Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS)

DPIRD Diagnostics and Laboratory Services (DDLS) update - 22 July 2024

Our diagnostic services continue to be impacted by restricted access to the DPIRD site at 3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth. Site access has been restricted since 14 June 2024 following asbestos testing results. 

Thank you for your understanding and support as we work towards restoring full capability and capacity of the services provided by DDLS. 

Current situation 

Critical laboratory testing is continuing, however restrictions on access to key facilities and the number of personnel onsite have significantly reduced our capacity and the range of testing available.  

Testing continues to be prioritised based on: 

• diagnostic testing to exclude notifiable pests and diseases 
• responses to high-impact pest and disease threats and incursions 
• surveillance for priority pests and diseases 
• diagnostic testing to support border biosecurity controls and market access. 

DPIRD is still facilitating the detection of animal and plant pests and diseases that may negatively impact Western Australia's biosecurity status.  

It is particularly important to continue to report signs of emergency animal diseases (for example, multiple animal deaths or disease signs, or egg production drops in poultry) to DPIRD.

• To report any suspicion of emergency animal diseases, call your local DPIRD field veterinary officer or the Emergency Animal Disease hotline on 1800 675 888 and select option 5 for WA. 
• To report any suspicion of emergency plant pests and diseases, call the Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS) on (08) 9368 3080 and select option 2.

While the full suite of diagnostic testing is not currently available on the South Perth site, DDLS will continue to manage priority sample submissions on behalf of clients for testing at approved laboratories. Continuing to submit samples via DPIRD is important to maintain our ability to certify produce and to protect Western Australia’s market access.

Submissions process 

For all testing enquiries or to submit animal or plant specimens for testing to DDLS, please follow this process: 

1. Email DDLS@dpird.wa.gov.au with details of the submission. 
2. DDLS will triage your submission and you will receive email instructions. Please ONLY send samples to South Perth once DDLS have responded to you to ensure sample integrity is maintained and testing can be best facilitated. 
3. Signage at the entrance to the South Perth site will instruct the sample courier how to proceed. 

Note: Email is preferred but you can phone DDLS on 9368 3351 to speak to an animal or plant pathologist before emailing if necessary.

Thank you for your cooperation. 

Next steps 

DPIRD will continue to provide priority diagnostics services to protect Western Australia’s biosecurity and market access, and to manage solutions for stakeholders for other diagnostics. 

We appreciate your ongoing support and cooperation as we continue to manage the South Perth site restrictions. 

We will continue to provide updates on the DDLS webpages and to update clients and stakeholders via direct email.

For more information, please visit the DPIRD Diagnostics and Laboratory Services webpage. 

Contact us

Phone: (08) 9368 3080
Email: padis@dpird.wa.gov.au 

Office hours

Our service is open from 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Closed on public holidays.

Our services

We facilitate the detection of animal and plant pests, weeds and plant diseases that impact, or have the potential to negatively impact, Western Australia's agriculture and food industries. Calls made in WA to the National Exotic Plant Pest (EPP) Hotline 1800 084 881 are answered by our service. We provide the following services for customers in Western Australia:

• frontline contact for unfamiliar pests, weeds and diseases
• frontline contact for plant biosecurity emergency response
• weed identification (if relevant to agriculture or quarantine)
• insect identification
• animal pest identification
• disease identification (if relevant to agriculture or quarantine)
• control advice for pests, weeds and diseases of agricultural concern.

Please note:

Services for commercial operators in relation to disease identification and diagnosis, cannot be handled by our service. Please contact our diagnostic laboratory service DDLS for their full list of services and costs. If the seed, plant, disease (plant or animal) is suspected of being a new threat to agricultural industries, fees will be waived.

How to submit a specimen or request an identification

If you discover something unfamilar please contact our service.

Specimens can be submitted in person or posted to our South Perth Office. Please refer to our webpage on Sending specimens for identification, call us or email our service for guidance.

Our department has also developed a number of apps which can be used to report the presence of unfamiliar pests and diseases. Click on the links below to download an app, or to make an online report:

• MyPestGuide app - Allows you to identify pests and report your observations. 
• PestFacts WA Reporter app - Report observations of pests and diseases in your paddocks to the Western Australian PestFacts newsletter editor.

Alternatively, photos of pests, weeds and plant diseases can be sent via email to padis@dpird.wa.gov.au

Location/postal address

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS)
3 Baron-Hay Court
South Perth WA 6151

If visiting us, please ask to speak to someone from our service at front reception.

Common service requests 

Service request	?	This will happen….
Suspected European wasps, exotic/introduced bees including bumble bees and Asian honey bees		PaDIS will take the report and follow up investigation as appropriate.
Bee and wasp - hands on control		Contact licensed pest controller – see Yellow Pages or internet resources. The Western Australian Apiarists Society website – under Swarm Collectors.
Portuguese millipede and white cedar moth (and caterpillar) control		See information on our website, search millipede or white cedar moth. Vist the hardware store, nursery or garden centre for chemical control and products. Contact a licensed pest controller – see Yellow Pages or internet searches.
Cane toads information, identification or control		Contact the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Cane toad Hotline 1800 449 453, canetoads@dpaw.wa.gov.au, or dpaw.wa.gov.au/canetoads
Frog identification		PaDIS will assist where there’s a quarantine or biosecurity concern. Alternate contacts: Contact WA Museum - Frog watch website or phone 9212 3700. WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions website or phone 9219 9000.
Unfamiliar pests (including insects) and plant diseases.		PaDIS will take the report and follow up investigation as appropriate.
Common pests and disease control, including call out services		Refer to internet or book resources. Contact licensed pest controller (see Yellow Pages, community newspapers, internet searches etc).
Fox and rabbit control		See information on our website, search fox or rabbit. PaDIS provides advice to landholders on control options and regulations, but Department staff do not carry out control activities. Contact a licensed pest management technician for control services (see Yellow Pages, community newsapers, internet resources, word of mouth etc. for contactors). Check if there is a Recognised Biosecurity Group targeting these pests in your area.
Agricultural weeds and their control		PaDIS will take reports and offer weed identification for weeds suspected of being a threat to agricultural industries. Refer to agricultural retailers, book and internet resources, Industry bodies and agronomists for tailored control advice. Check if there is a Recognised Biosecurity Group targeting weeds in your area.
Weed control services and control advice for lawn weeds		Contact nursery or garden centre. Gardening services and land management services can be hired for active control.
Unfamiliar and agricultural weeds.		PaDIS will take the report and follow up investigation as appropriate.
Identification of ornamental and native plants		Contact: Nursery or garden centre Gardening groups on social media .e.g Facebook Local garden clubs – some are listed on the Horticultural Council of WA website. Internet and book resources. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions - WA Herbarium or florabase online herbarium website.
Gardening advice including: Pruning, re-potting, plant selection, Lawn or turf maintenance or problem identification		Contact: Nursery or garden centre. Gardening and specialist websites and online forums. Gardening groups on social media e.g Facebook Local garden clubs – some are listed on the Horticultural Council of WA website. Newspaper columns and TV and radio talkback programs.
Large number of chickens dying with signs of influenza		Phone the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888, or PaDIS will put you in contact with our Livestock Biosecurity team or animal pathologist.
Cats, dogs, chickens or other domestic pets – advice on pests affecting animal health, stray or aggressive animals, lost pets		Contact: Local veterinarian for pet health concerns. Local government rangers for lost, stray or aggressive dogs or cats.
Neighbourhood disputes – tree control, boundary issues, pets, poisoning of plants/trees/animals.		Contact: Local government. Additional information on the Legal Aid website.
Pigeon control		Read the WA Department of Health website information on pigeon control. Contact a licence pest management technician if required (see yellow pages, newspaper adverts, internet resources etc).
Native animals: Ravens (crows), cockatoos, snakes, kangaroos, magpies etc.		View information on the WA Department of Parks and Wildlife website or phone 9219 9000.
Mosquito problems and mosquito-borne diseases		Contact: Local government’s health officer in the first instance. Information is also available on the WA Department of Health website.
Human pests or parasites		Contact: Local GP (general practitioner) or medical centre. Department of Health website.
Plants poisonous to people		Contact: Poisons Information Centre 13 11 26. Internet resources and library. Publications such as: ‘Pretty but poisonous: Plants poisonous to people’ (R.C.H. Shepherd) and other text books.
Mushroom/fungi identification, including edible species	.	Contact: Perth Urban Bushland Fungi website.  The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions fungus factsheets.  The Australasian Mycological Society. Book resources such as: Australia's Poisonous Plants, Fungi and Cyanobacteria - A Guide to Species of Medical and Veterinary Importance.