Gold Coast City Council can’t say when mosquito plague may end

Gold Coast residents have been driven from their backyards by swarms of mosquitoes and council can’t say when it might be able to overcome the plague.

GOLD Coast residents have been driven from their backyards by swarms of mosquitoes and the city council can’t say when it might be able to overcome the plague.

Gold Coast City Council has tasked its Pest Management Team to combat the “unusually high mosquito activity” as residents from suburbs across the coast cry for a speedy resolution.

The Bulletin has been inundated with comments from affected residents on its Facebook page.

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Gold Coast City Council has been fogging to reduce mosquito numbers in recent days, says councillor Kristyn Boulton, who shared this photo to Facebook.

“The worst Parkwood has been in the 23 years I have lived there. When did they spray? Do it again! It’s not working,” one woman wrote.

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Another woman wrote there was “so many little kids coming home” from kindergarten with “big welts on them from bites”.

Feeding mosquito with human blood

A parent with children at Merrimac State School also took issue with the sheer number of the bloodsucking parasites.

She said the situation in Merrimac — like many suburbs — was “ferocious”.

“The poor kids have to deal with this daily and are covered in welts from being constantly bitten. As a parent at school pick-up I have to look like a crazy woman swinging my arms around to keep them at bay and still get bitten,” she said.

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“We will have an epidemic of ross river fever here soon.”

Last year a Helensvale woman was diagnosed with Ross River virus and could no longer leave her home due to the number of mosquito bites.

Commenters mentioned suburbs including Alberton, Arundel, Coombabah, Coomera, Carrara, Helensvale, Labrador, Molendinar, Nerang, Oxenford, Palm Beach, Parkwood, Pacific Pines, Paradise Point, Runaway Bay and Woongoolga.

The council was asked when residents might see a successful reduction in mosquito numbers due to widespread eradication efforts, but a spokeswoman was unable to say.

“Council’s Pest Management Team has significantly increased mosquito control activities over the last fortnight particularly in the northern Gold Coast area,” she said.

The council asked residents to assist by taking steps to eliminate breeding sources themselves. (AAP IMAGE / Carmela Roche)

“While there have been some weather related delays, the control program is still addressing the worst affected areas successfully.

“Whilst areas close to tidal marshland and mangroves are continuing to experience nuisance mosquitoes, the current wet weather is also increasing the availability of breeding sites for freshwater species which adds to the problem.”

The council asked residents to assist by taking steps to eliminate breeding sources themselves.

“Residents are encouraged to make sure that of any receptacle which can hold water is either disposed of or emptied regularly to prevent breeding around the home or workplace,” the spokeswoman said.

The council said it will continue to constantly monitor known breeding sites.