Buying souvenirs is just as much part of a holiday as where you stay and what you eat. 

Taking home a little souvenir from a far off location, or from a new place you've visited, is the perfect way to remember the things you saw and the great time you had.

But do you ever stop to check if the souvenir is actually made in the same country you are visiting? Chances are it's made cheaply overseas and sold at a premium price in a busy tourist location.

We think it is really important to buy genuine and authentic souvenirs from the country you are visiting.

So, when buying gifts and souvenirs from Australia, you should consider the following points:

Is it really made in Australia?

To help identify which products are actually made in Australia, look for the Australian Made campaign with its distinctive logo of a yellow kangaroo on a green triangle, though you can also find products without this logo that are still made in Australia.

But beware! Don’t assume products designed in Australia are also made in Australia.

There are products that are designed in Australia and manufactured overseas, and there are products that are sold under an Australian brand name and manufactured overseas, but Australian Made means made here.

Make sure that a product states “Made in Australia”, “Product of Australia” or “Australian Made” on it to be sure.

At Bits of Australia, we only sell Australian Made.

Will it travel well?

Ensuring that the souvenir you buy gets to its destination in great condition is of course important and so you should think about how you are going to pack and transport it.

Fabric items such as scarves and tea towels will pack easily.

For items like teas, chocolates and anything in a card outer, protecting it from getting crushed is the key, so pack towards the top of your luggage to reduce the chance of damage.

Tricky items like mugs and pottery need extra protection from breakage and from shock – when packaging, imagine your luggage being thrown around and prepare it accordingly and you should be ok – so wrapping in bubble wrap, using hard shell luggage and surrounding with softer items will all help.

Surprisingly, artwork can be quite travel-friendly if unframed – most will roll up and travel well, but take the same care to avoid crushing and creasing, even packing within a cardboard tube for extra protection and your artwork should travel as well as you do.

So consider an original Aboriginal artwork from our range.

Will it be permitted? 

Different countries have different rules for what you can and can’t bring in, so you should check carefully before purchasing to avoid having your gifts and souvenirs taken away at customs.

Things that can catch you out include products containing meat, raw or loose food items, honey and some untreated tree and bark items.

For those of you planning to travel across state borders when on a trip to Australia, be aware that there are restrictions on some things like fruit and honey.

Is it authentic art?

If you are buying Australian Aboriginal Art or products featuring Aboriginal design, you should take care to ensure that it is an authentic piece of art, that the artist is recognised as the artist and that any royalties are paid to the artist.

Read more about buying Aboriginal Art here.

Have a fantastic time visiting our amazing country. Take a special souvenir home with you by making sure it has been made in Australia.

Bits of Australia has the largest range in one place, so we hope you enjoy choosing online or in-store as much as we have enjoyed finding them for you!

See our Australian Made gift and souvenir range for more ideas.