What does FREE DDP delivery actually cover?

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) means Easy Inflatables covers the freight, insurance and delivery risk to your nominated address. The advertised boat or package price is the full delivered price — no add-ons at checkout — provided your postcode is inside our DDP-free zone.

Where does FREE DDP apply?

FREE DDP covers every Australian capital city (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra) and all major regional centres including Newcastle, the Central Coast, Wollongong, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, the Gold Coast and Launceston.

Which postcodes attract a remote-area surcharge?

Genuine remote postcodes sit outside the DDP-free zone: Darwin and the NT (0800–0899), Far-North Queensland including Townsville, Cairns and Cape York (4700–4899), remote Western Australia such as Port Hedland, Karratha, Broome and Kununurra (6700–6799), the Tasmanian west coast and regional Tas (7200–7470), and outback South Australia such as Coober Pedy (5700–5799).

How much is the remote-area surcharge?

Typically AUD $900–$1,100 (around $1,000) on top of the advertised price, depending on the depot. Our DDP carriers won't deliver into these zones without a surcharge, and we pass it through at cost with no markup. The exact figure is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.

Why charge a surcharge at all instead of building it into the price?

Absorbing remote-area freight nationally would mean every metro buyer subsidising a small number of remote deliveries. We'd rather keep the headline price honest, ship genuinely free wherever the carriers allow, and pass through the real remote-area cost transparently when it applies.

What happens if my boat is damaged or lost in transit?

Under DDP the delivery risk sits with us until the boat is in your hands. If anything goes wrong in transit we handle the carrier claim and the resolution — you don't have to chase the freight company.

How long does delivery take?

Metro and major regional deliveries are typically a few business days from dispatch. Remote-area deliveries can take longer depending on carrier schedules. For an accurate estimate on your specific postcode, contact our sales team on +61 2 4335 1603 or sales@easyinflatables.com.au.

Inflatable Boat Shipping Australia: How Our FREE DDP Delivery Really Works

When you're planning to buy a new Soft Inflatable Boat (SIB) – an Aerowave Viper catamaran, an AeroCat, or a WaveRunner tender – shipping is one of the make-or-break numbers. It's often an afterthought, and that's exactly where hidden costs catch buyers out.

At Easy Inflatables we offer FREE DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) delivery to every Australian capital city and major regional area. For a small number of genuinely remote postcodes, our DDP carriers won't deliver without a surcharge — typically AUD $900–$1,100 (around $1,000) depending on the depot. We pass that through at cost, in writing, before you pay a cent.

This guide explains exactly where free DDP applies, where the remote surcharge kicks in, and why our shipping model is still dramatically cheaper and simpler than competitors who quote $300–$600 per order regardless of location.

What "FREE DDP" Actually Covers

"DDP" stands for Delivered Duty Paid. With DDP, the seller is responsible for the cost and risk of getting the goods to your nominated address. For Easy Inflatables customers in the covered zones, that means:

Freight from our warehouse to your door — covered.
Insurance against loss or damage in transit — covered.
Handling and depot fees — covered.
Delivery risk — sits with us until the boat is in your hands.

You pay the advertised boat or package price and nothing more for freight.

Where FREE DDP Applies

Our DDP-free zone covers the vast majority of Australian buyers, including:

All capital cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra.
Major regional centres: Newcastle, Gosford, the Central Coast, Wollongong, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, the Mornington Peninsula, Launceston and similar.

If you live in or close to any of the above, your Aerowave Viper, AeroCat, WaveRunner, Air Tent or full package ships free.

Where the Remote-Area Surcharge Applies

Australia is a continent, and a handful of postcodes sit outside what our DDP carriers will deliver into without a surcharge. For these areas we quote the actual carrier surcharge — typically AUD $900–$1,100 (around $1,000) on top of the advertised price, confirmed in writing before any payment is taken:

Northern Territory — Darwin, Alice Springs and remote NT (postcodes 0800–0899).
Far-North Queensland — Townsville, Cairns, Cape York and similar (postcodes 4700–4899).
Remote Western Australia — Port Hedland, Karratha, Broome, Kununurra and similar (postcodes 6700–6799).
Tasmanian west coast and regional Tas (postcodes 7200–7470).
Outback South Australia — Coober Pedy and similar (postcodes 5700–5799).

We don't mark this up. The carriers charge it because of distance, road conditions and depot access, and we pass it through at cost. You'll see the exact figure on your quote and your invoice.

A Real-World Example

Say you've chosen an AeroCat 360 at $3,195.

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra, Geelong, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast, etc. → $3,195 delivered. No freight surcharge.
Townsville, Cairns, Darwin, Port Hedland, west-coast Tas, Coober Pedy → $3,195 + ~$1,000 remote DDP surcharge (quoted in writing first).

Even in the remote zone, you're still typically paying less than the $300–$600 base freight some competitors charge metro buyers — because for the 95%+ of Australians in our DDP-free zone, our shipping is genuinely $0.

How This Compares to Competitors

Feature	Easy Inflatables	Typical competitor (NZ / OS distributor)
Capital city freight	FREE	$300–$600+
Major regional freight (Newcastle, Geelong, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba…)	FREE	$300–$600+
Remote-area surcharge (NT, FNQ, remote WA, Tas regional, outback SA)	~$900–$1,100 at cost, quoted in writing	Often higher, and on top of base freight
Delivery risk	Easy Inflatables (DDP)	Often the buyer
Surprise charges at checkout	No — quote is final	Common

Comparison based on common industry practices; verify current terms directly with any retailer.

Why We Charge a Surcharge on Remote Postcodes (and Why It's Still Fair)

We genuinely tried to absorb remote-area freight Australia-wide, and the numbers don't work — the boats are bulky, the distances are huge, and our DDP carriers simply won't deliver into those zones without a per-shipment surcharge. Building that into every boat's headline price would mean buyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth subsidising a tiny minority of remote deliveries.

Instead, we keep the headline price honest, ship free wherever the carriers let us, and pass the genuine remote surcharge through at cost with no markup, no admin fee, and full disclosure before you commit.

That's covered formally in our Terms & Conditions of Trade and our Order, Payment & Refund Policy.

Beyond Shipping: Why Choose Easy Inflatables

Shipping transparency is just one piece. We're proud to offer premium inflatable catamarans — Aerowave Viper (1.2mm VALMEX®) and AeroCat (0.9mm VALMEX®) — plus the WaveRunner 380 monohull tender. Premium VALMEX fabric has a documented service life of 10–12 years under Australian UV. Aerowave catamarans ship with a structural hull warranty for full peace of mind.

Questions on a quote, including a freight figure for your exact postcode? Call +61 2 4335 1603 or email sales@easyinflatables.com.au — we'll come back with a written, all-in number before you pay anything.