Blossom

OK, had Crown around yesterday to provide the quote, and the chap mentioned that feathers were a nono - so all Christmas decorations getting sorted to take out my precious feathered birds etc.

However, today I realised that my sofa's cushions are stuffed with feathers - what do I do? Will this be a problem with customs - or if I declare will they be ok? Your advice would be appreciated.

mvagusta

Sofa cushions with feathers usually have an interliner in them to stop the feathers migrating (pun intended) through the fabric.

Feathers in a cushion is not unusual.

hilasbat

So you allowed to take feather cushions, but not feathers open to the air basically? What about feather dusters? These are open to the air, but have been treated (and usually dyed), so are these not allowed or are allowed?

Centurion

The trick is not to wind up customs and give them a reason to bill you. Sofa cushions are fine. I imported heaps of feather cushions. However, I would think twice before bothering to import something as cheap as a feather duster where some aspiring customs bloke can pick it up, shout "feather" "feather" "feather" and press the alert button calling in swat teams to your container and charging you $1000 for it's disposal.

hilasbat

Not really trying to wind them up, just trying to get a handle on what we can and can't take - and you'd be surprised how expensive a feather duster can be, seriously!

But overall - anything feather stuffed (eg, pillows, duvet, cushions, sofa etc etc) is ok, and anything 'free to the air' isn't then? Or will there still be issues with certain feather stuffed items?

sonlymewalter

centurion isn't accusing you of winding customs up mate - what he mean is if you can avoid drawing attention to your container then you should. In other words anything that is obviously *dodgy* take it out so that customs don't form the view that your container is *contaminated* and then charge you for everything to be de-contaminated.

Use your common sense. If you think something is likely to draw attention to your container get rid of it. Things like pine cones and dry flowers and straw items etc.

Hope this helps mate

Alfresco

I brought my large feather pillow on the plane and declared it when I came through customs at the airport. They said no problem and waived me through.

sonlymewalter

I bet you flew through that que

Alfresco

Yep and I thought it best to declare it rather than wing it. Didn't want to ruffle anyones... well um... feathers.

sonlymewalter

At least you weren't chicken and fessed up. Best way to be in Aus. We all know where we stand in the pecking order.

Japonica

I think it depends on the items...

I brought three eagle feathers with me to Australia...they had been given to me by elders in the community (I'm of Native American descent) so I had the proper documentation back in Canada and the CITES export and import permits...

I was told as well that the feathers had to be conspicuously clean...no bits of skin or anything on them. Mine were perfectly fine.

I had no problems bringing them in besides the half dozen AQIS and customs staff who crowded around because they all wanted a peek...or a chance to handle them (uh, no, sorry folks)...I humored them for about two minutes and then was on my way.

Blossom

Thanks for the positive responses, I feel much happier now - really did not fancy getting new stuffin for my sofa cushions!