Fire ant fight to go year-round as huge area set for treatment

Queensland’s war on fire ants is about to dramatically ramp up with an unprecedented year-round aerial assault using drones and helicopters over an area 400 times the size of Brisbane’s CBD.

The fight against fire ants is set to become year-round with an area 400 times the size of the Brisbane CBD earmarked for treatment by drones and helicopters.

The pests, rated one of the world’s worst invasive species, were recorded at several central Queensland coal mines earlier this year, more than 800km from the original southeast Queensland exclusion zone.

Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett confirmed on Saturday that the unprecedented aerial assault would include two new rounds of treatment targeting 106,000ha by mid-2026.

Until now the campaign has been seasonal.

The government announced a record $24m investment in the treatment campaign soon after coming into office.

Mr Perrett said that as a result “significant progress’’ had been made destroying ant colonies on larger properties across 212,000ha within the SEQ suppression zone.

“The aerial assault aims to drive down fire ant numbers inside containment lines to reduce the risk of ants from the suppression zone being moved to other parts of the state,” Mr Perrett said.

“We’ve supercharged our chances of rapidly reducing fire ant densities by up to 70 per cent and speeding eradication efforts.’’

He accused the former Labor government of “watching on’’ as fire ants broke containment lines in the past decade, allowing them to spread to more than 800,000ha.

Invasive Species Council’s Reece Pianta welcomed the new assault on the ants.

“Increased suppression work will protect people and animals, farms and back yards and help stop the spread of fire ants to other parts of Australia,’’ he said.

A small group of activists has opposed the campaign, claiming the chemicals used were toxic.

But experts said fire ant treatment was safe for people, pets and the environment.