In this hypothetical example you:
own a holiday shack on the East coast of Tasmania
have a large backyard with a low maintenance garden and a few fruit trees: apricot; lemon; and apple. The fruit trees at the shack are well established, with the lemon tree producing a large amount of fruit year-round; the apricot and apple trees easily producing upwards of 5-6 buckets of fruit each summer
visit the shack occasionally, meaning your small backyard orchard could be classified as ‘un-managed’
often let friends or other family stay for short periods
There are other properties in your street with fruit trees in their backyards. A few permanent residents in the area have large vegetable gardens, including well-maintained orchards, and your property is close to a large commercial orchard.
General Biosecurity Duty (GBD) Actions and Outcomes
Meeting your GBD
Below are SOME examples that show how taking action to meet your GBD can have positive outcomes.
When you visit the shack you collect fallen fruit off the ground and place it in a closed compost bin, eat any fruit that is good quality, or make jams/preserves. During your visits you also inspect the trees and fruit for any signs of pests or disease. You apply treatment as required or report any unusual signs of pests or disease to Biosecurity Tasmania. Whenever visitors use the shack you ask them to clean up fallen fruit and dispose of it appropriately. - If no one can visit the shack you ask permanent neighbours to pop over every week or two to clean up fallen fruit and inspect the trees for any signs of pests and disease.
| The chances of exotic or other unwanted pests establishing in the shack’s orchard are greatly decreased.
The likelihood of harbouring diseases is decreased.
You contribute to maintaining the biosecurity of neighbouring gardens and orchards, and subsequently help protect the Tasmanian economy, primary industries and the environment.
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NOT meeting your GBD
Below are SOME examples that show how NOT taking action to meet your GBD can have negative outcomes.
You consistently leave fruit to fall on the ground and rot.
Your visitors leave fruit on the ground, but they do harvest some fruit and take it with them when they leave, even if there are signs of unusual pests or disease.
You are not aware of common pests or diseases that might affect fruit trees, and do not report unusual signs of pests or diseases to Biosecurity Tasmania.
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Exotic or unwanted pests (such as Queensland fruit fly, or codling moth) could become established on your property due to the fallen fruit and un-managed trees.
Pests and diseases can spread to neighbouring properties (including the large commercial orchard) and lead to widespread infestations.
Local businesses, the Tasmanian economy, primary industries and the environment will be put at risk.
The establishment of certain pests and disease may result in international market access and fruit exports to be suspended.
You may face legal proceedings.
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What you can do to meet your GBD
Whether you have one fruit tree, or a large-scale commercial operation, it is your general biosecurity duty to educate yourself on minimising the risk of pests and diseases becoming established, and maintaining proper management of your orchard.
Know your GBD - Related GBD Profiles
Please note that this information contains minimum recommendations only. The GBD requires a person dealing with biosecurity matter or a carrier to take all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk associated with the dealing. Such measures may not be specified in any regulations, guidelines or other official publications.