the right warehouse location for your customers.
Many Chinese goods already attract 0% duty under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), but you must supply a valid Certificate of Origin to claim the preferential rate. Without it, you'll pay the standard duty even when you were entitled to zero.
Yes. A full-service sourcing partner like Epic Sourcing finds and vets the supplier, manages production and quality control, arranges freight into Melbourne, and coordinates customs and delivery - so you get finished goods at your door without managing a dozen moving parts yourself.
