Caravanners and campers warned over little-known 'accident' being made in Australia
Simple acts can help minimise the risk of a biosecurity breach while you are travelling around Australia.
The influx of caravanners and holidaymakers enjoying the open road over the Christmas break has prompted authorities to warn those travelling interstate of the simple things they can do to avoid a biosecurity breach.
Increased travel over the next few weeks can heighten the chance of invasive pests spreading between states and territories, and simple decisions can go a long way in helping travellers minimise the risk of spreading disease.
"We do have a lot of cases of things being spread inadvertently," Lyall Grieve from the Invasive Species Council told Yahoo News. "People not meaning to do the wrong thing, but just by accident, [they] bring things along."
What can interstate drivers do to avoid biosecurity risks?
Lyall outlined the two easy things drivers can do to avoid a biosecurity breach.
"As a hard and fast rule, people shouldn't be bringing fresh fruit and vegetables across borders," he said.
Eating fresh produce before crossing a border, or using the quarantine bins often found at the side of major arterial roads between states and territories can minimise the risk of pests spreading across the country. Fruit flies are an example of an invasive pest that has spread this way, and now only South Australia and Tasmania remain free of them.
The second thing caravanners can do is check their vehicles for any "hitchhikers".
"In a caravan, you have much more capacity for 'hitchhikers' or hitchhiking pests to travel across borders," he said.
Cane toads, one of Australia's best-known introduced pests, are believed to have spread across the country by hitching lifts from interstate travellers and trucks, and authorities "lost the battle to hold them back", Lyall explained.
By checking under your vehicle and cleaning exterior areas before crossing the border — as well as any fishing or snorkelling gear — the risk of biosecurity breaches is lessened.
"You can look up your state government's biosecurity website... just be aware and enjoy."
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