Biosecurity when moving

Biosecurity Tasmania says the state has some of the world's strictest biosecurity laws, designed to protect its primary industries, environment and way of life from introduced pests, weeds and diseases. Everyone has a general biosecurity duty, and that includes people moving to Tasmania with a household of belongings.

This is general information to help you research a move. It isn't legal, financial or migration advice, and we don't recommend particular suburbs, agents or businesses.

Fresh produce

Biosecurity Tasmania lists fresh fruit and vegetables as not permitted entry, including potatoes, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger and onion. Processed foods are generally allowed if they are cooked, baked, hard frozen, canned, preserved or commercially dried, but must be declared and may be inspected. Fruit and vegetables dehydrated at home from raw are not permitted, though those cooked first and then dehydrated are. In the weeks before you move, plan meals to use up fresh produce, or give it away.

Plants, seeds and soil

Plants, seeds, flowers and related items have strict import requirements because they can host pests and diseases. Biosecurity Tasmania requires a Notice of Intention to Import to be lodged at least 24 hours before arrival for plants and plant products, and some items need plant health certificates. For most households, the simplest path is to rehome garden plants before moving and buy new ones in Tasmania. Don't move soil, and clean pots thoroughly.

Gear, vehicles and household items

Biosecurity Tasmania points out that clothing, footwear and recreational gear such as fishing, camping, cycling, bushwalking, hunting, diving, surfing and golf equipment can carry pests, weeds or diseases if dirty. Before packing:

• wash boots and shoes, removing all soil and seeds;
• clean bikes, tents, fishing gear and wetsuits and let them dry;
• clean outdoor furniture, garden tools and the mower;
• clean the outside and underside of vehicles, trailers and boats.

Dogs

Tasmania is the only Australian state provisionally free of hydatid disease. To keep it that way, dogs must have been treated with a wormer containing praziquantel, at 5 mg/kg body weight, within 14 days before entry. Evidence can be a vet certificate, an owner's statutory declaration, or the pill packet and purchase receipt. Dogs must also have been checked within the previous 24 hours and found free of brown dog tick, and be declared on arrival using the owner declaration form. Other animals have their own rules; check before you travel.

Online orders and mail

Biosecurity Tasmania screens incoming mail and parcels using methods including detector dogs and x-ray. Check what can be imported before ordering items online, and let friends and family know what can't be posted to you.

On arrival

If you find restricted items when you arrive, declare them to a Biosecurity Tasmania officer or dispose of them in the marked amnesty bins at your point of arrival.

Living close to nature

Part of Tasmania's appeal is how close wild places are: beaches, rivers, mountains and national parks are often a short drive from home. Enjoying them safely means checking weather forecasts, telling someone your plans, carrying the right gear, and following park rules. Parks passes are needed for national parks. Respect wildlife, keep dogs where they're allowed, and clean boots and gear between areas to avoid spreading plant diseases.

Budget for the whole move

Moving to an island adds costs that are easy to underestimate. Alongside removalists and Bass Strait shipping, allow for ferry or flight tickets, vehicle inspection and registration, licence conversion fees, rental bonds and rent in advance, utility connections, temporary accommodation if dates don't line up, and replacing items you can't bring, such as garden plants. Heating can be a larger winter cost than many mainlanders expect. Write down every expected cost, get written quotes where you can, and keep a buffer for surprises. A realistic budget reduces stress and helps you compare regions fairly.

Use the move planner

Our free move planner turns your arrival date into a dated checklist. It includes the key deadlines for registering an interstate vehicle (within three months of arrival) and converting your licence (within six months), plus biosecurity steps such as treating your dog within 14 days before entry. It runs in your browser and nothing you enter is sent anywhere. Always confirm dates with the relevant agency.

Update your details

Moving interstate means updating your address in many places. Common ones include Medicare and Centrelink through Services Australia, the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Electoral Commission, your bank, super fund, insurers, employer, phone and internet providers, and any subscriptions. The Australian Electoral Commission lets you update your enrolment online. Redirect your mail for a few months to catch anything you miss. Keeping a simple checklist and ticking items off as you go makes this much easier.

Moving with children

Moving with children adds steps but can also be a great adventure. Involve them in researching the new area, contact schools early, and keep routines as steady as possible around moving day. Ask schools how they support students who change states, and look for local sport, music or scouting groups so children can make friends quickly. Teenagers in particular may find leaving friends hard; staying connected online and planning visits can help.

A quick checklist

Before you commit to a move:

• visit in winter if you can;
• compare regions against your work, school, health and lifestyle needs;
• budget for shipping, bonds, inspections and heating;
• check internet at the exact address;
• plan biosecurity steps for food, plants, gear and pets;
• diarise the three-month registration and six-month licence deadlines;
• update your address with key agencies.

Visit before you commit

If you can, spend time in Tasmania before you sign a lease or buy. A week in winter will tell you more about everyday life than a summer holiday: how cold the mornings are, how early it gets dark, how quiet the towns become, and what the roads are like in rain and frost. Use the trip to inspect homes, drive the commutes you'd make, visit schools, and talk to locals at the shops, the library or a sports club. Keep notes and photos so you can compare places once you're home. If a visit isn't possible, ask someone you trust to look on your behalf, and use video calls to inspect homes.

Where our information comes from

We base the rules and deadlines in this guide on official sources, including Service Tasmania, Transport Services Tasmania, Biosecurity Tasmania, Consumer, Building and Occupational Services, the Department for Education, Children and Young People, the Bureau of Meteorology, Healthdirect and Services Australia, listed at the end of the page. Descriptions of places are general and written in our own words. Rules change, so we show the date we last checked the page; follow the source links before relying on any detail.

Taking it one step at a time

A move across Bass Strait involves many decisions, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Breaking the move into stages helps: first research and visit, then choose a region and housing, then book transport and removalists, then handle biosecurity and packing, and finally the paperwork after you arrive. Tackling one stage at a time, with a written list for each, keeps things manageable and makes it less likely that an important deadline slips through the cracks.

Talking to people who have moved

People who have already made the move are often generous with advice. Ask colleagues, friends of friends or community groups about what surprised them, what they wish they'd known, and what they'd do differently. Keep in mind that every experience is personal: someone who loved a small coastal town may have had very different needs from yours. Use their stories to generate questions, then check facts with official sources.

Key points

• Fresh fruit and vegetables are not permitted entry.
• Plants need a Notice of Intention to Import 24 hours before arrival.
• Clean soil and seeds off gear, shoes, vehicles and outdoor items.
• Dogs: praziquantel within 14 days, tick check within 24 hours, declaration.
• Declare restricted items or use the biosecurity bins on arrival.