Hi everyone! For those of you who have made it over, can I ask your advice about shipping garden stuff? Has anyone shipped their wooden patio set (chairs, table, parasol & base), or glazed plant pots, or gardening tools, or little tikes climbing frame?

We have decided to get rid of some old tools (my grandads) which have wooden handles because they are really old and just take the plastic handled spades etc? What happens if some of the paint stuff has come off the blades? What if some bits are a little bit rusty?

I've also got some glazed garden pots (you know the nice blue ones) - I've given them a good scrub and disinfected them with Jeyes fluid but will this be enough?

Also we've got a wooden patio set which will be clean and mud free but will this be ok. It's treated with teak oil?

Lastly our daughter has got a little tikes climbing frame which was given to her. It will be cleaned and disinfected but because it is quite old will it get through ok?

Sorry for all the questions! We've decided to get outside and sort the shed out because it's such a nice day. We've only just applied for our TRA but thought we'd get some stuff done before the winter sets in! Amazing how much junk you keep in the shed isn't it!! We've decided to keep any car book stuff in the shed and then disinfect as we go and keep all the clean stuff that we might not use again in the garage! Much too organised I think - I'm sure it will all get mixed up again before long!!

Thanks for your help! :scared:

Aussie customs hate wood and will charge an arm and a leg to fumigate it! They hate rust as well.

My advise would be leave the timber products behind - sell them - they are cheap enough over here.

Little tykes should be fine as it is plastic.

Pots should be fine as well so long as not stained with mud!

Customs are a shit bunch and will charge for everything they think may contaminate their precious country - never mind the redbacks that may get into the boxes if opened while in quarantine.

Wood and rust will also hold up your shipment at the docks.

Do not label your boxes of xmas decorations as "Decorations" label kitchenware or bathroom or anything but Decorations - they just love xmas decorations and pull the boxes to pieces looking for any moss/pine cones on anything.

Hope this helps we have done 11 months here now and love it but AQIS are shit hot and unnegotiable its pay or destroy if they are not happy.

regards

Debs

Hi Davy

We sold our patio set - mostly because it was going to take up too much room. However, from the wood point of view, we would probably have left it anyway. Likewise garden tools. We managed to sell a lot of them, but we didn't think it was worth the risk. We didn't have any plastic handled ones - all wood.
I've got several of these. We just scrubbed them thoroughly. The removal men were adamant that this type of thing was fine as long as there was no dirt on them that you could scrape off or lift with the blade of a knife.
Our dd had a TP frame, swing and slide. Having only bought it three years ago for a sizeable amount of money there was no way we were leaving it. The frame is lifetime guaranteed rust-proof, so dh took it all apart, pressure washed the frame ends and cleaned with Jeyes' fluid, and pressure washed all the plastic parts. Looked cleaner than when we put it up!

HTH.

Sue [/QUOTE]

What a good thread. This has been at the back of my mind too. Won't bother bringing our wooden garden tools then.

Debs,

Just to go off thread you said customs hate wood. I've got a lovely chopping board - hand carved by hubby - I won't get one any near as good. I guess that will have to go? Also wooden handled knives/forks etc? I assume wooden furniture is ok - some of mine is really old (antique) and the wood is split. Any advice on whether I should leave or bring.

Thanks

Suzy

Our agent advised against taking any garden tools (although our plastic patio set he said would be ok). He said that getting anything that has been in constant contact with the garden is almost impossible to get as clean as AQIS want it, and they charge an absolute fortune to fumigate and also charge you a smaller amount to dispose of it if you decide not to fumigate. He said it simply wasn't worth it, so we have decided to get rid of all our garden equipment - mower, strimmer, spades, forks, etc.

For the most part this answer is quite reasonable and sensible

HOWEVER, I object to the information about labeling things, customs go over the goods for a bloody good reason! We are an island, and as such are immune to many of the diseases and contaminates that surround us. We want to keep it that way.

If you are busted lying to customs it may cost you a whole lot more than the cost of fumigation or destruction.

Your best bet with Aussie customs is if in doubt declare. Also unless you have great sentimental attachment to the outdoor items, search the net for prices for replacement in Aus. You might find shipping, cleaning etc more expensive than getting new stuff.

Good luck on moving out.

PS - AUSTRALIA IS A PRECIOUS COUNTRY!! (If it wasn't why are so many people trying to get in??)

Thank you everyone for your advice! Think I might sell the tools and the furniture rather than have to pay the huge charges when we get there! Thanks again!!

Suzy,

You shouldn't have any problems. Any furniture from UK should be OK - it's stuff like African artefacts that customs bother about. Don't bring anything made from bamboo or cane, straw is also a problem (eg old stuffed toys).

We forgot an old vase carved from a gourd - customs found it and it cost $100 for fumigation.

Good luck

Lesley

I disagree with dumping your wooden garden furniture, we are using the wooden patio set that we bought 3years ago in woolies for £100 it was cleaned with jeyes fluid and passed inspection no problem.

I'm glad we took it as the rental property we have just has a smallish outside patio area that the table and chairs fits perfectly, the big 6/8 seater glass table and chairs that they are punting over here would be too big, so it has saved us a $200 bucks until we get a bigger patio area.

If you're taking a container over, fill it up, it doesn't cost anymore to fill it to the gunnels!!

As for rusty garden tools, I sold all mine off, most were cast offs from previous generations so not worth the hassle from customs.

Bill

With your new (bigger) backyard, you'll need something like this.

I agree with you that Australia is a precious country - so is Great Britain ! - Are HM Customs as stringent as AQIS? I've got an expensive collection of Antique African Masks - is this a definate No No? - They are not ridden with any pests etherwise I wouldn't have them in my house!!

thanks Lesley


I've just looked at my garden pots and don't think any amount of Jeyes fluid will get them clean enough.

Are garden centres any good in Perth for replacements?

Cheers

Suzy