can you bring hops and yeast into australia?

Hey,

I am moving to Australia on the 15th. I have a lot of grains, yeast, and hops I haven't used. I was just wondering if anyone had any success bringing hops or yeast into Australia legally. I am giving my friend my grains as all of it combined is over 50lbs. I have the yeast packs from wyeast, and the hops are all still vacuumed sealed. I've looked into the australian customs website, and it didnt say they were banned substances. But wanted to make sure. and not have to hand over $100 in hops and yeast and see it destroyed.

so anyone know if it's ok?

Thanks

I have never been to Australia, but I've never heard of customs not letting yeast through. Now hops are another question ... a lot of countries have rules about letting fruits, vegetables and plants in.

If you can find a loophole in the customs declaration, I'd print it out and have it on your person when you go through so you can show it to them.

Hope everything goes well.

cheers

~r~

Could you have someone mail it to you as a gift after you get there?

Imports prohibited: of alfalfa and lucerne, avocado, banana, barley., cactus, chestnuts, citrus, coffee, gooseberry, hops, potato, rice, sorghum, tobacco and tomato plants.
GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE

Click to expand...

Oz and NZ are free of many European crops diseases and would like to stay that way. I suspect attempting to mail hops would result in confiscation and fines.

Yeast is not a problem.

As I recall, JZ was asked by a Australian homebrewer he befriended to bring over some hop varieties that were impossible to get in Oz. He declined the offer, fearing customs violations, but later learned it would have been ok.

Congrats on the move to OZ, where ya movin' to? I have friends in Melbourne, Sydney and a few places up north in Arnhemland.

Hmmm. I can see a ban on the plants specifically but, what he has is essentially just the "herb". The flowers are likely seed free and as such pose no propogation threats.

Kinda like shipping some tarragon or basil if you will.