Name/TitleParcel sent to New South Wales for sorting during the pandemic

About this objectVarious factors led to delays, sometimes lengthy, in domestic mail services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like all businesses, Australia Post suffered staff shortages due to employees isolating when infected, or quarantining as they were close contacts.

There was also a huge increase in online shopping. Another big logistical challenge was the lack of domestic flights, particularly during lockdowns. Victoria’s borders were closed for long periods.

In metropolitan areas, including Bayside, delivery of letters was reduced to every other day from August 2020 to 30 June 2021.

By the first week of August 2020, during Melbourne’s second lockdown, volumes in Victoria were reported to be up 157 per cent compared with 2019. As a result of these issues, some parcels undertook a massive detour, being sent to Sydney or Adelaide for sorting. Neither jurisdiction was in lockdown at that time. Australia Post’s Sydney processing centre was said to have dealt with 30 per cent more packages during a weekend in August, a big chunk of which was Victorian mail.

The photo shows the route taken by a parcel posted to Hampton from Oakleigh in August 2020. Instead of being sorted locally, it was sent to Strathfield in NSW, before being returned to Moorabbin and ultimate delivery to Hampton.

MakerChoat, Liz

Maker RolePhotographer

Date Made2020 Aug. 27

Measurementsdigital image : JPG file : KB

Object TypePhotograph

Subject and Association KeywordsCOVID-19 pandemic

Subject and Association Keywordsmail services (COVID-19)

Subject and Association Keywordspostal services

Object numberPD3318

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved