Australian customs

[Bubba Gump]

Does anyone have any advice on what to look out for when coming back through Australian customs with fishing gear. I have never traveled with fishing tackle back into the country and was wondering if there were any restrictions or things to look out for in regards to tackle? Australian customs are very strict and I would hate to have my much loved gear confiscated.

Cheers

[plaztix]

probably depends on where you've been.

[Bubba Gump]

England, France and Canada. I will be bringing 2 or 3 new outfits as well for use down in Australia.

[Benno75]

I don't think your gear is necessarily a problem. However I've heard getting Gulps through customs can be an issue when they are bought off ebay from north america - never tried though

[Scott nthQld]

anything from a timber origin is usually checked on and sometimes confiscted as timber can carry bugs and parasites inside, anything made from plant and animal products such as animal hair in things like flies, trolling skirts etc. Also anything that is illegal to have in Australia, for example I had a mate who purchased and ivory handled dagger over in india and it was conficated, because they reckoned it was obtained through the illegal practice of poaching, therefore an illegal item in Australia or some bullshit like that, he spent a great deal of money on this Item, as he collects knives, swords, etc, but didn't see a cent in return, even though he had asked Australian customs about it beforehand, when he purhased another similar item over the internet 3months previous, and they had cleared that one.

[disorderly]

I had a timber hand reel confiscated once because customs said it had mud on it.http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/undecided.gif
They overlooked a dryed out Piranha I was also carrying,though.http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif

scott

[plaztix]

If you got cork grips might be an issue too. ??

If you dont have anything that can house pests, disease, etc. and isn't illegal than you should be right. At the worst they might make you strip the line off your reels as this could easily hold bacteria and stuff

[Blue_Escape]

Just stick all the fishing gear in your Boogy Board bag:o ....... shouldn't be a problem ;D

[steve99]

Hey bubba Gump, For what its worth, customs has a toll free number you can call for advice regarding importing, or returning with goods into the country
I have called them on many occasions,and they have always been very helpful. Having travelled overseas a few times lately,I can assure you customs generally don`t miss much. If you slip up they are generally on your case pretty quickly. So its better to be safe than sorry .A mistake can often be costly!!!

Cheers Steve99

[NAGG]

Does anyone have any advice on what to look out for when coming back through Australian customs with fishing gear. I have never traveled with fishing tackle back into the country and was wondering if there were any restrictions or things to look out for in regards to tackle? Australian customs are very strict and I would hate to have my much loved gear confiscated.

Cheers

I've fished PNG & NZ a few times ..... & I've gotta say its getting stricter.
Fly fishing in NZ .... you need to make sure that everything is spotlessly clean ( specially with the Didymo... rock snot crisis). They check everything boots , waders , landing nets ...... Flies are always scrutinised ................ To date ,There have been no issues with regard to cork grips.
Salt water gear never seems to be an issue .... just make sure knives & lures are clean of any fish matter.
PNG was as above for Salt Water NZ
Nagg

[3rd degree]

Hey Bubba,

Went trecking over to the UK and Turkey last year, and as I was going sailing for a week in Turkey thought I'd take some gear.... (heaps of gulps 2 rods and a box of hardbodies and another of jig heads).

Upon arriving back in Brisbane they wanted to make sure the rods had been washed down, along with the lures, and that there were no bits if fish stuck to any of the jig heads and trebles. They briefly looked it over, but didn't check it thoroughly.

No dramas with bringing plastics through, if anything the customs bloke was amazed as he hadn't seen anything like them before.

Oh yeh caught heaps too!

Cheers


Jim

[oldboot]

This question has come up a number of times on awoodworking board I'm regular on.

If the equipment is new and you cant show that you took the exact equipment out... it will be duityable......if you declare it and the duities and tax payable on it is under $50, they usualy wont bother.....often they wont bother anyway.....having recipts so you can establish the value of the items is wise.....particularly if you baught well.

thats customs
quaranteen is an other issue all together.
anything that could possible harbour disease or pestilence they come down on like a tonn of bricks.

timber products are fine as long as

they are a product manufactured from dried and milled material that is coated with some sort of finish......most timber on new fishing gear should be fine.

raw timber is fine to as long as it, isnt restricted/endangered or the wood of particular nocsious plant.
providing
it is thoroughly dry
machined on all faces
has no cracks splits or crevices that may harbour nasties
has no bark leaves or seeds attached.

I have had small peices of timber come thru both ways to & from the US no problems.

cork is interesting as it is bark...???.....I think it is a special case....besides cork on fishing gear is obviously " manufactured product"

Always have information stating what the stuff is and what it is worth...... when in doubt declare it.......that cue is often shorter;D

cheers

[Bubba Gump]

Thanks for all the helpful info.

As far as paying duty on my new equipment goes I am not sure. I am a resident in Paris/France so surely what equipment I buy over here, I should not have to pay duty on when traveling back to Australia. I only come back for between 4-6 weeks of the year. Surely every person that travels to Australia on a fishing trip doesn't have to pay duty on the new gear they have purchased for the trip?

Cheers

[NAGG]

Thanks for all the helpful info.

As far as paying duty on my new equipment goes I am not sure. I am a resident in Paris/France so surely what equipment I buy over here, I should not have to pay duty on when traveling back to Australia. I only come back for between 4-6 weeks of the year. Surely every person that travels to Australia on a fishing trip doesn't have to pay duty on the new gear they have purchased for the trip?

Cheers

I doubt very much that you would pay duty on your personal gear ...... specially if you cite that you are here to fish on the declaration form.
Nagg

[Far side]

Heading overseas and take some fishing gear with me
Rang customs
No problems on the gear if you take a fishing knife make sure you declare it and it goes in you baggage
Spoke to Quarantine Described the rod with cork handle and soft plastics gear
They said to declare all the gear and make sure it is clean and to please pack on top so they dont have to go through all your gear. Make sure the line and knives are clean and you can bring some fish fillets back if you want thats allowed.(i declined on that one)

Just declare it in the form you fill out on the plane.
50 cents worth of phone calls to save $800 work of gear

[Bubba Gump]

Thanks Far side,

I was in the process of finding the correct number to give them a call myself. Could only find a toll free number that I couldn't dial from overseas! Thanks again to all, I now feel a lot more confident about bringing my fishing gear back.

Cheers

[themissus]

Thanks from me also for all the info. We are heading to the Solomon Islands next Sunday and I hadn't considered there might be a problem getting back in with any of the gear we are taking.
Cheers Kim.

[Bubba Gump]

Thanks from me also for all the info. We are heading to the Solomon Islands next Sunday and I hadn't considered there might be a problem getting back in with any of the gear we are taking.
Cheers Kim.

You lucky sod!!

[themissus]

Gear packed and ready to go, just waiting for the days to tick over, they are going sooooo slow.
Cheers Kim.

[Roo]

5 to go ;D ;)

[insideout]

[quote=Bubba Gump;748903]Thanks for all the helpful info.

As far as paying duty on my new equipment goes I am not sure. I am a resident in Paris/France so surely what equipment I buy over here, I should not have to pay duty on when traveling back to Australia. I only come back for between 4-6 weeks of the year. Surely every person that travels to Australia on a fishing trip doesn't have to pay duty on the new gear they have purchased for the trip?

Cheers

ahhh..........i could handle being a resident in paris.......sweet!;D

[Roo]

to take it a step further....I recently found out you can claim the GST back on gear purchased here when you go overseas as a tourist, so long as it is on a "Tax Invoice" totalling more than $300 and has the GST component clearly defined.....and you must have bought it no more than 30 days before departure. i was spewing i'd got a new surfboard for my trip....36 days before departure. all the major fishing gear purchases were well before that so i can't claim a cracker!!!!

Cheers Roo.

[Janelle]

Roo is right you can claim the GST back at the airport if you do have your Tax Invoice, it is over $300 and taken out of the country within 30days of purchasing the item. However the goods must be hand carried or in your carry on luggage. If the goods don't fit in cabin baggage limits they are not eligible. It is called the TRS (tourist refund scheme). Primarily designed to encourage tourist to buy here and export our goods.

Keep in mind if you are an Aussie though that when you bring the goods back they may be subject to GST. If the value of the goods you bought here, together with overseas purchases exceeds your passenger concession limit then you have to declare them on your return to Australia. We used to do this all the time with people buying jewellery and believe me if you get caught not declaring then you have to pay the GST as well as cop a fine.

If you live overseas it is a completely different matter. You do not have to pay GST on the goods you bring into the country to use on your trip, they are just part of your personal possessions. If you are an Aussie living overseas who is coming back then the rules are slightly different. I think it works on how long you have owned the goods for. It used to be that if you owned it for a year prior to returning then you count them as personal possessions but if you bought it just prior to returning it was counted as a purchase for tax purposes. Not exactly sure of the fine details now.

Cheers,
Janelle