Australian Customs carry out random searches at international airports. Passengers are required to fill out a Customs Declaration before arriving in the country. This declaration also enquires about the importation of natural products such as leather, feathers, food and timber and requires visitors to state whether they have visited a farm prior to travel. Australia has managed to avoid many of the flora and fauna problems which are common in other parts of the world and customs are eager to prevent the arrival of things like foot and mouth disease and fruit fly. Quarantine Arrangements Australia is a beautiful country free from many pests and diseases found elsewhere in the world.
Quarantine helps keep it that way.
When entering Australia, it's vital that you declare on your Incoming Passenger Card any food, live plants and animals and any items made from wood, plants or animals. Quarantine officers use detector dog teams, X-ray machines and random baggage checks to detect undeclared quarantine items. The Duty Free allowance only applies to people over the age of 18. Amounts exceeding these Duty Free limits can be imported but they will attract import duty which has to be paid at the arrival point. Import duty rates vary from item to item.