Packed for the season, not just the trip
Queensland heat, a Tasmanian cold snap, or a chilly night in the ranges – the temperature your box actually experiences in transit matters as much as how it's packed. Every livestock order leaving Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium gets a pack chosen for the season and the route it's travelling, on top of the standard oxygen, insulation and bracing described on our How We Pack Your Livestock page.
How we choose your pack
When your order is being packed, our team checks the forecast for your delivery route and how long your parcel will be in transit – including any time sitting at a depot or airport overnight. From there we add:
- Heat packs through the cooler months, and on routes into consistently cold regions, to stop the water dropping to a temperature your livestock can't handle.
- Cool or ice packs through summer, and on routes into hot inland or tropical regions, to stop the water overheating while your box is in transit.
- Extra insulation or repacking on longer or higher-risk routes – on request, and when available or suitable, at no extra charge.
This seasonal adjustment is built into every order automatically – you don't need to ask for a standard heat or cool pack, we add it as a matter of course.
Shipping to cooler climates
Tasmania, the Victorian and NSW highlands, and inland areas that get genuinely cold overnight all get extra attention through the cooler months. Heat packs go in as standard on these routes whenever the forecast calls for it, to keep the water in a safe range for the whole trip – even if there's an overnight stop along the way.
Shipping to hot climates
North Queensland, the Top End, and inland WA and NT in summer sit at the other end of the scale. On these routes we pack with cool or ice packs and extra insulation through the warmer months, and we keep a close eye on the tarmac and depot conditions that can push a box's internal temperature up quickly.
Need something extra? Just email us
If you know your situation needs more than our standard seasonal pack, email us before you order and we'll do our best to accommodate it. A couple of examples:
- You're somewhere particularly cold – say, regional Tasmania in the middle of winter – and would like an extra heat pack added as a precaution.
- You're in North Queensland (or anywhere else) in the middle of a heatwave and would like an extra ice or cool pack for peace of mind.
Email sales@nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au with your postcode and what you'd like added, and we'll factor it into how your order is packed.