Restrictions on moving plant material, soil and related equipment into Queensland

To limit the spread of pests and diseases into Queensland, biosecurity laws restrict the movement into the state of certain plant material, soil and related equipment.

Documents required to move these items

Generally, if you want to move these items into Queensland, you will need to provide a biosecurity certificate.

The Queensland biosecurity manual (PDF, 1MB) sets out how you must treat, inspect, source and/or pack materials that present a biosecurity risk in order to receive a biosecurity certificate.

A biosecurity certificate for moving items into Queensland can be issued by an appropriately authorised officer from an interstate authority or approved under interstate legislation. To apply for a biosecurity certificate to move items into Queensland, contact your local department of agriculture or primary industries in your state or territory. Fees may apply.

Restricted items are listed below, with brief summaries of the ways in which they are restricted.

For comprehensive information on restricted items, restrictions and requirements, read the Queensland biosecurity manual (PDF, 1MB).

Banana plants, soil, and machinery

To help prevent the spread of banana plant pests, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland:

• banana plants
• soil on which a banana plant has been growing
• machinery used for banana production.

Potato plants, soil and machinery from Victoria

To help prevent the spread of the potato cyst nematode, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland from potato cyst nematode-infested land and linked land in Victoria:

• potato plants (including potato tubers) and plants from the family Solanaceae
• soil that has come into contact with these plants
• machinery used in their production.

Bee, bee products and associated equipment from Tasmania

To help prevent the spread of bee louse, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland from Tasmania:

• bees
• apiary products, including bee-collected pollen, bee comb, comb sections, cut comb honey, honey dew, propolis, queen candy, raw beeswax, royal jelly, or unprocessed honey
• apiary appliance, including any apparatus, fitting, implement, or utensil that has been used for beekeeping or processing, handling, or storing an apiary product.

Cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash and zucchini plants from the Northern Territory

To help prevent the spread of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland from the Northern Territory:

• cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash and zucchini plants (but not fruit, unless attached to the plant) or any other plants from the family Cucurbitaceae
• soil that has come into contact with these plants
• appliances (including harvesting bins, knives, secateurs), packaging materials and machinery used in their production.

Grape plants, soil and machinery

To help prevent the spread of grape phylloxera, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland:

• grape plants
• products of a grape plant (including wine and table grapes)
• soil associated with grape plants
• machinery used in their production.

Mango plants

To help prevent the spread of mango malformation disease, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland:

• mango plants that originate from a state or territory where mango malformation disease has been found.

Mediterranean fruit fly (MFF) host fruit

To help prevent the spread of MFF, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland:

• MFF host fruit that has been grown at or within 7.5km of an MFF infestation.

MFF hosts include most fruits - see the Queensland biosecurity manual (PDF, 1MB) for a full list of hosts.

Hay, fodder, soil and machinery

To help prevent the spread of branched broomrape, a parasitic plant, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland from South Australia:

• hay
• fodder
• straw
• soil
• machinery
• other carriers of branched broomrape.

In addition, it is an offence to introduce any prohibited or restricted invasive plants (e.g. tropical soda apple, miconia, Mexican bean tree) into Queensland by any means, including as a contaminant of hay, fodder or associated items.

Pine family plants, including cedar, fir pine and spruce from South Australia and Victoria

To help prevent the spread of giant pine scale, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland from Victoria and South Australia:

• plants of the family Pinaceae, including cedar, fir, pine and spruce
• logs and timber
• pinebark.

Pine family plants and pine timber items from Western Australia

To help prevent the spread of European house borer, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland from Western Australia:

• pine plants of the genera Abies, Picea, Pinus or Pseudotsuga
• pine timber items, including furniture, lumber and packaging.

Pyriform scale host plants from Western Australia

To help prevent the spread of pyriform scale, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland from Western Australia:

• potted plants that are hosts of pyriform scale.

Pyriform scale hosts include plants from a large number of plant families; see the Queensland biosecurity manual (PDF, 1MB) for a list of families that are restricted.

Sugarcane plants, soil and appliances

To help prevent the spread of sugarcane pests, restrictions apply to moving the following items into Queensland:

• sugarcane plants
• soil on which a sugarcane plant has been growing
• machinery used for sugarcane production.

Quarantine information for the travelling public

Visit the Australian Interstate Quarantine website for general information about quarantine restrictions in Australia.