By getting to know and following the Biosecurity Basics you will be playing your role in helping protect Tasmania’s primary industries, economy, environment and way of life from the adverse impacts of pests, weeds and diseases.
We all have a role to play in protecting Tasmania from biosecurity risks – in fact it is a general biosecurity duty that we ALL need to know and follow.
The
general biosecurity duty (GBD) is an important element of Tasmania’s
Biosecurity Act 2019. The Act emphasises the importance of shared responsibilities and the need for Government, industry and the community to work together to maintain a strong biosecurity system.
The Biosecurity Basics are simple, yet practical actions you can take; whether you live in Tasmania or if you are visiting our beautiful island state.
These are the Bioscurity Basics:
Check your bags
Be careful what you bring to Tasmania.
Tasmania has some of the world's strictest biosecurity laws to protect our primary industries, economy, environment and way of life. You can help protect Tasmania from introduced pests, weeds and diseases by making sure that you are not bringing in any restricted items when you visit or return home.
Introducing a pest, weed or disease can mean we have to introduce expensive controls to limit movement of produce. It can result in a loss of access to domestic and international export markets, costing our primary industries and the community millions of dollars, and potentially having a siginificant impact on our way of life.
When you are preparing to visit or return to Tasmania, be sure to CHECK YOUR BAGS!
Find out more on the CHECK YOUR BAGS Biosecurity Basics webpage.
Find out more about what you can and can't bring to Tasmania.
Find out how you can meet your general biosecurity duty when
travelling to, or moving to Tasmania.
Come in clean
Be sure to arrive in Tasmania with clean clothing, gear and equipment.
Without you realising it you may be posing a risk to Tasmania’s biosecurity with dirt or other contaminants like seeds or diseases that you may have brought with you to Tasmania! These potential contaminants could be lurking on the bottom of your shoes, or in the mud caked on your caravan, trailer, ute, farm equipment or recreational gear like a mountain bike, fishing or golfing gear.
Be sure to thoroughly clean your clothes, gear and equipment before travelling to Tasmania. The threat posed to Tasmania from foot-and-mouth disease is a timely reminder of how vital it is to ensure that when you return from places like Indonesia/Bali, that you remember to
COME IN CLEAN.
Find out more on the COME IN CLEAN Biosecurity Basics webpage.
Find out how you can meet your general biosecurity duty in this example of the importance of thoroughly cleaning your bushwalking or fly fishing gear before visiting or returning to Tasmania:
Bushwalking and fly-fishing enthusiast - GBD example.
Stay on the path
Do not enter properties or private land without permission.
If you are out and about visiting primary production properties and facilities around Tasmania, it is vital that you DO NOT ENTER these areas without first seeking the owner or managers’ permission.
You might be visiting an orchard or vineyard and want to walk among the vines or apple trees to get that perfect photo, but please STAY ON THE PATH.
Please respect the biosecurity protocols and biosecurity plans of owners, operators and managers, and resist the temptation of entering a property or production area without permission to avoid the risk of introducing a pest, weed or disease to the property. If you are trekking through Tasmania’s many scenic parks and reserves, it is vital that you stay on formed paths and tracks.
Find out more on the STAY ON THE PATH Biosecurity Basics webpage.
You also have a general biosecurity duty as an
agricultural contractor,
utility services provider or
agricultural tourism operatorto respect the owner or managers biosecurity plans and not enter a property without permission.
Report anything unusual
See it. Secure it. Report it.
Keep an eye out for anything that appears unusual or out of place, it could represent a serious biosecurity risk to Tasmania. Do not hesitate to report anything unusual to Biosecurity Tasmania.
- If you SEE something unusual, for example a sick farm animal, an insect that looks like a fruit fly, a plant disease or an invasive weed or animal, note the location and take a photo.
- SECURE the insect or isolate the sick animal if it is safe to do so.
- Then REPORT it as soon as possible to Biosecurity Tasmania, or your vet, in the case of signs of a suspected animal disease.
Find out more on the REPORT ANYTHING UNUSUAL Biosecurity Basics webpage.
Download a copy of the Biosecurity Basics Brochure: