We’ve all had our fair share of delivery dramas—missing parcels, mysterious 'Sorry We Missed You' cards and the classic game of hide-and-seek with packages left in the most creative of 'safe places'. But one Sydney man’s recent Australia Post experience takes the cake for the most bizarre delivery location yet!

Imagine this: you’re eagerly awaiting a parcel, tracking it online as it makes its way across the city. You check the tracking info, only to discover your precious package has been marked as 'delivered'—but not to your home in Caringbah, Sydney’s south. Instead, it’s been dropped off in Northbridge, a whopping 33 kilometres away on the city’s lower north shore. That’s a 40-minute drive, and unless your parcel sprouted legs and went on a sightseeing tour, something’s gone seriously awry.


The baffled recipient took to social media, sharing a photo of his parcel perched atop a pile of discarded furniture, leaning against a random brick building. 'Apparently, this qualifies as a ‘Safe Place’,' he quipped, hoping someone might recognise the location and help him recover his wayward delivery.


To his credit, the parcel was 'clearly labelled' with the correct address, and he even had a receipt to prove it. But somehow, the package ended up on the wrong side of Sydney, abandoned in what looked more like a council clean-up than a secure drop-off spot.


After contacting Australia Post, the man learned that the GPS location of the delivery didn’t match his address at all. The matter was referred to the delivery centre, and he was told to expect a response within five business days. Thankfully, in a rare happy ending, Australia Post managed to retrieve the parcel and promised it was 'on track to be delivered to the correct address'.

This isn’t the first time Australia Post has come under fire for questionable delivery practices. In fact, in December 2023, the postal giant was ordered to pay $2.9 million in compensation to businesses for lost or damaged parcels over a four-year period. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that thousands of deliveries failed to meet required standards, with about 1,000 mishaps coming from Australia Post’s subsidiary, StarTrack. The compensation was seen as a much-needed step to restore faith in the national postal service.

So, what’s the deal with 'safe places'? According to Australia Post, customers with a MyPost account can nominate a spot for their parcels to be left if they’re not home. These 'safe places' are supposed to be out of sight from the street—think your front porch, mailbox (if it fits), under the carport, or by the side gate. Nowhere in the guidelines does it mention 'on top of a pile of old furniture in a random suburb', but perhaps that’s a new interpretation!


While most deliveries go off without a hitch, stories like this remind us that even the best systems can go astray. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to contact Australia Post or your delivery provider. Keep your tracking info and receipts handy, and remember that persistence pays off.
Have you ever had a parcel delivered to a strange or downright hilarious location? Maybe you’ve found a package in your wheelie bin, behind a pot plant, or—like this unlucky Sydneysider—miles away from home? We’d love to hear your delivery tales! Share your stories in the comments below.