We’ve all seen the television shows based at the airport where travellers entering Australia are stopped and asked to open their bags for inspection. This is not only to stop drug trafficking, it’s also about keeping our beautiful country free from potentially damaging pests and disease. Australian Biosecurity (quarantine) is one of the few in the world which has held strong to keep out many of the earth’s most severe nasties.

Travellers are not the only ones who must be mindful of what they are bringing onto our shores. If you are importing items by mail or shipping container, it’s imperative that you know the right way to navigate biosecurity laws to save you time and, inevitably money.

  • Know the regulations – Under Australian law, anything that is living or is derived from something that once was, must be declared. Foodstuffs (e.g. nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, rice, coffee beans, etc.), timber and timber products, items made from straw, grasses, agricultural machinery and mining tools must all be declared to biosecurity authorities. Before you decide to import, make sure the items are permitted on our shores.
  • If in doubt, declare – The best advice to adhere to when importing items into the country is, if you’re unsure whether or not to declare items, just do it. Taking time to have your goods checked at the start is much safer (and cheaper) than being caught with items not permitted into Australia and being hit with a hefty fine, plus the extra expense of then exporting them back to where they came from.
  • Use a Customs Broker – You can save time, money and worries by employing the 2 service of a professional customs broker who is an expert in Australian Biosecurity regulations. Brokers are well accomplished in navigating quarantine laws and able to spot potential importation troubles before they become issues for you and your business!

Let Maptrans experts handle your quarantine worries and provide you with peace of mind that your goods will arrive on time and without hassle, every time.

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