Travellers to WA’s north are reminded that Quarantine Areas remain in place around Kununurra and Wyndham to protect against citrus canker.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has extended the end date of the citrus canker Quarantine Area Notice (QAN) [1], for areas covering a 50km radius around the Kununurra and Wyndham post offices, until 31 October 2020.
The restrictions on the movement of citrus plants and fruit, as well as equipment and machinery, will continue until this time. The current Restricted Areas and Control Areas also remain in place.
For travellers, this means they can only bring in citrus fruit and juice for consumption, which has originated from outside the Quarantine Areas.
Any leftover citrus items, or items purchased while in Kununurra and Wyndham, must be consumed or discarded prior to leaving the Quarantine Areas.
Department chief plant biosecurity officer Sonya Broughton said it was important for anyone travelling to, or living in, the Kununurra and Wyndham areas to continue to adhere to the citrus canker movement restrictions.
“The quarantine measures give DPIRD surveillance staff the time to carry out further inspections, with the aim of demonstrating area freedom from citrus canker for northern WA,” Dr Broughton said.
“From March, residents in Restricted Areas were permitted to reintroduce citrus plants [2], and it is important we now continue visiting properties to ensure the disease isn’t present.
“The more citrus plants we are able to inspect and monitor in the Restricted Areas, the better our data will be so I encourage anyone who wants to replant citrus to do so.
“Ultimately, this will assist in our ability to declare area freedom and lift the movement restrictions.
“Anyone who wants to replant citrus needs to complete an authorisation form and submit it to the department for approval before purchasing plants.”
Citrus canker was first detected on three properties in Kununurra and Wyndham in May 2018 linked to plants imported from the Northern Territory. Since that time, there have been no additional detections in Western Australia.
Plants with suspect symptoms must not be moved and should be reported to the department’s Pest and Disease Information Service on (08) 9368 3080 or padis@dpird.wa.gov.au [3], or via the department’s MyPestGuide ReporterTM app [4].
More information on citrus canker is available from the department website agric.wa.gov.au [5]
Media contact: Jodie Thomson, media liaison +61 (0)8 9368 3937