In Sydney on 30 August 1904 fourteen businessmen came together to determine ways and means for businesses to be appropriately represented in terms of customs and transport issues. At that meeting they agreed:
"A meeting of licenced custom house agents be held for the purpose of forming a Licensed Customs House Agents Association."
The Customs Agents and Transport Association of New South Wales was born. The foresight of these strategic thinkers was honed over the next hundred years through the Customs Agents Federation of Australia, the Customs Agents Institute of Australia, the Customs Brokers Council of Australia Inc. and then into the Customs Brokers & Forwarders Council of Australia Inc. (CBFCA).
The Australian Federation of International Forwarders (AFIF) was created in July 1996 following the merger of two distinct organisations, namely: The Australian Federation of Airfreight Forwarders - 'AFAFF'- formed (as a Federal body) in 1977 and The International Forwarders Association of Australia -'IFAA'- representing the Seafreight Forwarders (formed in 1976). The merger was deemed to be a natural progression which mirrored the business of its combined membership, most of whom were active in both air & sea transport. Existing and new members could elect to be represented in the Air and /or Sea division of the new entity.
The Boards of both CBFCA and AFIF agreed that the industry requires a single peak body to represent members concerns and decided to merge CBFCA and AFIF.
A single industry body, the International Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association of Australia Limited (IFCBAA) was formed and commenced operations on 1 July 2020.