News

Quarantine WA

The Quarantine WA provides inspection and certification services for the interstate movement of items of quarantine concern.

Western Australia is free from many animal and plant pests, diseases and weeds found elsewhere in Australia. Quarantine restrictions apply to the movement of a range of goods between Western Australia and other states and territories, whether they be commercial goods or personal effects. These restrictions are in place to prevent the introduction and spread of many weeds, pests and diseases that affect agriculture, the environment and our way of life.

Monitoring the interstate entry of quarantine risk materials is conducted through road checkpoints, interstate quarantine passenger clearance and, rail and sea freight clearance and surveillance:

1 Quarantine road checkpoints

The Eucla Checkpoint is located on the border between WA and South Australia, on the Eyre highway.

The Kununurra Checkpoint is located near the border between WA and the Northern Territory.

Road checkpoints operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Quarantine inspectors at the checkpoints monitor freight and private travellers' goods to prevent the uncontrolled entry of risk materials into WA.

All vehicles travelling into WA are required to stop for inspection, and Quarantine risk items must be declared to the Inspector.

Commercial consignments of goods, which have been grown and/or treated and packaged in ways that meet import requirements, are directed to a specific place for import clearance inspection.

Private travellers' fruit, vegetables, plants and other risk items are confiscated if it can not be shown that import requirements are met.

2 Interstate quarantine passenger clearance

People travelling to Western Australia by air and rail are subject to Interstate Quarantine Passenger Clearance.

Quarantine inspectors meet the majority of interstate flights and the twice-weekly Indian Pacific.

Passengers are given the opportunity to dispose of fresh fruit, vegetables, honey and other plant products by surrendering them to a Quarantine Inspector, or by placing them in the Quarantine bins provided.

Specially trained detector dogs are used to identify quarantine risk items amongst passenger luggage and freight at the Perth Domestic Airport and at the Rail Terminal, assisting inspectors in finding undeclared risk materials. Import clearance of risk material is conducted through inspection on arrival.

The Indian Pacific Train

Quarantine inspectors board the Indian Pacific rail service approximately forty minutes before the train arrives in Perth.

All travellers are required to declare fruit, vegetables, honey and plant matter for inspection. Goods that do not satisfy import requirements are seized.

Perth Domestic Airport

Interstate passengers arriving at the Perth Domestic Airport should dispose of quarantine risk items by placing them in one of the quarantine bins provided.

Detector dogs are used at the airport to check passenger luggage to ensure all fruit, vegetables and plant material entering WA meet import requirements.

3 Rail and sea freight to Western Australia

A large proportion of the freight entering Western Australia arrives as containerised freight by rail and sea.

Quarantine WA Freight Operations works closely with companies moving goods in this manner to ensure all quarantine risk items are declared upon entry into the state. Risk items are directed to Registered Premises for inspection by Quarantine WA.

Freight surveillance

Quarantine WA conducts a freight surveillance program to monitor that importers and their agents are complying with the legal requirement to declare risk materials upon entry into the state.

Quarantine Inspectors and the 'Active' Detector Dog team visit importers' premises to check that any Quarantine Risk Materials present are held under quarantine, or are recorded as having been inspected and cleared by Quarantine WA.

For more information on freight, carrier responsibilities and declarations see Commercial Freight Operations.

International quarantine

The Quarantine WA works closely with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), to provide service to clients entering or importing goods to Western Australia from overseas.

For more information on AQIS programs and activities, or import conditions applicable to goods imported to Australia from overseas, visit the website at www.aqis.gov.au.

Due to Western Australia's relatively pest and disease-free status in comparison to other Australian states and territories, the import conditions that must be satisfied to enable goods to enter Australia are not necessarily sufficient to allow entry into Western Australia. Persons wishing to import goods and personal effects from overseas are encouraged to find out more about Western Australia's import requirements. For more information contact Quarantine WA.

Quarantine Services in other States

The various Australian State Quarantine Inspection Services have identified procedures by which animal and plant material may move from one State to another without spreading pests and diseases. Please contact them when intending to bring animal and plant material and/or produce.

Australian Capital Territory - Environmental Protection, ACT, Tel: 02 6207 2581;
New South Wales - NSW Department of Primary Industries, Tel: 0428 696 487;
Northern Territory -Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines, Tel: 08 8999 2138;
Victoria - Department of Primary Industries, Tel: 03 8371 3500 or Tel: 03 9210 9390;
Queensland - Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Tel: 07 3404 6999;
South Australia - Department of Primary Industries and Resources, South Australia, Tel: 1300 666 010;
Tasmania - Department of Primary Industries and Water, Tel: 03 6233 4967

Amended : 22 March 2007