Travelling in Cape York and the Torres Strait

Travellers in Cape York and the Torres Strait can play a key role in helping to detect exotic pests and diseases.

Don’t move fruit, soil or plants

Follow the quarantine restrictions that apply to fruit, soil or plants, when moving between biosecurity zones in Cape York and the Torres Strait (PDF, 334KB).

Place plant material in the amnesty bins when leaving the biosecurity zones.

Dispose of food waste safely

Dispose of any food waste appropriately.

While in Cape York, do not feed wild animals (including: pigs, dingoes or wild dogs) any food waste.

Come clean, go clean

Ensure your vehicle, caravan, trailer, boat and camping gear are clean from soil, insects and seeds when entering and leaving the Cape.

Keep to designated roads and tracks.

Regularly clean the inside and outside of vehicles, and clothing (particularly long pants, socks and boots), to reduce hitchhiker pests.

Report anything suspicious

Small insects such as plant hoppers and midges can:

• hide inside plant material (e.g. inside rolled leaves),
• easily moved in vehicles (especially when parked under trees).

If you see a plant or animal pest or disease:

• record the details of the location
• take a photo if possible
• report to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.

Protect the Cape and Torres Strait

Many plant and animal pests and diseases are not present in Cape York or the Torres Strait, and it’s important that travellers don’t introduce them.

Likewise, there are pests and diseases in Cape York and the Torres Strait that we don’t want to spread to the rest of Queensland.

These pests and diseases are ‘biosecurity matter’ and the plants and animals they infest or infect are ‘biosecurity carriers’.

Under Queensland legislation, everybody has a general biosecurity obligation. That means all people who deal with ‘biosecurity matter’ must take all reasonable and practical measures to prevent or minimise risk to human health, agriculture, the environment, social amenity and the economy.

More information

View more information on how to help protect Queensland from plant and animal pests and diseases when travelling to Cape York Peninsula or the Torres Strait Islands.

Contact us

Biosecurity Queensland
Phone: 13 25 23