Quarantine inspections at WA border

Tony Bev · Guru

Quarantine inspections at WA border

Gaylehere · Guru

We had no problem with fruit and vegies last year when we went over as we cooked them up before reaching the border and they were happy with that. What we didn't think of was a cardboard box we had some tools in (originally a banana shipping box) which they took and a very old (30+ years) chicken pellet bag which we had a block of wood wrapped in. That bag had been in every state except WA and Tassie. The wood block sometimes went under a wheel when necessary. Anyway, they took the bag too.

Dickodownunder · Guru

Gaylehere wrote:
We had no problem with fruit and vegies last year when we went over as we cooked them up before reaching the border and they were happy with that. What we didn't think of was a cardboard box we had some tools in (originally a banana shipping box) which they took and a very old (30+ years) chicken pellet bag which we had a block of wood wrapped in. That bag had been in every state except WA and Tassie. The wood block sometimes went under a wheel when necessary. Anyway, they took the bag too.

Was the problem to them the block of wood or the bag?

Or, was the problem with both?

I have a few blocks of wood that are used under stabilizers and as wheel chocks etc so just wondering will I be banned from WA unless I substitute these for "plastic" biggrin

The Belmont Bear · Guru

A few years ago (can't say how many for obvious reasons) I surprised my wife with a trip to The Margaret River region of WA for her 50th birthday. We stayed at a very nice resort just out of Yallingup and I had ordered a dozen roses from the Florist in Busselton to be delivered to our bungalow. A couple of days later when we were due to fly back to NSW we called into Busselton and asked the florist if she could box them up for us as my wife wanted to take them home. The florist rang Qantas and they said no way that we would be able to take these flowers on an interstate flight. When the very nice lady at the florists saw how upset my wife was she said rather than throw the flowers away she would take them down to the local hospital and they may just make somebody feel a little better. I know that its not really the same as crossing the border in a vehicle but you can't blame them for being very strict on anything moving between the states that may be a threat to the agricultural industry.

Tony Bev · Guru

Dickodownunder wrote:
Gaylehere wrote:
We had no problem with fruit and vegies last year when we went over as we cooked them up before reaching the border and they were happy with that. What we didn't think of was a cardboard box we had some tools in (originally a banana shipping box) which they took and a very old (30+ years) chicken pellet bag which we had a block of wood wrapped in. That bag had been in every state except WA and Tassie. The wood block sometimes went under a wheel when necessary. Anyway, they took the bag too.
Was the problem to them the block of wood or the bag?
Or, was the problem with both?
I have a few blocks of wood that are used under stabilizers and as wheel chocks etc so just wondering will I be banned from WA unless I substitute these for "plastic"

An older brother (very experienced traveller) has been over the Nullarbor a great number of times gave me some tips

One of the tips he gave to me, was to paint any blocks of wood I was going to take with me

From his observation (and talking to other travellers), some quarantine officers do/do not confiscate unpainted wood
It is possible that although there is no visible dirt hanging from the wood, dirt ingrained into the wood, may be carrying disease

To the best of his knowledge, no quarantine officer had confiscated painted wood, provided that there was no dirt adhering to it

I have been over the Nullarbor five times in the last four years, I have painted wood, but up to now, no one has asked to look at it

Hope that this info is useful

dogbox · Guru

they can be very tuff/efficient if they think your vehicle an contents need to be looked at

Bill B · Guru

Dickodownunder wrote:

Was the problem to them the block of wood or the bag?

Or, was the problem with both?

From the Australian Quarantine Guide ( http://www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Australian-Interstate-Quarantine-A-Travellers-Guide.pdf ) re travelling to WA

Containers (agricultural/horticultural; used, including sacks, bags, cartons) are not allowed

Timber (dressed/without bark) - Allowed
Wood (firewood: dried & bark-free) - Allowed
Wood (ornamental: dried & bark-free) - Allowed

Dickodownunder · Guru

Thanks for the info Tony and the link from you Bill B

They are certainly very strict. I know when machinery is moved across the border it has to be thoroughly cleaned.

Weevil · Guru

Returning to WA with a foam vege box that had been around Oz from WA and through other Quarantine Stations (being used as an esky, but had writing on it for veges and WA produce) had to unpack that and hand it over. As I know the staff and locals at that station do a lot of fishing I was betting it ended up being used there as a fish box.

I pointed out the writing on the box that it came from WA but didn't make any difference. In retrospect I wish I had stood on the box and crushed it before I handed it over as I still believe they wanted it for their own use.

On another occasion, the rivets on a long rear window of my A'van camper trailer (facing up when roof folded down) had all worn through during travel across the Nullabor and to stop it from flying off I had it tied down with several ropes. I had to remove the ropes and partly raise the fold down roof so they could look inside, including inside the fridge (they crawled in to do so). So yes, be prepared they are thorough.

-- Edited by Weevil on Sunday 18th of December 2016 10:49:54 PM

Gaylehere · Guru

The chicken pellet bag was the problem, not the block of wood. Besides Tassie and the ACT that block of wood has been through all states and the NT.