When a shoot is booked and the cash scene is on Thursday, the question is not only where to buy prop money but how quickly it can arrive and who needs to be at the door. Searching for prop money near you usually means a deadline. This guide explains how PROPPS dispatches orders from Melbourne, how Australia Post Express and the signature requirement work, what to expect for Melbourne, Sydney and the rest of the country, how to plan delivery around a shoot and what to do if something goes wrong. It is general information. Delivery times depend on Australia Post and the destination, so check their estimates for your address. All PROPPS notes are specimen-marked, non-legal tender props.
The short answer
PROPPS dispatches from its Eltham, Melbourne studio within 24 business hours of payment, by Australia Post Express with a mandatory signature on delivery. Orders start at $300 AUD and delivery is free from $500 AUD. Tell the studio your shoot date when you order, nominate someone to sign and allow a few days between order and first use.
How dispatch works
- You order and pay. Add items to the cart and pay by bank transfer, PayID or crypto, which receives a 10% discount.
- We confirm. You receive an invoice and a confirmation.
- We pack and dispatch. Orders leave the Melbourne studio within 24 business hours of payment.
- Australia Post Express carries it. The parcel is tracked.
- Someone signs. A signature is mandatory on delivery. If nobody is there, the parcel goes to a collection point or a redelivery is arranged.
- You check and file. Count the notes, check the condition and file the invoice.
Why a signature is required
Every parcel of prop currency ships with a mandatory signature on delivery. That means a named person receives it, the delivery is recorded and the notes do not sit unattended on a doorstep. It protects the production and it protects us. For a shoot, nominate someone who will be at the address, and give their name and a mobile number at checkout. If the address is a location, a production office or a studio, tell the receptionist or the security desk to expect the parcel.
Melbourne, Sydney and the rest of Australia
PROPPS is based in Eltham, Melbourne, so Melbourne orders have the shortest distance to travel. Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin and Canberra are all served by Express Post, with delivery times set by Australia Post for each route. Regional and remote addresses usually take longer. We cannot promise a specific day for every address, so check Australia Post's delivery estimates for your postcode, and allow extra time before a fixed shoot date.
Planning delivery around a shoot
A simple plan avoids stress.
- Order early. Aim for a few days before the first cash scene, more for regional addresses.
- Tell us the date. Mention your shoot date when you order, so we can flag it.
- Choose the address carefully. A production office or a prop room with a person on site is better than a location that moves.
- Name the signer. Give a name and a mobile number.
- Plan for a miss. If the first delivery attempt fails, know where the parcel will go and who can collect it.
- Keep a spare. Have a reserve stack in case a scene changes.
Our buying checklist for art departments explains the wider buying process.
Delivering to a location or hotel
Shoots move. If you are travelling, do not send notes to a hotel unless the hotel can hold and sign for a parcel. A production office, a studio or a trusted contact is a safer address. Never ask for a parcel to be left unattended. If the shoot is interstate, ask the studio about delivering to a local production address ahead of the crew.
What is in the box
Notes are counted and strapped, packed securely and sent in packaging that protects the edges. An invoice goes with the order or is emailed. The parcel is tracked. We do not offer unmarked or discreet packaging as a feature, because legitimate props do not need to hide, and traceable, signed-for delivery is the safer arrangement for everyone.
Checking your order on arrival
- Check the parcel for damage before signing, and note any damage on the delivery receipt.
- Open it with the person who signed, and count the stacks against the invoice.
- Check a note front and back for the specimen markings.
- Photograph the contents and keep the photos with the invoice.
- Store the notes with the prop master in a secure, dry place.
- Contact the studio straight away if anything is wrong.
If something goes wrong
If a parcel is late, check the tracking and contact Australia Post, then let us know. If a delivery is missed, arrange a redelivery or a pickup. If a count is wrong or a note is damaged, tell us with photos on the day of delivery, and we will sort it out. Our contact page and WhatsApp are the fastest routes.
Compliance and handling
Every PROPPS note carries permanent specimen markings, is printed on paper rather than polymer and is sold as a non-legal tender reproduction. Keep the notes under the prop master's control, keep the invoice on file and never spend them. Read the Section 22 guide, the compliance page and the Reserve Bank guidance for the standard.
A sample timeline for a Friday shoot
Imagine a cash scene on Friday. Order on Monday, so payment is confirmed early in the week. Dispatch leaves Melbourne within 24 business hours of payment. Express Post then carries the parcel, and a signature is required. If everything goes smoothly, the notes arrive mid-week, which leaves a day to check the count and weather the stock. If the address is regional, or the signer is hard to reach, order a day or two earlier. The aim is simple: no scene should depend on the last possible delivery.
Choosing the right delivery address
The best address is one where someone is present during business hours: a production office, a studio, a prop room or a trusted contact. Avoid addresses where nobody will be home, such as a locked location. If the shoot is at a private home, ask the owner to sign or to be available. If you are travelling, send the order ahead to the production base, and carry only what you need on the day.
Delivery for events, schools and photographers
The same plan works for non-film buyers. A school fair needs the notes before the stall day, and a teacher or office staff member can sign. A photographer working from a studio can ask the studio manager to hold the parcel. An event company can send the notes to the venue contact. Tell the studio your date, give a name and a mobile number, and plan a day of slack.
What affects delivery time
- Distance from Melbourne. Interstate and regional routes take longer.
- Public holidays and weekends. Express Post follows the Australia Post calendar.
- Payment timing. Dispatch starts once payment is confirmed, so pay early.
- The signature requirement. A missed delivery adds a day or more.
- Address accuracy. A wrong unit number or postcode costs time.
Tracking and communication
Once the parcel is dispatched, you receive tracking details. Check them each morning in the week of the shoot. If the status looks stuck, contact Australia Post first, then the studio. Keep your phone near you on delivery day, because the courier may call. A small amount of attention at this stage avoids most missed deliveries, and it keeps the cash scene on schedule.
Returns and exchanges
If a delivery arrives damaged or the count is wrong, tell us the same day with photos of the parcel, the packing and the notes. Keep the original packaging. We will arrange the right fix, whether that is a replacement stack or a correction. Because every order is invoiced and signed for, there is a clear record for both sides.
Where to go next
Browse the New Notes range, see where to buy prop money in Australia legally or contact the studio with your shoot date and address.
