Quarantine problems on arrival

[Guest The Pickles]

Hello everyone, this is our first posting...

We are Glenn, Marilyn & Louis (age 3). We're hoping to leave London at the end of June. Has anyone had any problems importing wooden effects into Australia? We have several items that we've collected on our travels in Africa and really don't want to leave them at home. We're more than happy to pay for fumigation costs but wonder if anyone has any idea of what these might be?

[Guest ReadyPenny]

They will definately need to be irridated (sorry if the spelling is incorrect), as they are very strict about any untreated wood. If the items are "sealed" ie painted or varnished then they are ok. If the wood is bare then they will need to be treated. You can either varnish them yourself before you leave or pay for them to be treated on import. No personal experience of cost, but saw on telly the other night a chap who had some cuban instruments treated at $60 per item at Sydney airport.

 

Sorry cant really help that much, sure you will get some more constructive responses soon.

 

Mandy

[Guest Roo1]

Hi guys and welcome to PIA!!

 

I had a box of wooden masks collected from travelling the world in my student days. Customs told me I'd have to pay $350 for fumigation as there was "evidence of boaring". Or I could pay $60 to have them distroyed.

 

I paid the $60.

 

Cheers

Judi x

[Guest salisbury massive]

i think you'll find its more expensive coming through in the container than through the airport. I personally feel things are held to ransom coming through in the container and I'm sure there must be a "proper" list of prices, it does seem unreasonably high. I've found even if you clean everything up before you come they still insist on doing it again when you get here. I left behind a wicker lounge suite based on information I'd received from other people. Have a look at this website, it might help. You masks would be listed under Plant material.

 

http://www.daffa.gov.au/aqis/travel/entering-australia/cant-take

 

Talk to an international mover like PSS or similar, they would be able to shed some light since they move people all the time. Pickfords were brilliant when we moved.

 

Jo

[Guest Martin and Val]

Don't know about the things you wish to bring, but they found a wind chime which a part of it was made from wood and a Christmas Nativity scene which they didn't like either. We had to pay $88 to have them burnt.

Good luck with it all and hope your move goes smoothly.

Martin

[Guest The Pickles]

Yikes, they really are strict aren't they... I've got masks, various wooden animals, African handmade woven baskets, wind chimes from Bali - I know they're only 'things' but I'll be gutted if I can't bring them along... sigh. x

[Guest sandar1]

Your shipping company should be able to arrange for the fumigation there before the items come over. I bought some items in Thailand one of them being a shop dummy with a wooden base and even that had to be fumigated and they did it there before sending so check with them to see, but I am sure that it can be done there. They do take everything out of the container and check it, when I bought my goods over from the states they called to let me know that the orchid I had needed to be fumigated, as the shipment had taken two months to get here I thought it would have been rather obvious that the orchid would have died by the time it arrived (it was a fake plant).

 

Anyway good luck.

 

Sandra

[Guest Ollie]

Jeez didnt realise it would be so bad, I have to take my work equipment with me, Harnesses ropes etc (Im a tree surgeon) I was going to give it all a real good clean but sounds like that wont be enough.

Perhaps ill sell and buy again when I get there.

 

Ollie

[Guest sandar1]

Once again check with the shipping company my son and my husband both bought tools over with them including gardening equipment and chain saws etcetera and they didn't even mention them at customs AQIS has a web site that you can look up also go into that and take a look. You can email them and find out what to do, I would imagine the type of equipment you use could be expensive to buy here so it is worth checking.

 

Sandra

[Guest The Pickles]

Hi Ollie, I've just been looking at the AQIS website and it seems that as long as your work equipment is really clean and declared, you shouldn't have any problem taking it in to Australia. See below:

 

Make sure all used cars and tyres, garden tools, outdoor furniture, lawn mowers, bicycles, sporting equipment, shoes and boots are free of soil and seed contaminants, and empty vacuum cleaner bags. Items with soil contamination will be cleaned at your expense.

[Guest ade&emma]

I think with quarantine it can sometimes be hit and miss. There were loads of things that I was expecting to be destroyed. Wooden figures from Africa, a wooden Bali mask, a machete (bought as ornamental but god knows how that got through). None of it had even been checked.

 

Think we were just lucky I guess. Was all listed on the forms though.