Should you wrap gifts in Australia?
Short answerYes for almost all occasions. Presentation does signal effort. The exceptions are very large items and professional contexts where wrapping reads as performative.
Wrap your gifts. Australians often understate how much presentation matters because the culture skews casual, but an unwrapped gift consistently reads as an afterthought, even when the gift itself is excellent.
Wrapping doesn't have to be elaborate. A simple kraft paper, a single ribbon, and a handwritten card outperforms an expensive gift bag stuffed with tissue paper. The signal is 'I took an extra two minutes for you'.
If you genuinely don't have time or skills to wrap, most retailers will gift-wrap at the counter. Many Australian online retailers offer it at checkout for free or a small fee. A nice tote bag or a kitchen tea towel with the gift inside also works as 'wrapping'.
Skip wrapping for: very large items where it's impractical (a bike, a piece of furniture), gifts being couriered directly to the recipient where the box is the wrapping, and corporate gifts to clients where elaborate wrapping can read as trying too hard.
Re-wrapping a gift you regifted: yes, always. The original wrapping or packaging is a tell.