Fire ants cross border from Qld to NSW for the first time as hope for eradication fades

Hopes of stopping the fire ant invasion are fading after the destructive insects were discovered crossing the border into NSW from Queensland for the first time.

Destructive fire ants have been detected in New South Wales for the first time, in a catastrophic incursion of the pest from Queensland that could spell the end for hopes of eradication forever.

The New South Wales agriculture department on Saturday confirmed three fire ants nests had been located in South Murwillumbah, 13 km south of the Queensland border.

Experience teams have been deployed in a bid to chemically eradicate the infestation across a 200m radius from where they were found.

NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the government was prepared for the discovery of fire ants in northern NSW and had immediately implemented the response plan, which was part of a $600m national program.

Businesses and residents within the perimeter are now restricted in how they can move potential fire ant carrier materials without permission. The movement of mulch, woodchips, compost, sand, gravel, soil, hay and other baled products are restricted.

Fire ants are dark reddish-brown with a darker black-brown abdomen and are from two to six millimetres long.

NSW authorities and detection dogs are working on determining the extent of the infestation, undertaking genetic testing of the fire ants, and searching all properties within the control radius.

Australia’s National Fire Ant Eradicaton program is based in Queensland.

A recent review of the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication program warned all hopes would be “lost forever” if the pest jumped the Queensland border into New South Wales.

The industry-decimating super pest would spread uncontrollably across the country in a major threat to backyards and the agriculture sector once it breached Queensland’s containment walls.

The report, written in August 2021 but only released in June 2023, noted fire ants were marching 5km a year and were “now only 23km north of the New South Wales border”.

The tiny ants are a huge problem. Picture: Barry Rice

As of June 2023, an incursion of the ant was found 11.6km from the NSW border.

In October the ants were 5.5km from the border. As of Saturday they were 13km into New South Wales.

“If (the ant) moves out of SEQ, the Review Panel considers, based on overseas experience, that any hope of eradication will be lost forever,” the report noted.

“And ongoing costs for all Australian jurisdictions and for rural and urban industries and communities will be far higher than the current or proposed program.”

Invasive Species Council spokesman Reece Pianta said the window on eradication “had almost closed”.

The peak body is calling for authorities to immediately and urgently review funding to the eradication program, taking into consideration escalating costs due to inflation and the need to beef up the program now the ants are in NSW.

“Even if we spend more now, it’s cheaper than having to live with fire ants forever,” Mr Pianta said.

It’s understood the nests were located on a council-owned vacant lot on Quarry Rd, South Murwillumbah, which was part of a new industrial estate.

Federal agriculture minister Murray Watt “encouraged” the remaining jurisdiction to jump on board the eradication program, which involves each state putting forward a certain amount of funding.

Nationals leader and federal opposition agriculture spokesman David Littleproud said it had been “obvious for some time” the funding for the eradication program was not going to be enough.

“The Commonwealth should have been showing leadership on this issue but continued to drag the chain,” he said.

“This latest development shows fire ants could now spread through the whole country.”

NSW Nationals leader and Opposition Agriculture spokesman Dugald Saunders said the incursion was “extremely concerning”.

“In early August I joined a diverse group of farmers on the border at Tweed Heads to call for a proper eradication plan to be enacted,” he said.

“But sadly we haven’t seen that happen, and now we have the worst possible outcome.”

“What we have now is a case of too little too late, and NSW will now have to deal with the consequences.”

The federal government in October announced a desperately needed $268m funding boost for the fire ant eradication program.

Pustules resulting from fire ant stings. Picture: University of Georgia

Agriculture ministers, at a July meeting in Perth, agreed in principle to a new four-year fire ant strategy, starting with $133m this financial year to ring-fence the entire infested area for treatment and surveillance.

The federal government’s latest injection of funds covers its portion of this deal, with Senator Watt adding it “sets the stage for all states and territories to deliver their share”.

New South Wales and Queensland have forked out their share.

The $268m a year, or $67m annually, will go toward expanding the program by 350 new workers, building a new depot, buying new vehicles and signing new aerial eradication contracts.

It will help buy 1400 tonnes of bait a year and allow the treatment and surveillance area to be doubled.

The Red Imported Fire Ant, native to South America, was first detected in Queensland in 2001.