How do I handle shipping and logistics for my exhibition materials?

Start with the freight section of the exhibitor manual, because the organiser decides whether there is an official freight forwarder, which delivery label to use and when the dock is open. The convention centres in Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide all say they will not sign for your goods, so the forwarder or someone from your company must be on the dock to receive them.

Pack in labelled, reusable cases, book the return collection before the show, and plan where your empty cases will go. Below are common questions about getting a stand to a show and back.

Should I use a courier, a carrier or the show's freight forwarder?

There are three ways to get a stand into a hall. First, ask the organiser "if a freight forwarder or storeroom has been arranged for the event", as ICC Sydney and Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) both advise.

• The organiser's appointed freight forwarder. It knows the dock schedule, receives goods for exhibitors and moves them to the stand. At the Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC), the 2026/2027 Exhibition Handbook recommends that exhibitors "use the services of an integrated freight & logistics specialist to manage all freight requirements to and from ACC".
• A general carrier or courier you book yourself. This works for portable kit, as long as the delivery lands in the move-in window and someone is there to take it.
• Your own vehicle. Fine for a local show, but most docks have short time limits. Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) docks have "a 30-minute parking limit for drop-off/pick-up of goods during the move-in/move-out period".

Our guide to shipping display kits interstate compares courier, general freight and venue logistics in more detail.

Will the venue sign for my delivery?

Usually not.

Cartons left at a venue with nobody to receive them can go missing. Either your forwarder receives the goods, or a named person from your team is on the dock in the delivery window.

Do I need to book a dock slot?

Yes. At ICC Sydney, "All deliveries must be booked through ICC Sydney's Loading Dock Management System (LDMS)", and exhibitor self-deliveries and couriers arrive on move-in day. At the ACC, "All exhibitor deliveries must be scheduled with ACC's Loading Dock", and deliveries "arriving without a booking or prior to the allocated move in period will not be accepted".

How should I label my freight?

Use the right label. At MCEC and BCEC, the delivery label comes from the organiser. PCEC's delivery notice asks for details including the event name and date, stand number, stand name, the on-site exhibitor's name and number, and the sender's details. Put a label on every case, not just the first one, and number them, for example 1 of 6, 2 of 6.

Can I deliver my stand early?

Usually not. PCEC says "Access to deliver goods is only available during the official MOVE IN PERIOD of the event." The ACC turns away deliveries that arrive before the allocated move-in period. If your kit is ready early, ask your forwarder or carrier to hold it until the move-in window opens.

How should I pack exhibition materials for freight?

Freight gets handled roughly. Pack for it:

• Reusable cases over cardboard. Hard cases with foam inserts protect acrylic, lightboxes and screens, and they come back for the next show. For fabric walls, a SuperWall wheeled carry case packs the wall into a case that rolls from the vehicle to the stand.
• Pallets for heavy kit. Strap, shrink-wrap and protect the corners. Check what lifting gear the venue offers: the ACC lends pallet lifters and trolleys "on a first in, first served basis".
• An inventory for every case. List the contents, the packed size and the weight of each case. Forwarders and carriers quote on dimensions and weight, and the list is what you check against on the dock.
• A photo of each packed case. It shows the team how to repack at bump-out.
• A bag your team carries. Keep the tools, spare fixings, cable ties, floor plan and exhibitor manual with you rather than in the freight.

Where do my empty cases go during the show?

Not in the hall, which is not a storeroom. PCEC's exhibitor manual says exhibitors must arrange removal of "cartons, boxes, crates, plywood etc.", adding that "Storage for this material can be arranged through the Event Organiser". The ACC says "There is no onsite storage available at ACC". Ask the organiser or forwarder whether it will collect, store and return your empty cases, what that costs, and when the empties come back at bump-out.

How do I arrange return freight at bump-out?

Collection has its own rules:

• Book the pickup before the show. ICC Sydney's freight advice for its Convention Centre warns that "most couriers do not operate on weekends or after 1700", and that materials not pre-organised for storage or porterage "will be disposed of at the conclusion of tenancy".
• Use the outbound label. MCEC publishes a separate event freight pickup label for its Convention Centre dock. At the ACC, items collected by courier must be labelled with company name, contact name, contact number, destination and courier name, and "All goods must be accompanied with a completed consignment note".
• Don't leave anything behind. PCEC says items not collected within the move-out period "will be disposed of, or additional charges for storage and handling will be incurred".

How can I cut exhibition freight costs?

• Consolidate. ICC Sydney recommends consolidating items "where possible for a single delivery", saying it "will minimise the risk of items being misplaced and is likely more cost effective". BCEC gives the same advice.
• Ship less volume. Many carriers charge on volumetric weight (the space a case takes up), so bulky packaging costs money. Fabric walls and portable exhibition kits designed to travel together keep the volume down.
• Use road freight where the dates allow. For bulky kit it usually costs less than air freight.
• Avoid after-hours work. At the ICC Sydney Convention Centre, standard dock hours are 7 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday. Work outside those hours is by prior arrangement only, and "Surcharges may apply".

When should I organise exhibition freight?

Start as soon as you book space. A typical timeline:

Can Displays2Go handle freight for me?

Yes. If your team flies in on move-in day, or the stand moves from show to show, we can take freight off your list. Our event logistics and storage service manages the carriers for you, through logistics companies we work with in Australia and New Zealand. Between shows, we keep your kit in our warehouses, check it for wear, maintain it and clean it. With our installation and pack-down service, we liaise with the organiser, build the stand before you arrive and return to pack it down.

Tell us which shows and venues you're booked for and what has to go, and we'll recommend how to move it. Call 1300 240 250.