Explore teacher resources and curriculum-linked activities for children to learn about biosecurity in Australia.
Teaching biosecurity in primary school builds awareness, responsibility and curiosity. It shows how everyday choices can make a difference.
Through storytelling and visual learning students develop an understanding of Australia’s borders, caring for the environment and how science works in the real world. All while being inspired to see themselves as Junior Biosecurity Officers.
Together we can build a team of Junior Biosecurity Officers.
Meet Junior Biosecurity Officers, Scout, Dusty, and Blaze. They take students through real-life biosecurity locations such as Melbourne International Airport, the Post-Entry Quarantine facility, and an International Mail Gateway Facility.
These experiences bring biosecurity to life. They help students understand how it protects Australia and how they can play a part. Explore biosecurity through virtual tours, interactive presentations and videos designed for young learners.
Australian Curriculum linked lesson plans guide students through different scenarios.
(Duration 1 min 18 secs)
On-screen images: Blaze (Speaker), an animated Junior Biosecurity Officer who is a dog pictured against a blurred background, gives an overview of biosecurity while images and footage of farms, luggage, mail articles, biosecurity officers and detector and a child walking with muddy shoes are shown on-screen.
Blaze: Hey everyone! I'm Blaze, your wise friend and a Junior Biosecurity Officer. I'm part of a team that helps keep Australia safe. Let's find out how.
Blaze (voiceover): Biosecurity is really important. It protects our farms, our food and our environment. Bio' means living things – like plants and animals – and 'Security' means keeping them safe.
Blaze (voiceover): The big challenge is stopping pests and diseases coming from overseas. They could make our plants and animals very sick. They can arrive in lots of ways, like hidden in people's luggage, in overseas mail, or even on things like dirty shoes.
Blaze (voiceover): That’s where biosecurity officers come in. They work at places like international airports and mail centres to check things carefully. They use special tools like X-ray machines and work with clever biosecurity detector dogs who can sniff out hidden threats.
Blaze (voiceover): You can help too by learning about biosecurity and becoming a Junior Biosecurity Officer like me. Tell your friends and family. Let’s work together to protect Australia.
Blaze: ‘Thanks for being a biosecurity champion! (Woofs)
(Duration 5 mins 55 secs)
This is the transcript of a real life and animated tour of the Melbourne Mail Gateway facility to help teachers introduce biosecurity concepts to primary school age children. This is part of a curriculum-aligned program for year 1-2 in Australian primary schools. Images on screen: Scout (Speaker 1), an animated Junior Biosecurity Officer who is a dog, stands in front of a conveyor belt for international mail items. Also on screen is Jess (Speaker 2), a Biosecurity Officer with a biosecurity detector dog on a leash.
[Video begins]
Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Scout. I'm a Junior Biosecurity Officer. Today I'm taking you behind the scenes at the Melbourne Gateway facility. You wouldn't believe the weird and whacky things people try to send to Australia in the mail. We're going to start on the conveyor belt. Everyday thousands of parcels and letters from around the world arrive here. They may look similar on the outside, but sometimes they can have bad things inside. Let's meet someone who knows all about sniffing out these sneaky items. Hi, what's your name and what do you do here?
Speaker 2: Hi, Scout. I'm Jess, a biosecurity detector dog handler. My job is to work with my detector dog, Xanthi to sniff out items that could contain exotic pests and diseases. Did you know a biosecurity detector dog's nose is so powerful it can smell things we can't even see? Biosecurity detector dogs can sniff out a single seed hidden deep inside a parcel.
Speaker 1: Wow, it sounds like a serious job. What kinds of things are you looking for?
Speaker 2: Great question. Xanthi is trying to find things like food, seeds, plants, meat and even insects. Things that might seem OK but could be really bad.
Speaker 1: Like what?
Speaker 2: We've seen sausages wrapped in socks and even big wheels of cheese. People don't always realise, but these items can carry serious pests and diseases that could harm our farms, animals or native plants.
Speaker 1: Sausages in socks, my two favourite things. I can't believe someone would send that in the mail though.
Speaker 2: Yes, we could hardly believe it. That's why we check the mail carefully, but we don't do it alone. There's a whole team of us and we have technology to help too.
Speaker 1: Check this out. It's the X-ray area. Biosecurity Officers use the X-ray machine to screen mail and look for risky items to see if they need to check them. The X-ray machine gives officers a bit of a sneak peek inside. If something doesn't look right, they pull it aside for a closer look. So what happens when the Biosecurity Officer spots something that doesn't look right?
Speaker 2:
That's when they take it to the inspection area. Want to come see what happens there?
Speaker 1: This is the inspection area where Biosecurity Officers are hard at work to help keep Australia safe. So, Jess, what happens next?
Speaker 2: Biosecurity Officers check suspicious items. If we find something that's not allowed, it's either treated, sent back or destroyed.
Speaker 1: Whoa. So, what if someone sends something like a plant from overseas?
Speaker 2: That plant could carry something like Xylella Fastidiosa.
Speaker 1: Xylella what? That sounds like a magic spell.
Speaker 2: Xylella fastidiosa. Yeah, and it's also difficult to spell. It's one of the world's worst plant diseases. And if it spread to Australia, it could hurt lots of food plants like grapes, olives and even fruit and nut trees.
Speaker 1: Whoa, so one tiny plant could be so bad. That's wild. What's the weirdest thing you've ever found?
Speaker 2: Hmm. People sometimes try to send fresh fruit in the mail.
Speaker 1: Haha what? That's bananas.
Speaker 2: It sure is. That's why we open and inspect anything suspicious. It's serious work and every day is different. Mail may seem small but as you have learned it could cause big problems. Biosecurity is all about protecting Australia's unique plants, animals and way of life.
Speaker 1: Thanks for showing us around today, Jess. You and Xanthi are real heroes, sniffing out trouble before it can come into Australia.
Speaker 2: Thanks Scout, you've got a good eye for learning. Keep up the good work.
Speaker 1: Everyday officers here check thousands of parcels and letters. It's a big job but super important. Even one tiny seed or bug can cause massive problems. Imagine if a bad disease got into our orchards, or if a sneaky seed grew into a plant that took over native bushland. That's why biosecurity really matters. It's not just about mail, it's about protecting our farms, our animals and even our playgrounds. Let's see if you remember what we've learned.
When you think you know the answer, I'd love for you to say it out loud.
Should people check the rules before they send meat to Australia? Yes.
Should people check the rules before they send seeds or plants to Australia? Yes.
Should people tell the truth about what they are sending to Australia? Definitely.
OK, so let's go over some rules to share:
Remember friends, tell your friends and family overseas about biosecurity rules. Check the rules before you order things online like food or plants. This will help keep Australia safe. That's it from me, Scout. Junior Biosecurity Officer signing off with a high 5.
[Video ends]
Students will follow Scout, Blaze and Dusty through an engaging narrative. This is based on real international mail centre screening processes.
Students will learn how incoming mail is checked.
The PowerPoint includes quizzes, activities and a virtual tour inside a real international mail centre.
If you are not able to access these files, email biosecurity.education@aff.gov.au for assistance.
Students will follow Scout, Blaze and Dusty through an engaging narrative. This is based on real international airport passenger screening processes.
Students will learn how incoming passengers are checked.
The PowerPoint includes quizzes, activities and a virtual tour inside the Melbourne international airport, featuring a real biosecurity officer.
If you are not able to access these files, email biosecurity.education@aff.gov.au for assistance.
(Duration 5 mins 09 secs)
This is the transcript of a real life and animated tour of an International Airport to help teachers introduce biosecurity concepts to primary school age children. This is part of a curriculum-aligned program for year 3-4 in Australian primary schools. Images on screen: Dusty (Speaker 1), an animated Junior Biosecurity Officer who is a dog, is pictured in the international arrivals hall at Melbourne International Airport before moving to the X-ray area to speak with a Biosecurity Officer (Speaker 2), then going on to meet another Biosecurity Officer (Speaker 3) who is a Detector Dog Handler.
[Video begins]
Speaker 1: Hi everyone, I'm Dusty. I'm a Junior Biosecurity Officer. Welcome to the international arrivals hall, where some bags are mysteries waiting to be solved. Every day, thousands of travellers arrive in Australia. Some pack beach towels, books and souvenirs. Others might carry things that could cause big problems for our country. Even though I'm small, I have a huge job helping protect Australia from pests and diseases that try to sneak in from overseas. A single banana, a leftover sandwich, a souvenir or mud on shoes from a hiking trip can carry pests or diseases that could harm our farms, wildlife and even people's health. Come on, let's investigate.
There's so much to discover. Look at all these bags. They look the same from the outside, but we don't know what could be hidden inside. People generally do the right thing, but it is important for us to investigate when things aren't quite right or help if people don't know what to do. This protects Australia and our way of life. Hi there, what do you look for in those bags?
Speaker 2: Hi Dusty, We're looking for anything that may not be allowed like fresh food, seeds, meat, or animal products. Even wooden souvenirs can carry pests hiding inside cracks.
Speaker 1: So it's not just what's on the outside that matters.
Speaker 2: Exactly. Some things can be hidden deep inside. That's why we use X-rays to help us find what we can't see with our own eyes.
Speaker 1: I wish I had X-ray vision. Now meet one of my buddies, a biosecurity detector dog. Biosecurity detector dogs are trained to sniff out over 200 different things. Cheese, eggs, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables and even flowers.
Speaker 3 (a Biosecurity Officer and Detector Dog Handler):
Every day we do a health check, have a little walk, and then start screening bags together. My buddy here sniffs bags, pockets, backpacks, and anything that could carry risky items. We take breaks, drink water, and do extra training to stay in top form.
Speaker 1: That sounds like a big job.
Speaker 3: It's a big responsibility, but we love it. It's all about the teamwork between dog and handler.
Speaker 1: Did you know dogs can smell up to 100,000 times better than humans? That means while a person might smell a cheeseburger, our biosecurity detector dogs can smell every ingredient inside, especially the meat. Some things might look OK, but they can carry pests and diseases. That includes meat and jerky, fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs and seeds, wooden souvenirs, dirty shoes with soil or mud. One tiny pest can cause huge problems. A single bug or its eggs hidden in fruit could spread fast and destroy our crops. One plant disease could wipe out an entire industry, like bananas or grapes.
Let's play a quick game. I'll show you some things people might pack you guess if you should you declare it:
Apple? Declare. Wooden souvenir? Declare. Clean shoes? No need, but check for soil or mud. Sandwich from the plane? Declare. Packet of seeds? Declare.
Great job. When in doubt, always declare. And remember, all food served on board the plane should be left on board. Do not take it with you. So, what should you do if you're not sure about something in your bag? Declare it. That means telling a Biosecurity Officer and ticking the box on your incoming passenger card. Declaring doesn't mean you're in trouble, it just means we can check your things and make sure it's safe. Sometimes you get to keep it, sometimes we need to take it away and either send it back or destroy it. But either way, you've helped keep Australia safe.
So, let's recap. What is biosecurity? It's about keeping Australia safe, our environment, our animals and our people. It's about stopping pests and diseases before they get in. It's a team effort by biosecurity detector dogs, Biosecurity Officers and travellers all working together. Whether it's your snacks, your shoes, your souvenirs or something else in your suitcase, you can help. Be safe, pack smart and remember, when in doubt, declare it. Thanks for helping keep Australia safe. This is Dusty, Junior Biosecurity Officer, signing off with a high five.
[Video ends]
(Duration 4 mins 57 secs)
This is the transcript of a real life and animated tour of the Post Entry Quarantine facility helps teachers introduce biosecurity concepts to primary school age children. This is part of a curriculum-aligned program for year 5-6 in Australian primary schools. Images on screen: Blaze, an animated Junior Biosecurity Officer who is a dog, stands out the front of Australia’s Post Entry Quarantine facility (PEQ), before going inside to meet with Biosecurity Officers (Speakers 3).
[Video begins]
Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Blaze, I'm a Junior Biosecurity Officer. Welcome to the Post Entry Quarantine facility or PEQ for short. This is a very special place where animals and plants from other countries spend time in quarantine to make sure, they're healthy and safe before they can be released into Australia. Why do we need a place like this? Well, some pests and diseases are so tiny you can't even see them with your eyes. So, we need to keep them away from other plants and animals while we check them.
Even healthy-looking animals or plants can carry unwanted bugs. We call these hitchhikers. We don't want those hitchhikers sneaking into Australia and causing problems for our environment, farms or pets. First, let's check out where the animals stay. This is the dog compound. The dogs have comfy beds, toys, and even a play area for exercise. Hi there. What's your job here at the PEQ?
Speaker 2: Hi, Blaze. I'm a Biosecurity Officer. I take care of cats and dogs while they're staying with us. We feed them, play with them, and keep things clean and safe.
Speaker 1: Wow, it sounds like you really care about the animals.
Speaker 2: We do. We want them to feel comfortable while we make sure that they're healthy. Then they can be reunited with their families. We check that every animal has had the right vaccinations and treatments. We also look for diseases like rabies, which we don't have in Australia, and we really want to keep it that way.
Speaker 1: That's a big responsibility.
Speaker 2: It is, but it's worth it to protect Australia.
Speaker 1: Now let's see where the plants are. This area is a real science laboratory. Before anyone goes in, they have to put on a lab coat, wash their hands and clean their shoes just like this. Why do we have to be so careful in here?
Speaker 3: We're protecting Australia from plant pests and diseases. Some bugs or microbes can hide inside leaves, roots or even the tiniest speck of soil. Some plants stay in quarantine for years. We use lab tests and keep an eye on them to make sure they're safe.
Speaker 1: That's a lot of work.
Speaker 3: It is, but it's important. We look after all sorts of plants: grapes, berries, flowers, trees. They're from all over the world.
Speaker 1: Did you know some of the tiniest plant pests can travel thousands of kilometres hidden in a single leaf? That's why scientists here are always on the lookout for clues. I like to think of them as plant detectives. So why do we do all this? Because we want to protect Australia's farms, native plants and animals from pests and diseases that could cause big problems. Imagine if a tiny bug slipped through and ruined our apple or strawberry farms, or hurt our bees and we couldn't buy honey. Or if a sneaky fungus got in and wiped out special native plants. Biosecurity is about keeping all of us safe now and in the future.
Let's play a quick game. I'll show you some things that have arrived from other countries. You guess; Do they need to be quarantined at the PEQ?
Dogs and cats? Yes. Horses? Yes. Plants? Yes. Soccer ball? Nope.
Bees? Yes.
Great job! So, what have we learned? Quarantine is about keeping plants and animals separate while they are checked for pests and diseases. Whether it's a cuddly puppy, a cute cat or a fruit tree, everything that comes through the PEQ is checked carefully. All of this helps to protect our farms, our families and our future. And remember, biosecurity doesn't just happen here at the PEQ. We all have a role to play. If you're travelling, gardening or caring for animals and something doesn't seem right, ask an adult to report anything strange and declare what you're bringing in from your holiday. Thanks for helping keep Australia safe. This is Blaze Junior Biosecurity Officer signing off with a high five.
[Video ends]
Students will follow Scout, Blaze and Dusty through an engaging narrative. They will learn how to protect Australia from pests and diseases.
Students will learn how pets and plants move into Australia safely.
The PowerPoint includes quizzes, activities and a virtual tour inside a Post Entry Quarantine facility.
If you are not able to access these files, email biosecurity.education@aff.gov.au for assistance.
Bio – means living, like a person, an animal or plant.
Security – means to keep things safe.
Biosecurity is how Australia protects its people, plants, animals and environment from harmful pests, diseases and weeds. Because Australia is an island nation, strong biosecurity helps keep our unique ecosystems safe and supports our food, farming and trade. Simple actions—like checking what comes in the mail or declaring items at the border—play a big role in protecting our country.
Do you love animals, nature and solving mysteries?
Explore activities, learn about biosecurity and become a Junior Biosecurity Officer today. Australia needs you!
Activities Include:
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