Australia Post carries most of the country's ecommerce parcels, often over long distances, so its tracking can go quiet for a day or two while a parcel is perfectly fine. This guide explains each Australia Post status in order, and flags the few that mean you need to act.
Short answer: "Shipment information approved" (or "awaiting collection") means the sender created the label and Australia Post has the details, but the parcel has not been scanned in yet. "In transit," "processed," and "arrived at facility" are the parcel moving through the network. "Onboard for delivery" means it arrives today. "Delivered" is done. Watch for "awaiting collection," "carded / we called but you weren't home," and "attempted delivery," which mean you need to collect it or arrange redelivery.
Australia Post statuses at a glance
| Status | What it means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Shipment information approved | Label created, not scanned yet | Wait |
| Received / In possession | First scan, in the network | None |
| In transit / Processed at facility | Moving between facilities | None |
| Onboard for delivery | With the driver today | None |
| Delivered | Done | Check if not received |
| Awaiting collection | Held at a Post Office for pickup | Collect within the window |
| Carded / attempted delivery | Could not deliver | Collect or redeliver |
| Return to sender | Undeliverable | Contact the store |
The normal Australia Post sequence
Shipment information approved. The sender created the label and Australia Post has the parcel's data, but has not physically scanned it yet. A label exists; the parcel may still be with the sender. If it lasts more than a business day, the parcel has not been lodged.
Received / In possession of item. First physical scan, when Australia Post takes the parcel in. It is now in the network.
In transit / Processed at facility / Arrived at facility. Moving between Australia Post facilities. Australia is large, so long-haul legs create quiet stretches of a day or two, which is normal.
Onboard for delivery. With the driver for delivery today. See what "out for delivery" means.
Delivered. Done, sometimes with a photo or a note on where it was left. If the customer does not have it, see package says delivered but not received.
The statuses that need action
Awaiting collection. The parcel is held at a Post Office for pickup, often after a failed attempt or for a signature item. Collect it within the holding window, after which it returns to sender. Surface this clearly on your tracking page.
Carded / We called but you weren't home / Attempted delivery. A delivery attempt failed and a card was left. The customer collects from a Post Office or arranges redelivery. Messaging them at this scan cuts avoidable WISMO tickets.
Return to sender. After an uncollected hold, failed attempts, or an undeliverable address, the parcel goes back. This should open your returns flow so the refund or reship happens while the parcel is still moving.
Why Australia Post's quiet worries shoppers (the merchant view)
Long domestic distances mean "in transit" can sit unchanged while the parcel is fine, and customers read the silence as trouble. Australia Post also words its milestones differently from every other carrier you ship. Carriers emit anywhere from 10 to 115 distinct statuses each.
Pango normalizes Australia Post's statuses, along with the other 100+ carriers you use, into one clean set of milestones on your branded tracking page, and can send a reassuring update during a normal quiet stretch, so a slow-scanning parcel does not read as lost. An "awaiting collection" or "carded" status becomes a clear instruction to the customer automatically.
The bottom line
Most Australia Post statuses are normal movement, and its quiet long-haul stretches are the parcel travelling, not a problem. Watch for awaiting-collection and carded statuses, which need you to collect or redeliver. For merchants, the fix is normalizing the feed and turning held statuses into clear instructions. See how it works on the post-purchase operations platform and book a demo.
