Arrival in Australia: Darwin

We have made it to Australia.

Arriving from overseas, we knew would involve Border Force, as they are currently called,  Quarantine (AQIS), and in my case, as this was K'Gari's first arrival in Australia, and as I'm an Australian, it was going to include the importation of the boat itself.

To arrive in Darwin and to enable access to Cullen Bay Marina , also meant that NT Fisheries, needed to attend the vessel and 'treat it', to prevent potential cross contamination and introduction of foreign marine species and  pests.
This involves the application of ,an unknown, (to me),  substance up into all K'Gari's through hull openings, of which I have nine .

We berthed at the Quarantine berth just outside Cullen Bay Marina at 0830 to begin the process.

Before anyone else can come on board, Border Force, and AQIS need to clear both us and the vessel. Border Force arrived at 0850.  Four officers, and we were processed into the country, by filling out the usual passenger declaration forms found at airports, and the matter of the importation of the boat was raised.

Next AQIS, need to grant pratique- a clean bill of health for both the crew and the boat. Being a fibreglass cat, with very little timber on board, the boat was easy, as were we, both being evidently healthy, the most time was actually spent with the paper work and the removal of any food substances decreed to be on the "not allowed list". In preparation for this part and as AQIS are a cost recovery department, charging in 15 minute intervals, we had already laid out for removal, just about everything we could imagine they would remove. The obvious ones being meat, fruit and veges. Having lived our version of  the 'paleo diet' since Kupang ,  there was next to nothing left in those areas. The  majority of the contents of the freezer that disappeared surprised me a little, I had assumed that cooked meals, although containing meat, might have been allowed,but no.As was the answer to a container of  hummus- frozen, but which had been made from canned chickpeas in the first place! My frozen bananas disappeared as well. Ah well. Forty five minutes, one green domestic size garbage bag of quarantined for disposal goodies and a fee of of several hundred dollars  and one pratique certificate later  and we were done.

As AQIS were doing their bit, the NT Fisheries department arrived, to do theirs. Once the application had been completed it meant we couldn't move for 10 hours, nor could we use the salt water cooled airconditioner! We couldn't let the Fisheries guys on board until AQIS had cleared us and AQIS didn't arrive until 1145 , so we evidently weren't going to be able to enter the marina tonight.

Sure enough, we had to remain alongside the pontoon, outside the lock gates until the next morning, as the lock hours are 0600-2300.

Berthed outside the lock at Cullen Bay Darwin. All processed , just waiting for 10 hours to elapse .