Moving to Perth from Queensland: quarantine rules nobody tells you about

The run from Brisbane to Perth is about 4,300 km, and roughly 4,000 of those are easy compared to the few minutes at the Western Australian quarantine checkpoint. WA protects its agriculture from pests and diseases found in the eastern states, and removal trucks are inspected just like caravans and freight.

I have driven this route more than two hundred times. Here is what I tell every family before we load.

What cannot cross the border

• Live plants, cuttings, bulbs and potting mix.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables, including the lemons from your backyard tree.
• Honey, beeswax and used beekeeping equipment.
• Soil in any form, including on shoes, tools and outdoor furniture.
• Nuts, seeds and grains that are not commercially packaged.

What needs cleaning before we load

Anything that has touched the ground outside should be scrubbed clean of soil and plant matter. That includes lawn mowers, wheelbarrows, garden tools, bikes, pot plants you have emptied, outdoor furniture legs and kids' sporting gear such as footy boots and cricket spikes.

A dirty mower can hold up a whole truck while it is inspected or cleaned. On a shared backload, that delay affects other families too, so we check garden items at loading and ask you to clean anything that will not pass.

Pantry and kitchen

Commercially packaged, unopened food is generally fine. Opened packets of grains, seeds and dried beans are better used up or given away. Freezers and fridges must be empty, defrosted and dry for at least 24 hours before loading, or mould will grow during the week on the road.

Clean the mower, give away the lemon tree and eat the honey. The border officers are friendly, but they are thorough.

How long the inspection takes

For a well-prepared load, the check at the border takes under an hour. Our drivers carry a declaration for every load and open the doors for inspectors. Problems are rare when clients follow the list above.

Timing your Perth move

A dedicated truck takes seven to nine days door to door. A backload or rail container can take two to three weeks. If you are flying ahead, book a few nights of furnished accommodation or ask about our storage in transit, which lets us hold the load in Brisbane and deliver on a run that suits your settlement.

Finally, we recommend full-value transit insurance for any move across the Nullarbor. The road is long, hot and, in places, rough. We have not lost a load on that run, but insurance is the difference between worry and peace of mind for most families.