Every superyacht arriving in Australia from overseas must clear customs, immigration and biosecurity at its first Australian port. Two agencies are involved: the Australian Border Force (ABF) for customs and immigration, and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) for biosecurity.
This page explains what to do before you arrive, as you approach Australia, and once you are alongside. It applies to privately operated superyachts. Superyachts arriving to charter are treated as commercial vessels, so speak with your agent and see Chartering in Australia.
Whoever is in charge of the vessel is considered the Master, even if the owner is on board.
Arrival at a glance
| When | What to do | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Before you leave your last overseas port | Check every person on board has a valid passport and visa, choose your first port, and decide on your clearance option | – |
| Between 90 days and 12 hours before arrival | Lodge a biosecurity Pre-Arrival Report (PAR) | DAFF |
| At least 96 hours before arrival | Give notice of impending arrival (shorter voyages have shorter deadlines) | ABF |
| At least 10 business days before arrival | Apply for approval if arriving at a port that is not a designated port of entry | ABF and DAFF |
| Entering Australian waters | Fly the yellow Q flag and go directly to the boarding station | – |
| On arrival | Stay on board until cleared, complete arrival documents and the biosecurity inspection | ABF and DAFF |
Before you arrive
Visas for everyone on board
Every person on board, including the Master, crew and guests, needs a valid passport and an Australian visa before arrival. See Visas for Crew & Guests.
Notice of impending arrival (ABF)
The Master must give the ABF notice of impending arrival at least 96 hours before arriving in Australia. Penalties may apply if you do not. If the voyage to Australia is shorter than 96 hours, give notice as follows:
| Length of voyage | Give notice at least |
|---|---|
| 72 to 96 hours | 72 hours before arrival |
| 48 to 72 hours | 48 hours before arrival |
| 24 to 48 hours | 24 hours before arrival |
| Less than 24 hours | 12 hours before arrival |
Email yachtreport@homeaffairs.gov.au or phone +61 2 6246 1325. Your notice must include:
- the vessel’s name, and country and port of registration
- your intended first port of arrival and estimated time of arrival
- the last four ports visited
- the name, date of birth, nationality and passport number of everyone on board
- any illness or disease recently encountered
- any animals or firearms on board.
More information: ABF: Let us know you’re coming.
Biosecurity Pre-Arrival Report (DAFF)
All yachts and private superyachts must lodge a Pre-Arrival Report (PAR) online through the Non-Commercial Vessel PAR portal, no earlier than 90 days and no later than 12 hours before arrival.
- Once lodged, you will receive a Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) by email. Keep a copy on board for your whole stay.
- If your plans change, update your PAR using the link in your confirmation email. Arriving at a port other than the one in your PAR is an offence.
- The PAR includes questions about how you manage biofouling on the hull.
- A separate PAR is needed for voyages to and from Norfolk Island, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Choosing your first port
Your first port must be both an ABF port of entry and a biosecurity first point of entry for non-commercial vessels. The biosecurity list is shorter, so check both before planning your arrival.
| State or territory | ABF ports of entry | Biosecurity first points of entry for private yachts |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay, Southport (Gold Coast), Thursday Island, Townsville, Weipa | Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Coral Sea Marina (Airlie Beach), Gladstone, Gold Coast Broadwater, Mackay, Townsville, Port Kennedy (Thursday Island and Horn Island) |
| New South Wales | Coffs Harbour, Eden, Lord Howe Island (limited, see below), Newcastle, Port Kembla/Wollongong, Sydney | Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Sydney |
| Victoria | Geelong, Melbourne, Portland, Westernport | None listed. Prior permission required |
| Tasmania | Burnie, Devonport, Hobart, Launceston | Hobart, Launceston (Bell Bay) |
| South Australia | Port Adelaide, Port Lincoln | None listed. Prior permission required |
| Western Australia | Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Carnarvon, Dampier, Esperance, Fremantle, Geraldton, Port Hedland | Fremantle |
| Northern Territory | Darwin, Gove | Darwin |
| External territories | Christmas Island, Norfolk Island | Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island |
To arrive anywhere else:
- Biosecurity: apply in writing to DAFF at conveyance.maritime@aff.gov.au at least 10 days before arrival. Approval is not guaranteed.
- Customs and immigration: superyachts arriving at a non-appointed port need approval from the Maritime Traveller Processing Committee (MTPC), applied for through the Air and Sea Approvals Portal at least 10 business days before arrival. The owner, operator or agent pays the ABF and DAFF clearance costs. See ABF: Requirements for superyachts.
Cairns, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sydney are popular, well-equipped first ports for superyachts arriving on the east coast. Darwin is usually the first port for yachts arriving from Asia.
Port details, contacts and boarding stations: ABF: Ports of entry.
Prepare your vessel for biosecurity
Australia has some of the strictest biosecurity rules in the world. Superyachts are considered higher risk because of the exotic locations they visit and the amount of timber used in their construction.
- Food and provisions: plan to use up fresh and organic provisions before arrival. You must declare and present all food, plant material and animal products. Leftovers are managed as biosecurity waste and must be double-bagged.
- Animals: animals are not permitted in Australian ports or waters without a valid import permit. Declare any animals on board and keep them contained.
- Timber: all vessels with timber components are inspected for timber pests such as termites. Have your timber history documents ready.
- Biofouling: keep records of hull cleaning and antifouling.
- Waste: do not throw any waste or food overboard in Australian waters. Use designated biosecurity disposal points.
Download DAFF’s Starting on the Right Tack checklist from the non-commercial vessels page, and check what can be brought in using BICON.
Captain’s Tip
Arrive with as little fresh produce on board as possible. Australian authorities are very particular about food and animal products, and Australia has excellent produce for resupplying. Products in vacuum-sealed packaging that are clearly labelled as Australian in origin are generally fine, but check with your agent.
Approaching Australia
- Fly the yellow International Pratique (Q) flag as you enter Australian waters.
- Travel directly to the appointed boarding station at your first port.
- Keep your AIS switched on. Foreign vessels report through the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Modernised Australian Ship Tracking and Reporting System (MASTREP), which uses AIS automatically. See Maritime Safety & Reporting.
On arrival
Stay on board until cleared
Nobody may go ashore, and nothing may be unloaded, until ABF clearance and biosecurity pratique have been granted.
- Only ABF and biosecurity officers may board the vessel before clearance.
- Do not make contact with other vessels in port before clearance.
- Depending on your arrival time, you may need to stay on board overnight and be cleared the next day.
Documents you will need
- passports and visas for everyone on board
- a completed Incoming Passenger Card for each person
- a Small Craft Arrival Report, completed by the Master
- your Biosecurity Status Document.
What to declare
Declare the following to the ABF and biosecurity officers on arrival. Penalties for not declaring can be severe.
- all food, plant material, animal products and animals
- medicines and drugs, including any in the medical kit that contain narcotics or other controlled substances
- firearms, weapons and ammunition (these may be held in safe storage until you depart)
- AUD 10,000 or more in cash (or the foreign currency equivalent)
- protected wildlife and products made from them.
The biosecurity inspection
A biosecurity officer will assess the health of everyone on board, interview the Master and inspect the vessel. Inspections take place in daylight during business hours where possible. Give the officer access to all areas, especially timber, and have provisions and waste bagged and ready.
Fees
The ABF does not charge for clearance at appointed ports. DAFF recovers its costs, so biosecurity fees apply, with extra charges for inspections outside business hours, on weekends or public holidays. Clearance at a non-appointed port incurs ABF and DAFF costs.
Do I need an agent?
Using an agent to clear into Australia is not compulsory, and visiting captains have different views.
Captain’s Tip
Some captains have cleared into Australia without an agent, having carefully read the requirements online, and found the process manageable. Others recommend using a local agent rather than a global one, because local agents have long-standing relationships with the authorities and up-to-date local knowledge, particularly on which provisions can stay on board.
Find an experienced agent in the Superyacht Australia member directory.
Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island
Lord Howe Island
- ABF and biosecurity clearances cannot be provided for small craft arriving from or departing for overseas.
- Yachts can use Lord Howe Island as a technical stop for fuel and provisions, but if arriving from overseas, your next landfall must be a mainland port of entry (Sydney, Newcastle, Eden, Coffs Harbour or Brisbane).
- Contact Lord Howe Island by maritime radio before entering the lagoon. The lagoon has a maximum draught of 2.3 metres.
- Department of Home Affairs (Coffs Harbour office): +61 2 6656 8500 (business hours).
Norfolk Island
- Vessels arriving at Norfolk Island from overseas, or leaving it for overseas, must clear immigration, customs and biosecurity at Norfolk Island.
- Vessels sailing from the mainland to Norfolk Island need customs clearance from the ABF before departure, and a separate biosecurity PAR.
- Boarding is at Cascade Jetty or Kingston Jetty, depending on the weather.
- ABF Norfolk Island: +672 322 900 (business hours) or +672 351 881 (after hours). VHF Channel 16 is monitored during business hours.
Leaving Australia
- ABF departure clearance is required and is available at any appointed port. Contact the ABF in advance to avoid delays.
- Lodge an export declaration and give the export declaration number (EDN) to the ABF before requesting clearance.
- A Passenger Movement Charge may apply.
- If firearms were held on arrival, contact the ABF at least one week before departure so they can be returned.
- Stores and fuel bought for the international voyage may be GST-free. See Taxation.
Common questions about arriving in Australia
Can we arrive at any port in Australia?
No. Your first port must be an ABF port of entry and a biosecurity first point of entry for non-commercial vessels. Arriving anywhere else needs approval in advance from both the ABF and DAFF, and you will pay the clearance costs.
Can guests join or leave the yacht before we are cleared?
No. Nobody may board or leave the vessel until ABF clearance and biosecurity pratique have been granted. Plan guest transfers for after clearance.
What happens to the food on board?
Declare all food, plant material and animal products. Some items may be allowed, while others will be removed and treated as biosecurity waste. Plan to use up fresh provisions before arrival.
What if we arrive outside business hours?
You may need to stay on board overnight and be cleared the next day. Biosecurity inspections outside business hours, on weekends or public holidays attract extra charges.
Do we have to use an agent?
No, but many captains find a local agent helpful, especially for a first visit to Australia.
Our plans have changed. What do we do?
Update your Pre-Arrival Report using the link in your confirmation email, and tell the ABF. Arriving at a port other than the one in your PAR is an offence.
More information
- ABF: Yachts and pleasure craft
- ABF: Requirements for superyachts
- ABF: Let us know you’re coming
- ABF: Ports of entry
- DAFF: Non-commercial vessel arrival biosecurity reporting
- DAFF: Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON)
Last reviewed October 2026. Requirements change: always confirm with the Australian Border Force, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry or a Superyacht Australia member agent.
