lucy.summers

Hello all,

We are coming over on a validaiton trip - 5 days, 18 hours and 5 minutes - but who's counting!!! - with a 14 month old - I know I've totally overdone it on the food I've packed for him but my question is this - what will they take off us at customs on the way in?

I know they are a bit funny over food entering the country! he isn't getting any food on the plane as we haven't booked him a seat - just a skycot - don't panic - he's the weight of an average 8 month old so we should be OK!

I've packed

jars
SMA Progress cartons
those fruit bars
cheese savouries
weetabix
choccies
biscuits

My logic was that if he didn't eat it on the way out (no way he'd eat it all) that he could eat it on the way back! But then I thought about if they take it off us as immigration!!!

Any useful tips would be great!!!!!

Lucy

PhilShila

Chocolates, biscuits and the such like are fine, as long as the packet hasn't been opened. Anything cooked is generally ok - again as long as it's not been opened. Anything uncooked (e.g. fruit) is a no-no. From your list, I'd say the fruit bars might be the only doubtful one - but you may well even be fine with them.

They are not as strict as many seem to think.

Phil

AnitaB

Hi

I don't think it will be a problem my brother in-law took their 7 month old and did not take enough formula so I had to post some to them the package was opened by customs but it was no probs. We are taking a 2 year old in a few weeks too so will have to take all the necessary snack to keep her happy hopefully they will be ok otherwise they could have a nightmare child on board 11 hours and then 12 hour flight what a nightmare that would be if she had to starve.

John

Everything by the look of it

Official list HERE

suzannepatricia

Does that mean I can take a years supply of Galaxy bars? Enough to tide me over until my first visitor arrives with another years supply, tehe

Jonahs_mummy

On the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry site (http://www.daff.gov.au) it states:


DAIRY PRODUCTS

• All dairy products (unless from a country listed as foot and mouth free). Whole and dried products that contain more than 10% dairy product as an ingredient. Infant formula accompanying a child and New Zealand dairy products are allowed

Rooksie

bloody hell youre like lord lucan!!!

Jonahs_mummy

Damn! Outted at last!

ljj

It's a few years since we did the trip here to Oz with a baby but we had an opened tin of SMA formula taken off us (keep a sealed one in your case and travel with the already made up liquid cartons on the plane).

We had unopened baby food if it contained pig taken off us ie: Heinz baby baked beans and sausages/ pork hot pot etc....,

On a funny note, my mum has always gone on holiday with the contents of Asda in her case so she doesn't have to "eat that funny foreign food" and she will not waste anything or throw it away. When she first visited us in 2004 the sniffer dog made a bee-line for her at Melbourne Airport. She had to open everything in front of customs and it delayed her after her journey for another 30-40 mins; what had the dog smelt? A plastic bag that had contained a Banana and a currant bun 3 DAYS BEFORE SHE LANDED consumed at Manchester Airport, gone through Customs in and out of Singapore for the 2 days they stopped off there.


She is cured... almost she still brings over fruit 'n' fibre each time she comes!!

Louise

lucy.summers

Thanks for all the replies guys - hopefully we will have food to travel home with as well then - I have so overdone it - in the middle of sorting clothes out to pack - still doesn't seem real somehow that we go on Thursday!!!!!

moneypenny20

As long as you're honest and fill the immigration form in properly you should be fine. The guy looked in my bag and I mentioned two boxes of chocolates in the case, he was going to have a look but then said no. I then remembered some other bits, told him and he was fine. Just leave any leftover opened stuff on the plane when you land.

ohippy

Go on Lucy - keep rubbing it in !!!

CadburysFingers

We came over with a 12 month old (as she was then) and we brought several (40 or 50) cartons of ready made formula (the ones the size of those ribena cartons) we showed them to customs and they allowed us to bring them in, saying they were fine.

lucy.summers

Ok H - it is now 5 days 2 minutes till we take off!!!

jjonboy

if in doubt just mention it on your aqis card you have to fill in... worse case scenario they bin it for you... most if not all of those things are aailable here anyway