Quarantine South Australia - Changes to regulations

Submitted: Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 00:08
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Read this before venturing into SA - Bringing fruit and vegetables into South Australia - Things are changing next Friday. From that link:

"From 4 January 2019 if caught with fruit or vegetables illegally at Yamba Quarantine Station you will be fined."

From Friday you must dispose all noncompliant fruit and vegetables at the border collection bins. If you arrive at the quarantine stations with noncompliant food then you will have been travelling in SA and are liable to prosecution. The way that page reads I would reckon that that applies at all quarantine stations and road stops, not just Yamba.



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Reply By: terryt - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 06:28

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 06:28
Where did you see the last paragraph in your post? It appears it may be your interpretation. My interpretation would be if you disclose what you have and let the inspector tell you what you can keep you will be fine. Keen to know if I am wrong
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 08:20

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 08:20
It’s in the first paragraph under the sub-heading ‘Quarantine Station Locations’.

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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:12

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:12
Regarding my last paragraph, the third paragraph in my link states:

"Road signs will inform you that you must dispose of restricted fruit and vegetables before you enter South Australia."

If the roadblock is a few hundred meters from the border and you have fruit/vegetables on board then you have brought fruit/vegetables a few hundred meters into the state and subject to prosecution.

As for your interpretation, I think that the bit Shaker is referring to clearly states their intention. I previously would have something insignificant to hand to them so that I appeared to be genuinely concerned about quarantine. With the present information in the link, I will be going overboard to make sure I am not caught with contraband.

Terry, please test your interpretation as soomas possible and report back.
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Follow Up By: Member - David M (SA) - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:10

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:10
"I previously would have something insignificant to hand to them so that I appeared to be genuinely concerned about quarantine."
So you have no " genuine " concern about the introduction of fruit fly into SA Peter.
Dave.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:14

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:14
I do have a genuine concern about quarantine right around Australia. I also like to appear concerned as well.
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Reply By: Les - PK Ranger - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 08:30

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 08:30
This must have something to do with the Riverland grape / wine industry as I don't read it as being any other location other than Yamba.

The Yamba bit on the website is confusing, as they go on to list a disposal bin well west of that at Blanchetown.

A bit late by then another 135km into SA.

The list of bins does not include a place to leave F&V near the SA border on the Sturt Hwy, so what are people supposed to do ?

Unless you can leave F&V at Yamba just before quarantine ?

Although it isn't listed in the unmanned quarantine station bins, when the stations are unmanned, like it does for Pinnaroo and Oodla Wirra.

Vary poorly worked and thought out information, so typical of all levels of GOVCO countrywide.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:38

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:38
"The list of bins does not include a place to leave F&V near the SA border on the Sturt Hwy, so what are people supposed to do?"

Leave your contraband further back. There is a good rest stop at Lake Cullulleraine. Have a drink stop there and attend to your loading.

I doubt there is any SA legislation that states they must provide bis at the border. Where they do provide them they just do it as a service. The law is clear, certain foodstuff is not welcome in SA. It is up to you as to how you comply.

Instead of stirring the plot here, why not stir the plot with the SA government. Write to them and ask them “why they have not provided bins there” and “when are you going to install some there.” We can not postulate what the SA government does, there is little purpose of asking us. Pose your questions directly to them and report the replies back here.


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Follow Up By: Les - PK Ranger - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:50

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:50
I personally don't carry "contraband" into SA Peter, I live in Adleiade and am well aware of the fruit fly problems at times.

Stirring the plot ?
No wonder people are reluctant to post things here at times when people go all drama queen on you.

I'm merely making a point that the info is completely confusing to people reading it, with bins well inside SA on the Yamba / Sturt Hwy route, AFTER he supposed quarantine required nil.

You can call them if you like.
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Follow Up By: Member - nickb "boab" - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 14:17

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 14:17
Agree Les: only thing that they Excel at is confusing us including most SA government websites ...

I see there's a new sign on the Mannum to Purnong Road regarding quarantine stations ...

but if they were serious about it they all would be man. Coming from South I have only ever been stopped at a station once.
Unmanned stations are quite clearly not going to stop many at all .
Cheers Nick b

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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:56

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:56
Hi Peter

Yes they are clamping down on people bringing fresh fruit and veg into the Riverland Quarantine area.

It’s not just Yamba that people are being caught and fined.

Friends of ours from Clare were fined last week on the Burra to Morgan road.

There is the disposal bin close to Morgan and were heading to their shack, bringing all their food from Clare. Even through their food was purchased from Clare, there entered the quarantine area and did not bin their fresh produce. For the first time for them, there was a mobile inspection team and they would not take any excuses and they receive an on the spot fine.

It was also reported on other media that people has also been fine at Bordertown for bringing in fresh produce from Victoria.

So that was a good start to their Christmas break at Morgan.



Cheers



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Follow Up By: terryt - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:20

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:20
Stepen, the brochure on the Riverland exclusion zone says you can't take fruit and veggies in unless you have an itemised reciept from an SA business. ie a Woolies receipt or similar. Do you know if this has changed
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Follow Up By: Member - Outback Gazz - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:33

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:33
Howdy Stephen

Just wondering how travelling from Burra to Morgan is bringing fruit into SA ?

Hope you are having a good festive season !

Cheers

Gazz
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:38

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:38
Hi Terry

I am not sure, but they were not carrying any receipts and even 2 weeks ago, my sister in law had goods confiscated near the same area on their way to Berri for a swimming carnival. The good thing with Kate, she was not fined and She never expected to see the mobile patrol on the Burra Morgan road.

The best way is to take no chances, do not carry any fresh fruit and Vegs and buy that at Waikerie, Berri or Renmark.



Cheers


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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:58

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 10:58
Hi Gazz

It has nothing to do with SA, but to protect the premium fruit growing area of the Riverland...Fruit Fly Free, something that the area is very proud of.

Any vehicle entering the Riverland Fruit Fly Quarantine area, from any direction within South Australia will pass the Quarantine bins and signs will inform travellers that the bins will be in so many kilometres and then 500 metres before, inform all travellers that they must dispose of all fresh fruit and veg.

Here are 2 examples of such signs before you enter the Riverland Quarantine area, with the first on the Eudunda to Morgan Road and the second on the Burra to Morgan Road.

To be very honest, I have only heard one story years ago from out then Service Manager at work when he was stopped on the Burra to Morgan road on the way to his shack.

South Australia is very proud of its Fruit Fly Free fruit growing area, that is worth millions of dollars to the local area, something that other states can not boast.

So the most simple thing to do is never bring fresh fruit and veg into the Riverland, and once you are there , get fresh supplies from Renmark, Berri or Waikerie where there are large supermarket chains.



Cheers



Stephen



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Follow Up By: KevinE - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:09

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:09
That's very odd Stephen. We've been stopped traveling into the same area. We were asked where we'd traveled from & when we said we hadn't left SA, we were just waived on. They didn't even look in the car, or the caravan.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:11

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:11
Regarding bringing food into the Riverland region, that has been in force for many years. There is a separate page on that - Taking fruit and vegetables into the Riverland - it's revision date is "Page Last Reviewed: 29 Jun 2018." There is no significant change in legislation there.

My link - "Page Last Reviewed: 07 Dec 2018" - has a significant change in it that I have flagged.
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Follow Up By: Member - Outback Gazz - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:16

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:16
Howdy Stephen

I only queried your post because the PIRSA heading reads

"Bringing Fruit and Vegetables into South Australia "

and if you are travelling from Burra to Morgan or vice versa you are already in South Australia.

I live in SA and travel regularly through fruit fly inspection stations so I understand what they are on about - even though I have had my fair share of barneys with them when not carrying any fruit or veg.


All the best

Gazz

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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:20

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:20
Gazz, as I have pointed out there is two separate pages, one covering travellers coming interstate and one for travellers in SA entering the Riverland area.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:29

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 11:29
Hi Kevin

All I can say is you are very lucky, as any vehicle entering the Riverland Quarantine area is banned from bringing fresh fruit into the area, even for South Australians living outside of the area.

Last year when we were going to the Ooldea 100th Anniversary, I stopped at the Ceduna Quarantine Station, told them where we were going (Ooldea is still in South Australia) and they gave me a stamped and dated permit to pass back through the roadblock without having to hand over any of our fruit.



Cheers



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Follow Up By: KevinE - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 19:47

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 19:47
It looks like they're finally getting serious about quarantine Stephen.

About time really, the way it's been operating, relying on people's good will has never worked.

We don't break the rules, but it's pretty obvious that many do.

NB: There's even a bin on the Walker Flat Rd now.
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Reply By: Baz - The Landy - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:57

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 09:57
We travelled Sydney/Perth a couple of weeks ago, passing through quarantine.

We had no problems and all staff encountered in SA & WA were very courteous...

The trick is simple, just do the right thing and comply and let quarantine staff do their job at check points. Information on what you can carry is well publicised.

Remembering, there is a good reason we have these requirements in place.

Cheers, Baz - The Landy
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Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 12:13

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 12:13
Back to the original subject, there is an article in the PIRSA Alerts, News & Events section dated Friday 28 December 2018-

Border sting operation to stop fruit fly

They are getting keen.


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Reply By: IvanTheTerrible - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 13:10

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 13:10
I dont see any changes to the regulations. The regulations PDF is dated March 2017
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Reply By: 9900Eagle - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 21:08

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 21:08
Good to see they are finally trying to protect one of the last fruit fly areas. People as a whole just don't get the ramifications of introduced pests.

I think they should come up to one of our local large indoor shopping centres and see the fruit flies tanning around the fruit at the supermarkets.

Then again I get extra protein from the fruit fly lavae.
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Reply By: Member - Robert1660 - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 22:50

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 22:50
Off topic a little but back in 2103 we had to pass through SA entering from Mildura. Checked web site regarding what could be taken in and complied. When we reached quarantine station they took everything that we thought we could bring in. Now of course the best policy with SA quarantine areas is to carry no fruit or vegetables of any kind.
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Follow Up By: IvanTheTerrible - Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 22:52

Sunday, Dec 30, 2018 at 22:52
or cut everything up
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Monday, Dec 31, 2018 at 00:17

Monday, Dec 31, 2018 at 00:17
Is just cutting it up ok?

I thought it to be cooked or frozen. Or eaten LOL
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Follow Up By: IvanTheTerrible - Monday, Dec 31, 2018 at 11:14

Monday, Dec 31, 2018 at 11:14
That may have changed. Now depends on your your definition of "processed" but it does say fruit salad is now banned. The whole website has changed in what looks to me as an attempt to make it simpler.
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Reply By: Member - shane r1 - Monday, Dec 31, 2018 at 14:14

Monday, Dec 31, 2018 at 14:14
I think PIRSA need to clarify their wording. (Not unusual for a government dept to not be clear and concise is it?)
Quote;
Don't risk a fine! From 4 January 2019 if caught with fruit or vegetables illegally at Yamba Quarantine Station you will be fined.

To me it does read , that you WILL be fined if any banned fruit and veg is in your possession at the Yamba stop.
That makes no sense at all, being 24 hour manned stop, that’s the perfect spot for the travelling public to be checked and educated on what is allowed or not.
It does make sense to be reinforcing the regulations with random stops and fines.

But anyway if your doing the right thing you’re not going to be in trouble!
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Follow Up By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Monday, Dec 31, 2018 at 15:02

Monday, Dec 31, 2018 at 15:02
What you are suggesting is what it used to do. Now because the checking station is a number of kms inside SA they are saying that you travelled in SA with banned items so will be fined. They have even gone to the extent of removing the signs that said you will not be fined. The local MP (Tim Whetstone, or similar) has a big photo spread on facebook of him removing the signs.
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Reply By: KevinE - Friday, Jan 04, 2019 at 08:05

Friday, Jan 04, 2019 at 08:05
We were up the river for NYE; there are now bins on every road into the declared area, including back roads.

There are no supermarkets in the southern part of the exclusion zone, but there are 1,000's of well used shacks/holiday homes. There are 1,000's of day visitors in the area during the warmer months as well.

Murray Bridge & Mannum are both fruit producing areas with supermarkets in town, but neither town is in the exclusion zone, which puts them out of bounds for buying fruit & taking it into the zone.

I wonder if they've considered the dozens of house boats cruising in & out of the exclusion zone from Mannum, or the paddle cruisers?

There's a story about it in today's paper. The fine is $375.
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