Australia post markings on returned mail

A great topic!

When mail is returned to Australia Post due to various reasons such as incorrect or incomplete addresses, refusal to accept, or undeliverable as addressed, Australia Post applies specific markings to the mailpiece. These markings are used to indicate the reason for return and provide information to the sender or the intended recipient.

Here are some common Australia Post markings you might see on returned mail:

  1. "Return to Sender": This marking indicates that the mailpiece was returned to the sender due to an incorrect or incomplete address.
  2. "Refused": This marking indicates that the mailpiece was refused by the addressee or the recipient's agent.
  3. "Undeliverable as Addressed": This marking indicates that the mailpiece was unable to be delivered due to an incorrect or incomplete address.
  4. "Addressee Not Known": This marking indicates that the mailpiece was returned to the sender because the addressee (recipient) was not known or could not be identified.
  5. "No Such Address": This marking indicates that the mailpiece was returned to the sender because the address provided did not exist or was not valid.
  6. "Refused by Addressee": This marking indicates that the mailpiece was refused by the addressee or the recipient's agent, usually due to a request to return the mailpiece.
  7. "Return to Sender - No Longer at This Address": This marking indicates that the mailpiece was returned to the sender because the addressee had moved to a new address and the mailpiece was unable to be forwarded.
  8. "Return to Sender - Unable to Forward": This marking indicates that the mailpiece was returned to the sender because it was unable to be forwarded to the addressee's new address.

These markings are usually applied by Australia Post staff or automated systems and are intended to provide a clear indication of why the mailpiece was returned.