In addition to having controls on goods that can enter Australia from overseas, Australia also has rules and regulations about the movement of goods between states, or within states.
Pests, diseases and weeds can travel with you as you visit different areas of Australia. There are restrictions on what you can take as you cross state and quarantine borders within Australia. There are also biosecurity or quarantine zones within each state and territory to limit the spread of pests that are localised to that area. You can use the search feature on the map to view a table of plants and food items that you may or may not be allowed to take to your destination state. Or download a copy of Australian Interstate Quarantine: A traveller’s guide.
Travellers can face on-the-spot fines for taking prohibited items across borders.
Fruit fly quarantine controls in Australia
Australia’s fruit fly pest free areas
This video by the Australia Government Department of Agriculture gives an overview of the quarantine measures in place to prevent the spread of Queensland fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly in Australia.
by ringing Freecall 1800 084 881 during business hours from Monday to Friday.
Checking before you travel will avoid the possibility of having to dispose of fruit and vegetables at the border.
Each state and territory has documentation that commercial growers and travellers can refer to when considering moving plant products interstate. If you need more information please consult the information referred to on this page.
Eat it or bin it
If you reach a border with produce that can’t be taken across, eat it or bin it. There are quarantine bins at 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.
The risks
Pests, diseases and weeds can be spread from one part of Australia to another through the movement of many items including:
plant or plant products
fruit and vegetables
animals or animal products
soil
agricultural machinery and other equipment
recreational equipment.
Following the rules about moving these items will help to minimise the risk to Australia’s unique environments and agricultural markets from the impact of pests and diseases.
Find out more
This site has information for travellers moving between states and territories and for producers who would like to sell their products in a state or territory other than where it was grown. You can find out more about the pests and diseases of particular concern by visiting the Major pests page or by reading items in the Latest news. You can also sign up to receive notification of changes to the rules or other news about interstate quarantine.
