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Quarantine in Australia
For well over a century, quarantine has played a critical role in reducing the risk and shaping our nation to become one of the few countries in the world to remain free from the world’s most severe pests and diseases.
While our geographical isolation has played a key role in maintaining this status, our isolation as an island nation is rapidly changing as the barriers of time and distance become less relevant and international travel and trade increase.
With more than 60,000 kilometres of coastline offering a variety of pathways for exotic pests and diseases, AQIS screens, inspects and clears the millions of people, mail parcels, baggage, ships, animals, plants and cargo containers entering Australia every year using X-ray machines, surveillance, and, of course, the instantly recognisable detector dogs.
Australia works across the full continuum of quarantine with pre-border, border and post-border measures. AQIS uses a range of sophisticated technologies and approaches including, research, shared international resources and intelligence, to help prevent the introduction and spread of disease. Surveillance and monitoring of risk areas is also critical along with border control activities, which focus on intercepting and quarantining potential threats at Australia’s airports, seaports, and international mail centres.
Today, quarantine controls at Australia’s borders minimise the risk of exotic pests and diseases entering Australia and protect our $32 billion agriculture export industries as well as our unique environment, native flora and fauna, our tourism industries and lifestyle.
Report a quarantine concern
Legislation
Human Quarantine
Seized Items and Treatments
Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy
Pests and Diseases
- Forests and timber: a field guide to exotic pests and diseases •
- Diseases of Birds •
- Diseases of Livestock •
- Diseases of Plants •
- Disease spread by exotic mosquitoes •
- Marine Pests •
- Pests of Animals •
- Pests of Plants and Plant Products •
- Weeds •
- NAQS Fact Sheets