Australian Customs - Deterrent to Visiting Oz ?

[David_Old_Jersey]

Just bring your own beer...........

[Katiusha]

That'd be milk or mineral water... err... soda for me.

[barnakiel]

Yes. Shure. Kangaroo milk perhaps too.

b.

[VirtualVagabond]

I'm glad common sense has prevailed. You're going to love it.
(Mission accomplished guys. Another one sucked in... WhooHoo)

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Yes. Shure. Kangaroo milk perhaps too.

b.

I thought that kangaroos are protective of their milk when alive. And once they become road kill, it's not that fresh any more...

[ausaviator]

14 pages and Godwins theory hasn't popped up yet.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by ausaviator

14 pages and Godwins theory hasn't popped up yet.

Jackboots may qualify... don't you think?

[savoir]

Originally Posted by Katiusha

Thanks to all who responded! Here's what I got from this thread ordered by relevance to our concerns:

1. Some boats do get damaged during the check-in, even if the crew behaves by the rules. Mostly marks, scratches, and some panels.
2. Some boats don't get damaged.
3. Not as many boats get fined on a regular basis as TCP gave impression.
4. There is a para-military attitude in Australian Customs.
5. However, if I check in/out at a port with a lot of incoming/outgoing traffic during regular working hours, Customs attitude will like be good.
6. Even better is to check-in at a marina (same as in other countries).
7. Aussies are very protective of their rights.
8. They are even more protective of reputation of their country and are very passionate of its beauty.
9. People from Down Under maintain an amazingly argumentative thread for 13 pages on a sensitive subject without degressing into one-liners.

A smaller summary: our two main concerns, keeping in mind that we play by the rules and are courteous (we're from Canada, eh?) had been damage to the boat and fines for pretty much everything. Looks like if we follow the 96 hour rule (plus any other Oz might come up with in the meanwhile), show up during office hours at a port with regular traffic, and display our normal polite, respectful, cooperative attitude, the check-in should not result in a damaged boat, and only those fines, if any, that are fair.
For this, we won't only see a very unique continent, but also meet very interesting people.

So Oz shall remain at the top of our List of Must-Sail-To Places... together with NZ.

Thanks all for a wealth of information and a wonderful show of spirit!

Just a small issue on your point 6. Not too many ports will let you check in at a marina. Mostly they use buoys.

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by Katiusha

snip

we play by the rules and are courteous (we're from Canada, eh?)

Snip!

Canada? Why didn't you tell us that in the first place. We would have told you the truth. We all thought you were UK or US. Now we will have to start the whole thread again.

I will still buy you that beer though Just not a Fosters, we save that for the tourists and we never force it upon members of the colonial brotherhood. Our colonial brothers get the good stuff.

[savoir]

Coopers ?

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by savoir

Coopers ?

Anything "but" Fosters. Hahn and Blue Tongue are pumping out some nice ones these days.

[savoir]

Fosters can be hard to get inside Australia. Probably a good thing.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by savoir

Just a small issue on your point 6. Not too many ports will let you check in at a marina. Mostly they use buoys.

Hmmm, lets see...
From the north: Cairns - in a marina, Mackay - in a marina, Townsville - in a marina, Gladstone - in a marina, Bundy - in a marina, Brisbane - in a marina, Coffs - in a harbour containing a marina, NEwcastle - I'm not sure but I think that it is in the marina, and further south I'm not familiar with.

But yes, on the east coast many quarantine wharfs are indeed in marinas.

Cheers,

Jim

[savoir]

Shot down in flames.

[TassieBloke]

Originally Posted by Katiusha

9. People from Down Under maintain an amazingly argumentative thread for 13 pages on a sensitive subject without degressing into one-liners.

Once the equally sensitive subject of beer has been broached, then it will very quicky descend into 1 liners.

By the way, no self respecting Australian will drink Fosters. Cascade Premium Lager all other beer is, well, beer..

Cheers,

Bloke