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Alienteaparty

Moving cacti across state boarders.

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Howdy Folks.

I have done a thorough forum search and could not find anything regarding the circumstances i will be faced with, so i have decided to ask you lot for any advice or legal know how when it comes to moving plants across state boarders by car.

In late January 2014 i will be moving from Perth W.A to Mullumbimby in Northern New South Wales, This will be the biggest move of my life so i hope it all goes to plan. I will be driving with a friend through the Nullabor Desert, crossing into South Australia and then from south Australia into New South Wales.

I will be taking my friends and my own possessions along on the journey, this includes my cacti collection and various other plants ( Banisteriopsis Caapi, Psychotria ssp, Catha Edulis, Calea Zacatachichi) as well as an assortment of pereskiopsis cacti grafts and my seed collection in a trailer. These are my most prized possessions, and i could not imagine starting my collection of 3 years all over again. the cacti will all be well established rooted specimens in pots.

To my understanding there are no laws against any of the genus or species i will be carrying in my trailer in the state of New South Wales, although they are all scheduled in South Australia :unsure:.

From what i have read it seems as though customs aren't as strict on live plant materials coming out of W.A as they are on plant materials coming into W.A.

Id love to know whether anybody has done this before and what problems i might run into going through the boarder crossings. Remember i will have a large trailer filled to the brim with plants and cacti, the largest of which measures up at just under two meters with multiple branches.

These are my Queries......

  • Should i contact customs before hand?
  • Do i need to fill out any papers or documentation before i cross?
  • Are there any alternative methods of transferring these plants into another state safely?
  • Most of my cacti were sent over from the Eastern states. Is there a possibility of introducing pests or an invasive species into other states from W.A?
  • and most of all, Is this even possible without and legal repercussions?

I have one other option to get my cacti into NSW, but I'm not too keen on it. The friend who is accompanying me on this journey Has a large sound system (8, 18" folded horn subwoofers and an assortment of Funktion-One mids and tops) and assortment of bulky audio gear that he is putting into a hired shipping container and getting sent over to Mullumbimby through a courier company.

Even though its a large system, there will still be plenty of room in the shipping container to fit my cacti and other plants. This leaves my babies in the hands of the authorities and customs agents, but the courier company may have a better chance at getting these plants across the boarders than a bunch of dirty hippies driving a 4x4 with a trailer full of cacti.

Any information, ideas or comments are most welcome, so please let loose on the comments people!

Thanks a bunch friends!

Much love :)

Edited by Alienteaparty

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Plants like Banisteriopsis Caapi, Psychotria ssp, Catha Edulis, Calea Zacatachichi and many others would be very easy to source in an area like mullumbimby, and i wonder if they are really worth the heartache and hassle of taking with you.

The cactii and pereskiopsis grafts i can understand though.

I would be curious to know about travelling through SA though as the laws there are very restrictive (http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17530). and again perhaps worth considering other options.

I know what you mean about plants being prized possessions, but in life things come and go, and it may just be easier to start over.

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Thanks for the info Obtuse,

I will probably have some plant cuttings taken and sent over straight to Mullumbimby in that case. Driving 110 through the Nullabor in the middle of summer might be a bit stressful on the Caapi and psychotrias.

As for the cacti, I am really quite curious as to how strict and well informed the state boarder customs officials would be in regards to the South Australian Controlled Substances act, ( [page 24] http://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/R/CONTROLLED%20SUBSTANCES%20(CONTROLLED%20DRUGS%20PRECURSORS%20AND%20PLANTS)%20REGULATIONS%202000/CURRENT/2000.199.UN.PDF )and how well trained they are to identify cacti genus and species. I am prepared to flex my legal rights to their fullest.

Here is a broken down version of the Scheduled substances act Posted by mercury35:

I did a bit of digging on the south australian law on illegal plants and came up with the following info for South Australia this info was obtained from the http://www.austlii.edu.au/ website

section 33k of the controlled substances act 1984 makes it illegal to cultivate a controlled plant

section 5 , subsection 3 of the controlled substances act (general)regulations 2000 , dated 3.12.2007 makes the growing a plant listed as controlled and possessing cuttings in a growing medium for cultivation of a controlled plant an offence

schedule 3, part 1 of the controlled substances act (general)regulations 2000 , dated 3.12.2007 lists the following controlled plants and a few others

erythroxylum
papaver spp
catha edulis
ephedra spp
datura , and more . but here is where it gets even more stupid

any plant containing DMT , presumably this includes acacia spp because it does mentions ANY plant containing DMT
any plant containing mescaline is also included.

D'OH

I have no legal training but that is that the law seems to be in South Australia

Any comments , opinions would be welcome as this is just my reading of the acts and regulations , just thought it would be worthwhile info to pass on. attached is a copy of the regulations

Cheers.

Edited by Alienteaparty

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Thanks for the info Obtuse,

I will probably have some plant cuttings taken and sent over straight to Mullumbimby in that case. Driving 110 through the Nullabor in the middle of summer might be a bit stressful on the Caapi and psychotrias.

As for the cacti, I am really quite curious as to how strict and well informed the state boarder customs officials would be in regards to the South Australian Controlled Substances act, ( [page 24] http://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/R/CONTROLLED%20SUBSTANCES%20(CONTROLLED%20DRUGS%20PRECURSORS%20AND%20PLANTS)%20REGULATIONS%202000/CURRENT/2000.199.UN.PDF )and how well trained they are to identify cacti genus and species. I am prepared to flex my legal rights to their fullest.

You will probably find that the onus & and any and all cost of having the plants ID'd will be on you, so its not up the the officials to ID the plant material its up to you to prove what they are. If its just the substances contained within your concerned with they will likely hold them for you in a nice safe secure evidence locker until the lab results come back.

And its not just the controlled substances legislation you need to worry about, you will also need to address the biosecurity aspect of trying to transit with live plant materials.

Oh and if you were thinking of taking the NT route, the NT is every bit as anal about plant material as SA.

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I know its hard to part with your plants but maybe selling them in W.A and putting the cash away to start a new collection in N.S.W. I don't think its worth the stress on yourself or your plants.

Edited by Scrubby

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You could always buy a boat & bring the first boat cactus to NSW B).

Shit maybe not man it depends on who wins the election next week, as I was typing this an add came on tv, it was Tony rabbit saying he will STOP the boats! :lol:

Good luck with your move mate.

Cheers

Jox

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Thanks for all the advice guys.

I think the way to go would be to plant out my parents garden with my rarest cacti and have a big backyard sale before i go. That way i can all ways get cuttings sent over and ill have a fair bit of coin to put towards a new collection.

I might even try to take a few pedros over and see how it goes at the boarder crossing. If it works out fine i can just take the rest back over the next time i visit my home town.

Thanks once again guys, my mind is now at ease. :)

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AWESOME!!!

I just found out that Wandjina Gardens is located in Mullumbimby, the town in which ill be moving too. Guess there wont be much need to go to all that effort after all. :D

How exciting! Now i really cant wait to hit the road!!!

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Hi Alien, that's great news!

I hope its not rude to suggest, but if u need a loving home for any caapi, psychotria, Peres or ? I'd love to offer my garden and any cash or artwork for ur new home if needed before u leave. I would love to help :) Cheers

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Or just give them away.... I'll take them off your hands haha

Seriously though I'd just sell them is not worth the hassle.

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AWESOME!!!

I just found out that Wandjina Gardens is located in Mullumbimby, the town in which ill be moving too. Guess there wont be much need to go to all that effort after all. :D

How exciting! Now i really cant wait to hit the road!!!

Lol, i was wondering when youd find out.

Nice to hear you have made the decision you have. Sounded way too stressful for my liking.

Best of luck with the move.

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To the OP, given the changes in legislation in NSW, you probably want to rethink the whole move.

I am assuming you already have though.

Edited by obtuse
  • Like 1

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Hey guys, I thought I'd drop an interesting experience of mine two years back.

I needed to take a camping plastic tub full of Trichos from Brisbane to Canberra. However, i was flying, and not driving.

I lined the plastic tub with newspaper, and used half a roll of masking tape to secure it.

I labelled it, and submitted it to the baggage desk along with my suitcase.

Came out the other end perfectly, unopened, and i proceeded to pick up my big plastic tub, people watching awkwardly, and wheeling it manually across the airport, past the intimidating A.C.T. policemen and security guards, and out the door.

I realized that although this seemed like a big deal at the time, it was perfectly legal.... but no doubt, if i were going to WA, well.. i wouldn't have done anything.

Be careful, and consider the consequences i guess.

  • Like 2

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