Key Points
- Australian states and territories have implemented strict rules about the movement of goods between states or within states.
- Some jurisdictions in the country have checkpoints to ensure travellers don't carry prohibited items in quarantine zones.
- Authorities advise travellers to be vigilant while travelling interstate.
You might be aware that there are rules and regulations around what items you can and can't bring with you when travelling to Australia from overseas.
But did you know that Australia's states and territories also have strict rules about the movement of goods between states or within states?
This article provides an overview of Australia's interstate quarantine and biosecurity rules and what to bear in mind before crossing interstate borders.
Australia has implemented strict biosecurity rules to minimise the risk of pests and diseases entering from overseas, but each state also has some control over what food, vegetables, fruits, and plants can be brought into their jurisdictions.
Australian states and territories have strict rules about the movement of goods between states or within states. Source: AAP
Risks to the Australian agricultural market
According to the Australian Interstate Quarantine , pests, diseases, and weeds can be spread from one part of Australia to another through the movement of items, including:
- plant or plant products
- fruit and vegetables
- animals or animal products
- soil
- agricultural machinery and other equipment
Need for interstate quarantine rules
Executive Director from Biosecurity Victoria, Katherine Clift told , "Preventing and managing biosecurity risks is everyone's business, which is why we are asking travellers into Victoria to play their part by acquainting themselves with our quarantine regulations."
In Victoria, we have a $20.2 billion agriculture industry to protect, which is why we are asking interstate travellers to be aware of quarantine restrictions on plants, plant products, used packaging, agricultural equipment, and soil.Executive Director from Biosecurity Victoria, Katherine Clift
Many plants and food products have restrictions if being brought into Victoria.
There are also restrictions on the movement of certain plants, plant products and agricultural machinery within Victoria.
An Australian fruit fly quarantine area warning road sign. Source: iStockphoto / mastersky/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Checkpoints before crossing borders
Some states and territories in Australia have checkpoints to ensure travellers don't carry prohibited items into their jurisdictions that can put their agricultural industries at risk.
Louise Smith is a Quarantine Manager at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in.
"Both road checkpoints at Eucla and Kununurra operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, checking for items considered a threat to WA, and all vehicles entering the state are inspected, including cars, caravans, and trailers," she explained.
Travellers are asked to declare if they have any Prescribed Potential Carriers with them before a full inspection.Louise Smith, Quarantine Manager, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, WA
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has also established checkpoints at Perth's domestic and regional airports.
More than 1.4 million inspections were carried out during 2022/23 across air, road, rail, mail and sea entry points, including screening almost 650,000 interstate airline passengers and inspecting nearly 160,000 vehicles at Western Australia-Northern Territory and Western Australia-South Australia road checkpoints.
A fruit fly exclusion zone sign near Yarrawonga in Australia. Credit: Ashley Cooper/Getty Images
Ms Clift adds, "While Victoria does not have a checkpoint for travellers entering the state from another part of Australia, we remind businesses that they must comply with Victoria's border entry conditions when importing plants, fruit and vegetables."
Northern Territory's aren't patrolled, though there are quarantine bins at all airports and railway stations to dispose of fruit from interstate.
Quarantine zones
Australia's states and territories have also established zones regarding the spread of certain pests and diseases, and the movement of products into and out of these zones may be restricted.
"Whilst travelling around Victoria, it's also important to note movement restrictions within Victoria, such as the grape phylloxera control areas that help protect our wine industry from a destructive plant pest," Ms Clift explained.
Western Australia's honeybees are free from many significant pests and diseases found in other parts of Australia and overseas.
Hence, it is illegal to bring bees, bee products including honey and pollen and used beekeeping equipment into Western Australia without meeting import conditions and treatments.
The movement of plant products into and out of areas within Queensland is also regulated.
The state is a biosecurity zone for bananas, grape plants, mangoes, and sugarcane.
Queensland has a biosecurity zone for bananas, grape plants, mangoes, and sugarcane. Credit: Australia Interstate Quarantine
If you are travelling to the Northern Territory, the Plant Health Act 2008 is in place to prevent the spread of pests like ants, fruit flies, scale insects, and thrips.
If you plan to travel interstate, you can check the information about the zones in each state and territory .
Things you can do before you travel
Travelling interstate for holidays comes with great joy, but it also brings some responsibility.
Therefore, checking any rules and restrictions that might apply to your visit is always good practice.
Checking before you travel will minimise the risk of having to dispose of prohibited items including fruits, and vegetables at the interstate borders.
"The best motto to follow this Christmas is, if in doubt, leave it out – leave your homegrown fruit and vegetables, seedlings and cuttings behind and instead bring homemade preserves such as jam or chutney," Ms Clift explained.
advises travellers to eat or bin their products that can't be taken across borders.
The government division also states that, "There are interstate quarantine bins at some domestic airports, ferry terminals and state and quarantine zone borders. You must dispose of any restricted products at that point. That way, you can be sure you're not giving a pest or disease a free ride into new areas."
Ms Smith explained that quarantine road signage was in place several hundreds of kilometres before the road checkpoints when entering the state.
This arrangement gives travellers time to eat fresh fruit or vegetables and be aware of what to declare to the quarantine inspector when they arrive at the road checkpoint.Louise Smith, Western Australia's Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
In a statement, the NSW Department of Primary Industries spokesperson said, "There is a general obligation for everyone to be aware of their surroundings and take action to prevent the introduction and spread of pests, diseases, weeds and contaminants.”
You can also check the list of items you can and can't take interstate by contacting the Australian Interstate Quarantine Hotline on 1800 084 881.
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