Travelling into SA from WA; quarantine restrictions
In Australia, there’s a checkpoint at state borders, and specific requirements depending on which way you are heading, and what you are carrying.
When you cross from Western Australia into South Australia, there’s no exception, and in this post we cover everything you need to know.
The checkpoint is not at the border
Coming up to the WA/SA border, you literally slow down, drive through and keep going. There’s no stopping, no police, no quarantine officers or anything. Going the other way you will get stopped, but coming into SA there is nothing, until you get to Ceduna.
We spent a couple of nights enjoying the South Australian camp sites at the Bunda Cliffs and Scotts Beach, before heading into Ceduna to continue our travels around South Australia.
The Quarantine Checkpoint is not scary at all
About 5km before you get to Ceduna, you’ll come to a quarantine checkpoint, where you need to declare any items that you shouldn’t have (and you can dispose of them), and then you continue on your merry way.
Everything we’d read had me prepared for a full on inspection, and I was hugely deflated to chat to the quarantine officer for a couple of minutes, explain that we had two small tubs of things that we weren’t sure about, or knew we had to get rid of.
He took the tubs and emptied them for us, had a quick peak into our fridge, and then waved us through.
I’m not sure if that’s the normal practice, but it was super easy, quick and almost amusing at how little was looked. We were very diligent in going through our pantries and gear before coming to the quarantine station, but we could have easily taken a heap of gear in without any of it being looked at.
What do you have to get rid of, or declare?
You don’t have to get rid of everything prior to arriving at the quarantine station, but you do have to declare it, or you’ll likely land a fine.
We were expecting bins prior to the quarantine station, but you just pull up and we were hoping that we wouldn’t get into trouble!
Fruit and vegetables are the main items of concern here, with a couple being in a grey area, but most you have to ditch.
That means:
Honey
Fresh fruit
Avocado
Capsicum, chilli, eggplant, tomato
There’s a heap of items that are maybe’s, which you should declare upon arrival or ring prior to heading through the quarantine station.
Can you freeze or cook it?
Obviously, you don’t want to arrive at the checkpoint with a heap of fruit and vegetables and lose them all, so you can be a little clever in the days leading up to it.
You are allowed to cook things (stew the apples, cook the potatoes etc) and you’ll make much better use of your items, than having to throw them out.
As long as they are processed, dried, preserved, cooked, frozen or canned you are generally OK, but ask if you are unsure.
