Advice to Travellers - Bird Flu

When returning to Australia from overseas, you MUST declare for inspection any poultry meat and products (including raw or cooked chicken and duck), fresh or preserved eggs or egg products, feathers and items containing feathers, poultry vaccines, and any other animal products, plant material and food.

Birds, poultry meat and poultry products can carry serious diseases, including bird flu (avian influenza), exotic strains of Newcastle disease and infectious bursal disease which can devastate Australia’s poultry industry and harm native bird populations.

Poultry meat and products are not allowed into Australia and will be seized and destroyed.

On arrival your baggage may be screened by x-ray, detector dog or inspected by a DAFF officer. If you fail to declare or dispose of any biosecurity risk items, or make a false declaration:

• you could be fined $340 on-the-spot or 
• you could be prosecuted, fined more than $66 000 and risk 10 years jail and a criminal record.

You will not be penalised if all items are declared, even if they are not allowed into Australia.

For more information:

• The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website contains up-to-date information and answers to frequently asked questions about avian influenza as well as Information for international travellers, including the brochure 'What can't I take into Australia?'.
• If you are about to travel to a high-risk country, read the country-specific travel advice on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.
• The Department of Health and Ageing website provides further information on bird flu including latest news and an information hotline.  

Media Releases

Media releases and speeches by former Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries can be located at Pandora - Australia's Web Archive.