Restricted items
Like New Zealand, Australia has very strict biosecurity requirements – all aimed at protecting against the introduction and spread of harmful pests, weeds and diseases.
As an island state, Tasmania has its own biosecurity requirements which must be met when you arrive at the border.
It is vital that if you are visiting Tasmania from another destination – whether it be domestic travel from within Australia, or from overseas
– that you understand and follow the requirements on what you can and can’t bring into Tasmania.
Restricted items that cannot be brought into Tasmania include fruit and vegetables, some seafood and animal products, plant material, soil, and seeds. If you inadvertently bring a restricted item into Tasmania, be sure to dispose of it on arrival in one of the provided amnesty bins, or declare the item to one of the Biosecurity Tasmania officers on duty at your arrival point.
View the video below to find out more about what you can and can't bring with you to Tasmania.
Check, Clean and Dry
In addition to being aware of the range of restricted materials that you should not bring to Tasmania, you should also pay close attention to any sporting and recreational equipment that you bring with you, to ensure they are free from contaminants that could pose a biosecurity threat.
If travelling to Tasmania and you are bringing recreational equipment – ensure you thoroughly,
Check,
Clean and
Dry those items, including (but not limited to):
Mountain bikes
Fishing gear (including flies, lures and waders)
Golf clubs
Surfboards/boogie boards
Camping/bushwalking equipment and clothing
Four-wheel drives, trailers and caravans etc, (on the Spirit of Tasmania ferries)
Boats and other marine craft - including kayaks and canoes (on the Spirit of Tasmania ferries)
Further information on preventing the introduction and spread of aquatic pests and diseases in Tasmania, including guidelines on the washing of vessels, can be found on the Protecting Against Aquatic Threats webpage.
Be vigilant
Be on the lookout for “hitchhikers” that might be hiding in, or on your equipment and other luggage. Those hitchhikers could include:
weed seeds in mud and debris on four-wheel drives
water and potential plant pathogens on fishing gear
potential plant pathogens and diseases - like myrtle rust and
Phytophthora (root rot) – that are carried by spores that may attach to bushwalking footwear, clothing, camping gear, golfing clubs and bags
small vertebrates that may hide in your luggage and other gear – for example frogs have been found in luggage items and may pose a threat to native species in Tasmania.
Travel from New Zealand – fishing gear
If you are travelling from New Zealand to Tasmania, and are bringing fishing gear, it is important that you pay close attention to identifying and treating any contaminants that may be present on your equipment.
Didymo or "rock snot"
A biosecurity threat of particular concern to Tasmania is didymo (
Didymosphenia geminata) (also known as "rock snot"), a freshwater algae that is now found in many rivers in New Zealand’s South Island. It is highly invasive and is considered a significant biosecurity pest in Australia.
Read more about didymo.
Didymo can be spread by a single drop of water or plant fragment. You can help to protect waterways if you always
Check, Clean and Dry any equipment that comes into contact with the water, between every waterway, every time.
Remember that you need to:
Check, Clean and Dry your fishing equipment before you leave your home country (including any used flies which have been exposed to freshwater in your home countries).
Remove any plant matter from your gear and leave it at the site (the river or lake bank), or put it in the rubbish. Don't wash plant material down drains.
Ensure your gear is completely dry to touch, inside and out, then leave it to dry for at least another 48 hours before you use it (didymo can survive for months on moist gear).
Have your fishing equipment readily available in your checked luggage for inspection upon arrival at our international airports, and;
Declare any used fishing equipment to the Biosecurity Officers when arriving in Tasmania.
Further information on the biosecurity aspects of freshwater fishing in Tasmania can be found on the
Inland Fisheries website.
Travelling from Tasmania to New Zealand
Just as you must follow the requirements for what can and can’t be brought into Tasmania, and ensuring you
Check, Clean and Dry your recreational and sporting gear before arriving, so too it is expected that you observe the same requirements when travelling to New Zealand.
Other New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries pages with important information include:
Get to know your General Biosecurity Duty
The General Biosecurity Duty applies to everyone!
This doesn’t mean that everyone has to be a biosecurity expert, however it is important to understand and manage, or minimise, to the best of our ability, the biosecurity risks that apply to our industries, businesses, workplaces and outdoor leisure activities.
Get to know your General Biosecurity Duty -
visit the webpage for more information.