Australia Customs

[clr0806]

We are taking the New Zealand/Australia itinerary in November and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with souvenirs from New Zealand that were not allowed into Australia? We are staying in Australia an extra 4 nights and I want to make sure I don't make a purchase that has to be discarded.

[The_Big_M]

I'd be fairly careful about any of the honey based products. Although we do have NZ honey here, it's normally a prohibited item at Customs, so I wouldn't risk it.

 

Most commercial souvenirs are likely fine (though you have to declare e.g. wood items), but I'd say the main things to think about are foodstuffs.

[clr0806]

I still have to research any issues with things coming into the States. Unfortunately I love hitting up grocery stores and picking up local items I can't find in the States so I guess I will have to be careful.

[Australian family]

Be careful of any wood or plant based products. Australia has very strict rules on these products.

[GreeniePrincess]

I agree with the above posts. Make sure to look at any wood products before buying them... kiln fired products are best to kill pests, but not all products that say "export safe" are export safe. I bought a wood item in NZ and had no problem taking it to Oz, but I had to declare it so it could be inspected which took only a few minutes. Surprisingly, outside of live animals and some animal products, the US didn't have nearly a strict of custom/quarantine requirements (likely because we aren't an island). They didn't even ask about my wood item on the customs sheet upon arrival back in the US.

[sagittarius]

I'd be fairly careful about any of the honey based products. Although we do have NZ honey here, it's normally a prohibited item at Customs, so I wouldn't risk it.

 

Most commercial souvenirs are likely fine (though you have to declare e.g. wood items), but I'd say the main things to think about are foodstuffs.

 

We returned from NZ last Dec 2010 with 5 jars of honey bought in a supermarket in Port Chalmers..the port for Dunedin and had no problems bringing them in. We did declare them though and although we got a strange look at the amount of honey it was all fine. The item we could not bring in was some tea that had dried orange peel in it as it was a citrus fruit!!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

We returned from NZ last Dec 2010 with 5 jars of honey bought in a supermarket in Port Chalmers..the port for Dunedin and had no problems bringing them in. We did declare them though and although we got a strange look at the amount of honey it was all fine. The item we could not bring in was some tea that had dried orange peel in it as it was a citrus fruit!!

 

Thats very interesting about the Honey. We have always been told thats a NO NO.

We met up with friends for the day , off the Amsterdam earlier this year , and they had bought some Honey for us a a gift , from Pitcairn Island, but they had to leave it on board as they could not bring it off.:eek:

[sagittarius]

Should have made it clear that this was in Sydney as I know that West Australia will not let you take honey there even if bought in Australia if it was in another state. Same honey on the shelves as over there but it is a no go. But we had no issues at all.

[Trend]

We are going next Dec. and collect paddles from countries all over the world do you think we will have a problem bringing one into the port of Sydney from New Zealand?

[moyaroo]

Honey is special. You can't take it into Kangaroo Island for what may be the same reason as WA and NZ. there is a disease going around that effects honey production. It isn't in KI or NZ yet so their products are fine for others, but others are not for them.

[The_Big_M]

We are going next Dec. and collect paddles from countries all over the world do you think we will have a problem bringing one into the port of Sydney from New Zealand?

 

 

They'll inspect it. As long as it doesn't have any sign of borers (e.g. holes) and any live bits e.g. seeds, shells on it, it'll probably be okay. The more finished the better.

[Trend]

Thanks for the info I will make sure that what we purchase is finished properly.:)