How to Send Care Packages to Australian Troops Overseas (Anzac Day & Christmas Guide)

🇦🇺 Missed the Anzac Day deadline? Here’s how your family can still send a little piece of home to Aussie troops

There’s something quietly powerful about putting together a care package.

A few thoughtful items. A handwritten note. Maybe something drawn by little hands at the kitchen table.

And then – somewhere far from home – someone opens it.

Twice a year, Australians are invited to send care packages to Defence personnel deployed overseas free of charge – in the lead-up to Anzac Day and Christmas.

While the Anzac Day cut-off for 2026 has now passed, it’s something to keep on your radar for later in the year – and a beautiful tradition to build into your family calendar.

Australian soliders with care packages. Image courtesy of RSL Australia.

📦 How Aussies can send care packages to deployed troops

Through Australia Post, care packages from the public are delivered to Australian Defence Force personnel serving overseas.

During the Anzac Day and Christmas campaigns, packages can be sent free of charge, making it even easier for families to get involved.

Outside of these periods, parcels can still be sent at any time – they just follow standard postage.

Care package. Image courtesy of Hero Troops.

🎁 What to include in a care package

Packages are shared across personnel, so it’s important to keep things gender-neutral, practical – and a little bit comforting.

Here’s how to build a box that feels like a small piece of home:

🍫 A taste of home

Individually wrapped snacks like Tim Tams, muesli bars or lollies
ANZAC biscuits (a meaningful inclusion—originally baked without eggs so they would last long journeys to soldiers overseas)
Sachets of coffee, tea or hot chocolate

🧩 Small distractions (these go a long way)

Puzzle books (crosswords, sudoku)
Playing cards or compact travel games
Magazines

🧴 Everyday essentials

Travel-sized toiletries (toothpaste, deodorant, wipes)
Lip balm or moisturiser
Sunscreen

🧦 Comfort items (the underrated heroes)

Fresh socks (always appreciated)
Cooling towels or neck wraps
Eye masks or earplugs for better rest
Small notebooks or journals
A soft beanie or lightweight scarf depending on climate

💌 The most important inclusion

A handwritten note, card or a child’s drawing ❤️

✨ Think: lightweight, durable, and morale-boosting. It’s not about how much you send—it’s about how it feels to receive it.

Australia Post medium box. Image courtesy of Australia Post.

📦 A quick note on box size

To make sure your package can be accepted and transported, it needs to meet a few key requirements:

Under 2kg total weight (including packaging)
Must fit within an Australia Post medium parcel box size (or equivalent cubic weight)
Packed securely to withstand a long journey overseas

Keeping it compact makes it easier to distribute – and ensures it gets where it needs to go.

⚠️ What to avoid

There are a few important restrictions:

Do not include:

Perishable food or liquids
Alcohol or tobacco
Anything flammable or prohibited by post
Culturally inappropriate items

✉️ Where to send your package

Care packages can be addressed to:

AFPO 60
Australian Defence Force
Sydney NSW 2890

Make sure you:

Attach a customs declaration
Pack items securely (they’ve got a long journey ahead)

Australian troops celebrating Christmas with care packages. Image courtesy of RSL Australia.

💌 Not ready to send a package? Send a message instead

Even the smallest gesture can travel far.

📧 Email a message of support

Send a note to: supportthetroops@defence.gov.au
These are shared widely across deployed personnel.

🎨 Send a postcard

Perfect for kids – drawings, stickers, kind words.

Post to:
Messages to the Troops
39th Operational Support Battalion
Locked Bag 7005
Liverpool NSW 1871

These often end up displayed in shared spaces – a little piece of home, pinned to the wall.

Volunteers packing care packages. Image courtesy of RSL Australia.

❤️ Another way to help: support the RSL’s care packages

If putting together a care package feels like too much right now, there’s another meaningful way to contribute.

The RSL Australia has been sending care packages to Australian troops for decades—bringing together volunteers across the country to prepare and pack hundreds of boxes for those deployed overseas.

These packages include practical items, small comforts, and a letter of appreciation on behalf of Australians—something that’s consistently described as deeply valued by those serving.

It’s a significant undertaking, powered by community donations and volunteers.

If you’d like to support this work, you can contribute to the Australian Forces Overseas Fund — helping ensure these care packages continue to reach those who need them most.

✨ No donation is too small, and every contribution helps carry a message of support a little further.

Care packages from RSL. Images courtesy of RSL Australia.

🗓️ Save this for later in the year

If this is something you’d love to do as a family, the Christmas campaign (cut-off 1 December 2026) is your next opportunity to send a care package free of charge.

It’s the kind of tradition that’s easy to start – and meaningful to keep.

Want more info? Visit Australian Govt Defence for details on how to send a care package.

About Author

Francesca Millena

Writer, foodie and ideas-sponge, Francesca grew up in the Inner West and loves writing about all things IW related from playgrounds and podcasts, restaurants and retail, bubble tea and basketball courts. Mum to an active child, she also knows a thing or two about keeping a little one entertained on a rainy day.

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How to Send Care Packages to Australian Troops Overseas (Anzac Day & Christmas Guide)

🇦🇺 Missed the Anzac Day deadline? Here’s how your family can still send a little piece of home to Aussie troops