This case details the import conditions for new prefabricated office and accommodation units and housing (prefab units), caravans and horse floats with or without timber components. Prefab units can include shipping containers that have had the internal components converted into accommodation or office units.
Prefab units, caravans and horse floats that do not include solid timber components are generally constructed with steel and other metals, plastic, laminates, etc. They may also contain components made of reconstituted wood products that do not contain any solid timber (e.g. chipboard, MDF, particle board).
Houses or prefabricated building or house frames are not included in this case.
Quarantine contaminants
New prefabricated units may pose a quarantine risk if they become contaminated prior to arriving in Australia. Biosecurity contaminants include soil, water, live insects, live spiders, live plants and animals, plant and animal material. Prefabricated units can provide shelter and resting/nesting structures for live animals, in particular rodents (e.g. mice, rats), reptiles (e.g. geckoes, lizards), amphibians (e.g. frogs), birds, spiders and swarms or nests of wasps, bees or ants.
Plumbing, drains and other reservoirs, including guttering and downpipes, can retain water (potentially carrying mosquito eggs and larvae, or Didymo) and, if present, will require treatment.
To manage the risk of contamination, importers should apply appropriate control measures during manufacture, storage and transportation. The pre-shipment use of knockdown sprays and/or residual insecticides can assist in managing pests.
Prefabricated units are often destined for use in non-metropolitan areas of Australia. Contaminated units provide an ideal pathway for the potential introduction of an exotic plant, pest or disease to enter and establish in Australia.
