Salli

Hi all,
I've seen a lot of discussion on the board about wooden items and AQIS.

Can someone tell me, is it possible to get all the wooden items fumigated here and then certified so that they will be accepted by AQIS, rather than AQIS fumigating each item themselves (which could get quite expensive!)? Do AQIS fumigate each wooden item, or just the ones they think need it?

Also, we were given a wooden bowl as a wedding present. The bowl was carved out of a log and features the bark of the tree around the top edge....is this a definite no-no as far as AQIS are concerned, or if we fumigate it will it be ok?

Thank you for all your help, I have tried to search on the board, but 'wood' and 'fumigate' only brings up one post about importing a car. Any help would be much appreciated.

Salli

Vegemite Kids

Yes you can, but there is a list of approved fumigators as well as unapproved fumigators.

have a look here before making any decisions or taking any action.

Regards
M

mr mover

DONT waste your money ,Aqis will only fumigate if there is signs of borer infestation.................... MM

Rudy

Sorry to disagree Mr M,

We have just had our shipment and we had two wooden items picked out by AQIS. One an antique chess table that has no infestation, and we had no choice it had to be fumigated - $250 and the other was a small key holder, (value £10) cut from wood with the bark around it. This was completely varnished with poem inscription etc with no infestation, and we were told that because of the bark it could either be fumigated for $195 or destroyed for $55.

So my advice, unless your items are of real sentimental value, give them away to a relative and get yourself new ones out here.

The other thing we got stung on was a rug and a wall hanging, both apparently made of animal hair. $295 for gamma radiation.

All in all we had to pay an extra $950 to get our goods released. AQIS did a thorough job and we cleaned everything very well. Maybe we were just unlucky ....

owieb

Maybe you were just unlucky, we had loads of wooden stuff and just declared it all on the customs form. They went through it and signed it all off.

The only thing we got clobbered for was a pair of horse riding boots (neither of us ride so not sure how that got in there) and a dirty spare bike wheel. They wanted $100 to clean them, so we just got them to dump them instead.

Salli

Wow...I never expected so many responses so fast!!!


We don't have that much to move, a wooden table, some picture frames, a jewellry box and a couple of bowls, that's probably it.

So, if we pack them altogether and mark the box as 'wooden' we should be ok?

The other thing is, I thought that treatment was $30 per item, how come everyone is being charged a fortune for cleaning???

mr mover

THE bark is not allowed ,so i understand that, the Antique Chess table , ?? it is very unusual they will not fumigate , unless there is Frass [borers waste] if this is the case i would question this and challenge it,[ show proof] ,and get your money back. did you emigrate from ,the UK or sth AFRICA,?? ................ MM

Gryff

Our container came on Friday and now I'm worrying about a 3ft Santa I have sent. He is carrying wooden ski's and some twigs...I've pulled all the pine cones out of his sack....but now worried about the twigs!

Any thoughts Mr Mover?

yvsie

my hubby is a joiner and he had made some pieces of furniture...
we asked the shipper about them and he told us that cos they were made from wood (ex B&Q) it is treated with preservative..then it was varnished.....no problemo....got through

we also had a bowl that my sister in law bought us from africa..hand carved...that got through too!!!

infact we had no trouble at all..lucky eh??..even my daughters riding gear didnt cause trouble but the shippers did label the box that the stuff was in and said that it was disinfected.

Pollyana

I think there is a bit of an element of luck and randomness in it. I was told $60 to destroy a hat, or $90 to fumigate it, because it had "Seeds in it". The hat in question had silk flowers on the front, and was just made of some kind of plasticy stuff. Not a seed in sight! I couldn't be bothered to argue and told them to chuck it as it didn't mean that much to me and I was more interested in getting my stuff released.
However, Salli, I would say, if the wood will all go in one box, do that, then maybe they will only open that box and you'll get it all through quicker.

Salli

Hi everyone,

thanks for all your responses...it does sound as if it's a bit of a lottery! I think I will go with the suggestions and only take what is important, put it all in one box, mark it as wood and keep my fingers crossed!

Thanks again,

Salli

ayanem

Seems to me you stand more chance of getting past AQIS in Perth than Brisbane

Salli

Speaking purely personally I hope so as it's Perth we are hoping to go to...I never realised that there would be a difference though, is it an 'official' difference between states?

mr mover

If there is any bark on the twigs Gryff ,they will be rejected......... MM

mr mover

DONT, ever believe that , i work with these people every week .... MM