Come clean, go clean

Help stop the spread of disease-causing pathogens, weeds and insect pests threatening our parks. Weed seeds can be carried in pockets, cuffs, attached to Velcro and in our camping equipment. Viruses, bacteria and fungi are carried in soil and can be on vehicles, bicycles, footwear and gear. Some fishing bait may carry diseases which can get in our waterways. Follow these tips to help stop their spread:

Clean footwear and equipment before your visit

  • Clean all soil off footwear, hiking poles, wheels, clothing, backpacks and other gear every time you enter or leave a natural area.

Clean footwear when going in and out of the park

  • Use the footwear cleaning stations where provided and follow the instructions.

Stay on walking tracks

  • Keep to tracks and formed roads particularly in wet conditions when some pathogens are most active.

If an area is closed do not enter

  • Areas may need to be closed (temporarily or permanently) where unhealthy/dying plants are dangerous to visitors, or where the risk of spreading the disease from or to an area is high.

Keep a spare set of shoes and footwear cleaning kit in your vehicle

  • Avoid spreading potentially contaminated soil inside your vehicle by having an extra set of footwear for the drive home.
  • Carry a footwear cleaning kit consisting of a brush, a spray bottle of diluted methylated spirits, and plastic bags for gear that can’t be cleaned on-site.

Purchase gear that is easy to clean

  • Use rubber feet on hiking poles to minimise the amount of soil they pick up.
  • When buying new footwear, consider how easy they will be to clean.

Wheeled equipment and vehicles pose a high risk

  • Soil is readily trapped in the wheels of prams, bikes, vehicles and tracked machinery. Clean these thoroughly before moving from one area to another.

Check your bait

Make sure you are pest free when visiting the Great Barrier Reef islands

  • Isolation and the small size of many islands make them vulnerable to pest impacts. Read our be pest-free (PDF, 573.6KB) fact sheet to find out what you can do when visiting these precious islands.

Read more about some of the threats to plants and wildlife: