Fight against Qld fire ant invasion into Tweed Shire ramps up
Environmental authorities are taking extreme measures to curb a ferocious fire ant invasion in northern NSW. This time – the whole community will be impacted. See what they’re planning.
Regional News
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Government-led environmental agencies are taking extreme measures to curb a ferocious fire ant invasion in northern NSW by treating every residential property within a 5km exclusion zone at Murwillumbah.
The plan undetaken by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the National Fire Ant Eradication Program comes after an extensive border blitz earlier this month where trucks transporting possible fire ant carrying materials were stopped and quarantined until cleared.
The DPI hopes to carry out the treatment as soon as possible, under the proviso consent forms are signed by homeowners.
In late November, five fire ant nests were found on a council-owned block on Quarry St, South Murwillumbah.
The nests have since been eradicated but the DPI say they are determined to “protect residents and businesses from the harmful impacts of this invasive pest”.
A biosecurity emergency order has since been issued, resulting in a 5km exclusion zone around the infested site.
The order restricts the movement of possible fire ant carrying materials including soil, hay, mulch, manure, quarry products, turf and potted plants.
National Fire Ant Eradication Program executive director Ashley Bacon said: “100 per cent of properties in the target area need to be treated, whether fire ants are visible or not.”
“Treatment will be conducted by our experienced staff members and is essential to protecting residents and businesses in the local community from the harmful impacts of this invasive pest,” he said.
“We need everyone to work with us and provide consent for our teams to come onto properties and complete vital eradication activities in a systematic and timely manner.”
Mr Bacon said the invasive pest “does not discriminate” and northern NSW was an “ideal habitat for them to thrive in”.
“Eradication treatment is our best and only option to eliminate them for good,” he said.
A QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries spokesperson said the fire ant treatment was “safe for people and animals and is approved by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).”
“It contains the same active ingredients commonly found in household and agricultural pest control products, but at a much lower concentration,” they said.
“Fire ant treatment is made up of small pieces of corn grit soaked in soybean oil and a low concentration of insect growth regulator. It is collected by foraging fire ants and prevents the queen from reproducing workers — if she cannot replenish her workforce, the colony will starve and naturally die out.”
The DPI’s Ian Turnbull said: “Fire ants can destroy our outdoor lifestyle, cause havoc for our farmers, and render our backyards, playgrounds, and parks to become unusable.”
Tweed Mayor Chris Cherry said “one missed nest could put our entire community and way of life at risk”.
“Treatment is the only proven way to eradicate fire ants — we must work as one to protect our residents, agriculture sector and local businesses from their irreversible damage,” she said.
Kill ‘em all: Govt agencies launch border blitz on ‘high-risk’ fire ants
December 8, 2023: NSW government agencies have implemented a border blitz in the fight to stop further spread of red imported fire ants into the state.
Operation Victa, a response to the invasive pest infiltrating the Tweed last month, is a joint effort between NSW Police and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
On November 24, imported red fire ants thought to have come from Queensland into NSW were found at a Tweed Shire Council industrial estate site in South Murwillumbah.
Five nests were found at the site and were eradicated by the DPI.
The operation will target “high risk vehicles hauling potential fire ant carrying materials” from Queensland, with drivers required to pull over where required along the Pacific Motorway (M1) for inspection and clearance.
The first wave of checks will be conducted at Chinderah at the weekend, just south of the Queensland-NSW border.
The operation will continue “at different locations and times for the duration of the response”, a DPI spokesperson said.
Those transporting fire ant carrier materials across the border are required to complete a Record of Movement declaration prior to departure.
High risk materials include agricultural and earthmoving equipment, mulch, compost, hay, soil, turf, or potting mix.
For those transporting these materials from the known infestation zone in Queensland, carriers will also need to comply with cleaning requirements, and lodge a biosecurity certificate.
NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said: “We all have a part to play in the effort to keep NSW fire ant free”.
“We’re reminding all those transporting fire ant carrier materials from Queensland into NSW, or from the NSW control zone, to complete a Record of Movement declaration prior to departure,” she said.
“If you’re from a Queensland known infested area, you’ll also need to lodge a Biosecurity Certificate.
“It’s a simple online form that takes a few minutes to fill out but gives us all the information we need to track high-risk material and stop the spread of fire ants.
“As part of the Operation Victa, DPI Biosecurity staff will make sure the Biosecurity Emergency Order is being followed and ensure we contain the movement of this high-risk pest.”
Last month amid the fire ant incursion in the region, leading Southern Cross University entomologist Nigel Andrew warned of the species’ “devastating” impacts.
“Fire ants are a very real threat. They have killed people (due to anaphylactic shock) in the US, wiped out livestock and have decimated entire native ecosystems,” he told NewsLocal.
Clarence National MP Richie Williamson said: “Without immediate action, this could become a biosecurity and economic nightmare for communities”.
The NSW government is urging businesses and residents in the Tweed Shire to be on the lookout for fire ants and their mounds.
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