Biosecurity at UQ Gatton

Biosecurity manages animal and plant health, and the risks and impacts of animal and plant pests, diseases, weeds, pest animals, marine pests and contaminants.

UQ Gatton's staff, students and visitors interact with farm animals through research, teaching and learning activities such as field work in rural and regional Australia.

We take a wide-range of biosecurity measures to minimise and prevent emergency animal disease (EAD) threats to susceptible animals on our campus.

This includes:

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)
African Swine Fever and
other diseases.

Staff, students and visitors to UQ Gatton all have a part to play to help minimise EAD threats, particularly if you're visiting our campus after travelling to Australia from another country.

Visiting UQ Gatton after overseas travel

Staff, students and visitors who enter Australia from other countries and intend to visit UQ Gatton and/or a UQ Gatton livestock facility (for any purpose) must not have any direct contact (patting, feeding, husbandry, research) with livestock for 7 days following their arrival into the country.

Recommended cleaning for biosecurity

Before you leave a foreign country to travel to Australia, we recommend that you clean your shoes, clothing and equipment thoroughly.

This includes:

thoroughly cleaning footwear that you've used overseas
shaking/scraping shoes to remove loose contamination such as soil and manure
thoroughly washing soles, laces and external surfaces using soap/detergent, water and a brush
drying your shoes well, double checking that all traces of contamination are removed, and repeating this process if any contamination remains visible
washing all the clothes you've used overseas with routine laundry detergents and household washing machines
a shower with warm soapy water and shampoo for personal cleaning.

As a precaution, we also recommend that you repeat this process after you've arrived in Australia.

Check the latest biosecurity advice and requirements

Before and during your travel to Australia, check for any additional biosecurity advice that you're required to follow when you arrive.
If you've visited a rural area or been in contact with or near farm animals while overseas, you should declare this on your incoming passenger card when you enter Australia. You may need further treatment.
If you plan to visit a livestock facility while you're in Australia, review the facility's biosecurity information before you visit.
Visit the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website for FMD updates.

Biosecurity Advisory Committee

UQ Gatton Campus Biosecurity Advisory Committee

The UQ Gatton Campus Biosecurity Advisory Committee considers biosafety and biosecurity on the Gatton campus.

It is a sub-committee of the Gatton Campus HSW Committee.

Our Committee Chair is a member of the Gatton Campus HSW Committee and the UQ Institutional Biosafety Committee.

Terms of reference

Ensure written policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are in place to:
- reduce the probability of entry of pests, weeds and diseases of animals (including zoonoses) or plants.
- mitigate the threat and/or impact of pests, weeds and diseases of animals or plants which may affect areas near to or on the relevant sites.
Identify and report any emerging threats.
Coordinate and ensure biosecurity protocols and practices are consistent across the Gatton Campus (Schools and Units) and associated sites and with university policies and procedures.
Document and report incidents or accidents relating to potential or actual breaches of biosecurity and develop strategies to avoid recurrence or any incident or accident.
Engage with relevant UQ stakeholders and external organisations located on the campus/conducting activities on the campus to ensure harmonisation of biosecurity policies and practices.
Engage with relevant stakeholders to raise the profile and importance of animal and plant biosecurity issues, policies and procedures.

UQ FMD/LSD Working Group

UQ's FMD/LSD Working Group reviews biosecurity preparedness across UQ. It is chaired by UQ Gatton's Campus Biosecurity Advisory Committee Chairperson and managed through the Office of the Director, Gatton Campus.

The Working Group provides specific information for UQ staff and students who enter Australia from other countries, particularly if they intend to visit a livestock facility for any purpose soon after they arrive.

Biosecurity plans and procedures

UQ Gatton Campus Biosecurity Management Plan

The plan provides information to staff, students and visitors to UQ Gatton on biosecurity and the procedures to follow to comply with Queensland biosecurity legislation.

The goals of the Biosecurity Management Plan are:

to improve the awareness of biosecurity issues on the Gatton campus and to improve the outcomes for any biosecurity issue that may arise
to manage our biosecurity risks in a manner which allows the University’s core business of teaching, research and engagement to continue
to identify any biosecurity priority issues on the Gatton campus.

The outcomes of the Biosecurity Management Plan are:

awareness of Biosecurity Acts and Regulations
staff, students and visitors are aware of biosecurity issues on the Gatton campus
staff, students and visitors know where to find information on procedures to manage biosecurity
staff, students and visitors know what to do in an emergency or notifiable event.

UQ Gatton Campus Biosecurity Management Plan (PDF, 1.6 MB)

Other campus-wide protocols

Find other biosecurity plans, procedures, guidelines and resources to ensure you minimise risk and work safely and legally with plants and animals at UQ Gatton.

School and unit protcols

UQ schools and units maintain specific protocols in relation to the management of plants and animals on campus.

Acts and regulations

All Queenslanders have a general biosecurity obligation to not spread a pest, disease or a contaminant.