Australian Custom regulations

[talyanka]

We are going to meet our friends in Hobart while on the cruise. We would like to bring them something special from Canada. But it looks that such Canadian things like maple syrop and Niagara ice vine could be prohibited items. I had no problems to bring them to Europe but now I am confused. I couldn't find clear answer on Custom's site if these items would be prohibited but they are food products and should be declared.

 

Does anybody have an experience of bringing vine to Australia from other countries?

[bobsydney]

You need to declare any foodstuffs that you want to bring into Australia on your Incoming Passenger Card.

 

I don't think howevever that there will be a quarantine issue with either maple syrup or wine (I'm assuming that Niagara ice vine is a typo and that you meant ice wine ... if not and you are talking about a grapevine, then there will surely be an issue).

 

If you want to research further, the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service's import conditions database (www.aqis.gov.au/icon32/asp/homecontent.asp) has a search facility.

 

Cheers

Bob

[Aussie Gal]

I agree with the above post. As long as you declare it on the special form which you will receive whilst on your aircraft you should be fine. Customs are really looking for foodstuffs like meat, seeds, fruit etc. The reason being that we are an island continent and we do not have any of the diseases like foot and mouth that exist overseas.

 

You will also find that New Zealand are just as strict as we are and perhaps a little more. I know their fines for bringing in prohibited foodstuffs are heavier than ours.

 

Jennie

[Missabby]

Watch out for those big, mean customs sniffing dogs!

 

(We got sniffed by a beagle!)

[Johanna7]

Yes, New Zealand is a LOT stricter then Australia. When on the cruise in New Zealand, DO NOT buy any honey. The sellers will tell you it is okay because it is sealed. NO. They confiscate it. It happened to many passengers on our cruise and they were plenty mad about it.

 

I personally didn't buy any as we can get all we want here dirt cheap enough so no need.

 

Yes, they have sniffer dogs in some ports. NO FOOD gets passed them.

 

Don't even think of bringing back food on the ship or buy it in Auckland before you board your flight unless you plan to eat it before you do of course.

[Aussie Gal]

We also have the wonderful beagle sniffer dogs here. In fact, I think Australia was the first country to train dogs for this work. Not only do they sniff the hand luggage and personal bags while you are waiting to collect your luggage but before it has arrived on the carousel, they have already gone through every piece and sniffed them.

 

Woe betide anyone who has tried to smuggle in any foodstuffs because you will be caught.

 

Jennie

[bobsydney]

We also have this wonderful TV show called Border Security that shows what happens when people try to sneak food through ... the hassles, let alone the potential fine, just don't make it worthwhile to even try!

 

Bob

[Aussie Gal]

I too love that show Bob. It does show what lengths some people will go to to smuggle food in. I certainly would not want to be in their shoes!

 

Jennie

[Globaliser]

But it looks that such Canadian things like maple syrop and Niagara ice vine could be prohibited items.

If you really do mean "ice wine", then that shouldn't have to be declared as food. It should count within your alcohol limit instead.

 

I would personally expect to have the maple syrup confiscated by Customs as it may not count as a cooked product. There is no difficulty for you if you declare it and they decide to take it away from you - they do everything they can to encourage people to declare things. But if you try to smuggle it through without declaring it, and you are caught, then expect to get a very hard time even if it is food that you are actually allowed to bring in.

[kaseyoz]

We also have the wonderful beagle sniffer dogs here. In fact, I think Australia was the first country to train dogs for this work. Not only do they sniff the hand luggage and personal bags while you are waiting to collect your luggage but before it has arrived on the carousel, they have already gone through every piece and sniffed them.

 

Woe betide anyone who has tried to smuggle in any foodstuffs because you will be caught.

 

Jennie

 

Their smell is so acute that even if you have only just carried fruit in the bag it may pick you up although it is no longer there.

[mochuck]

I would personally expect to have the maple syrup confiscated by Customs as it may not count as a cooked product. There is no difficulty for you if you declare it and they decide to take it away from you - they do everything they can to encourage people to declare things. But if you try to smuggle it through without declaring it, and you are caught, then expect to get a very hard time even if it is food that you are actually allowed to bring in.

 

I think you might be able to bring in the maple syrup. We've often bought honey in - just declare it as Globaliser suggests.

[talyanka]

Thank you to everyone for your advice. I am not going to smuggle anything to Australia. I probably try to get a bottle of ice wine and a small bottle of maple syrup and declare them. Ice wine is made of the grapes after it was frozen on the vine. Australia probably doesn't have such natural conditions to make this wine. I hope that wine could be allowed as a part of 2.25 L permitted alcoholic beverages and maple syrop is very well cooked product. You need to evaporate 40 L of sap to get 1 L of syrup so it required a many houres of boiling.

[Globaliser]

Ice wine is made of the grapes after it was frozen on the vine. Australia probably doesn't have such natural conditions to make this wine.

Australia does make some ice wine, although Canada is more famous for it.

 

Thanks for the information about maple syrup. If it is in fact cooked, then Customs may well be fine with it.