Western Australia’s $8 billion agriculture industry is being put at risk by travellers attempting to bring potentially destructive organic produce into the state.
Quarantine officials from WA’s Department of Primary Industries seized almost 20 tonnes of contraband produce in 2018, some of which contained serious pests.
Quarantine officer, Malcolm Harbor, told the ABC that the biggest culprits were novice travellers who were ignorant of WA’s strict biosecurity regulations.
“There are people who come into the state quite regularly and they seem to know quite a bit about quarantine in WA,” he said. “The green travellers who come into the state — they don’t understand what restrictions are in place.”
The ABC reports that, last year, officers seized about 17,500 kilograms of produce and 1,500kg of honey from 46,000 vehicles. So far this year, about 1,600kg of produce has been seized from 9,000 vehicles, with potatoes and honey the most commonly seized items.
Most fresh fruit and vegetables are banned from being brought across the border — even the boxes used to store the produce are not allowed because they could host diseases or insect pests. However, the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development lists a number of exceptions. These include beetroot, carrot, coconut, mushrooms, pineapple, sweet potato, and commercially packed leafy greens are some of the produce allowed.
Cooked and tinned fruit can be brought into Western Australia but uncertified fresh fruit salad is not allowed.
Mr Harbor told the ABC that some travellers were simply not heeding the warnings despite the risk of facing stiff fines and legal action. He said that, with many travellers stocking up for long drives, he recommended cooking the produce before crossing the border.
“Anything that is cooked can come in to WA,” he said. “Do a shop that gets you to the border … don’t over shop — you can do a re-stock in town.”
I had a container of unopened honey confiscated. It was the first thing they found in the first cupboard opened in my caravan after i said i didn’t have any fresh produce or honey. I didn’t even remember buying it the year before. DOH! Didn’t feel bad though. The backpackers in the wizzbang in front of me had boxes and a fridge full of fresh fruit and veg.
No, haven’t had anything confiscated as we did our homework. What does make me cross is the people who brag that they take contraband over borders by taking the back roads.
It use to be much better travelling to the west fron SA before when the fruit stop was at Norseman. Then they brought it back to the border and I asked the Western Australia dept of Ag if this was to protect all the orchards across the Nullabor. She annswered that there wasn’t any BoombBoom so no fresh fruit now until you get all the way to Norseman
Where can I find out what is and what isn’t allowed across the border
Western Australia department of agriculture site has all the information you need. There is no excuse. There are all types of pests in the Eastern states that can devastate crops in Western Australia. Its not only your foodstuff that is checked. All machinery that crosses the border into Western Australia has to be thoroughly cleaned as well.
Western Australia produces over 50% of the cereal crops in Australia and we don’t want your pests from the East.
We were advised to get a booklet from Tourist Infrnation Centres that includes all states and NT. This booklet advises all the do’s and don’t’s of what is or isn’t allowed in each state and NT. It is free.
Still a border but South Australia Quarantine now fine you and then complete the search. Some places are manned nearly full time, like just near Pinaroo, others like the bin near Bordertown are only open occasionally. No discretion, just a fine of I think $135 plus confiscation of illegal product.
In response to Jean’s question, you can download a guide which states what you can and take interstate from
https://www.interstatequarantine.org.au/travellers/interstate-quarantine/
Hope this helps.
Just do the right thing travellers