I’m making a rattle for an Australian friend who’s heading back home soon. She mentioned that a lot of organic materials aren’t allowed into the country, but she’s not sure exactly what - can anyone help me determine if the following specs are allowable, so I can make something she can actually take with her?
The head of the rattle is made of spruce, the handle is maple. Both are kiln-dried (all parasites, fungus killed) and varnished.
I was considering adding:
Filler: corn, wild rice, squash seeds (dried and completely enclosed in the head; cannot germinate)
Feathers (professionally sterilized)
Fur (not specially treated other than the hide being tanned)
We’ve just been through this recently bringing a house full of things back from NZ. We had several items held because of quarantine restrictions. Some could have been fumigated and/or irradiated at a cost of something like $300 per item, others had to be destroyed. Strangely one of the items held was some type of native rattle from the US. All of the items in your rattle would not be allowed into the country. Basically all food, animal products or parts of animals, wooden articles, plants, seeds, nuts and dirt.
Actually, the list of prohibited imports linked from that page tends to deal more with customs restrictions than with quarantine restrictions, and the latter is probably the more important issue for the OP.
The rattle itself looks like it might be OK, but the seed/grain filler appears to be a no-no. The fur and feathers i’m not so sure about. You can go to their special search page and look for more comprehensive information on specific items, and specific countries of origin.
I just noticed that you’re not actually posting the item to Australia, but that your friend will be carrying it with her. Still, the rules are quite similar. Here’s the list: What Can’t I Take into Australia?
It appears that painted or lacquered wooden items like your rattle will need to be declared so they can be inspected, but will probably still be allowed in if they have no evidence of insects or disease. Same for feathers and fur (scroll down the page).
My aunt and uncle moved from ZImbabwe to Australia, they had a fair collection of stuff that had to be irradiated/ fumigated. I particularly remember that a large African drum made of tanned hide and wood spent about months in quarantine and was irradiated. I think some of their hide and fur rugs and wall hangings were also a problem, and that the old firearms (which have been made unusable) were a big headache.
I’m thinking the fur and feathers are a no-no. The seeds are a definite no-no.
Probably be better going with fabric and pebbles.
They are concerned about any plant or animal material that could bring in live organisms – insects, fungi, etc. – which could threaten Australian agricultural industry. The last time I entered Australia:
(1) They cleaned a pair of sneakers that had been partly stained green when I cut my Ohio lawn.
(2) They insisted that I open a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks that I’d picked up in the US so they could be inspected.