Beware. Don't be taken in.

My wife, daughter, grand daughter and I returned to Sydney yesterday after 10 days cruising Vanuatu and New Caledonia on the Pacific Sun. Our last shore excursion was on the Isle of Pines, my favourite of all the islands we have visited over the years. In the souvenir shop on the island my wife admired an unusual looking photograph album and was considered buying it as a gift for a family member. However the album had the appearance of being made from tree bark and my wife was a bit concerned about this. On questioning the shop assistant, she categorically stated to my wife that the album was manufactured from re-cycled paper and cardboard. My wife then purchased an album for $20. On arrival in Sydney we declared the item to customs and were shocked to learn that the album had in fact been manufactured in Thailand and from of all things, elephant dung. Of course the album was confiscated and the officer mentioned that if there had been any photographs inserted into it, they too would have been confiscated. So please, be aware and do not believe all you are told by shop assistants selling you a product.

I am sorry about your loss of it by I am always a little weary when I spend money over there i dont spend more then 10 dollars on things made out of wood or wood looking things even if they say you can get them back into Australia.

A friend brought a drum saying that yes they could get it back here but it was confiscated at the customs.

Thanks for sharing that information, as people may not have been on the alert for a photo album.

Your wife must have been disappointed.

Don't you wish you could buy authentic souveniers from the port you visit...so much cheap Asian made stuff about.

Sorry you had the album confiscated, Ozififer. Customs here are very strict.

Don't you wish you could buy authentic souveniers from the port you visit...so much cheap Asian made stuff about.

 

Sorry you had the album confiscated, Ozififer. Customs here are very strict.

Such a pity you were 'taken in'.

Have to congratulate Customs on recognising a product which could endanger our flora and fauna.

My wife, daughter, grand daughter and I returned to Sydney yesterday after 10 days cruising Vanuatu and New Caledonia on the Pacific Sun. Our last shore excursion was on the Isle of Pines, my favourite of all the islands we have visited over the years. In the souvenir shop on the island my wife admired an unusual looking photograph album and was considered buying it as a gift for a family member. However the album had the appearance of being made from tree bark and my wife was a bit concerned about this. On questioning the shop assistant, she categorically stated to my wife that the album was manufactured from re-cycled paper and cardboard. My wife then purchased an album for $20. On arrival in Sydney we declared the item to customs and were shocked to learn that the album had in fact been manufactured in Thailand and from of all things, elephant dung. Of course the album was confiscated and the officer mentioned that if there had been any photographs inserted into it, they too would have been confiscated. So please, be aware and do not believe all you are told by shop assistants selling you a product.

We were on that cruise too - I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you, however in my experience, sellers are usually only interested in selling a product and many have never been to Australia before and believe that as the product is allowed into their country, it must be the same for Australia.

Apart from the fact that your wife "lost" an item she liked not to mention $20, it saddens me when we go to the islands that much of the items on sale are cheap imports (some selling for a greatly inflated price) - is it just me that finds it hard to buy locally made items that aren't made of wood or likely to be confiscated?