Shock southern Coast find: Fire ants at school near big park
Fire ants have invaded a popular Gold Coast school next to a big city park, in what councillors warn is a terrifying scenario.
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Fire ants have invaded a popular Gold Coast school next to a big city park, in what councillors warn is a terrifying scenario showing the speed of their migration south.
Shocked councillor Pauline Young after being approached by concerned parents about nests at a school asked City officers about the protocol for State authorities to warn her.
“Miami State Primary school backs onto Pizzey Park which to me is a huge risk,” Cr Pauline Young told a lifestyle committee meeting on Tuesday.
“They apparently had two nests found, they brought in the (fire ant detection) dogs, identified where they were, they were treated.”
Councillors said the situation was a frightening development as only three years ago, fire ants were not predicted to reach Burleigh until 2024. They reached Nerang only last year.
About 15 concerned parents at a P&C meeting on Monday night approached Cr Young who admitted to being a “deer in the headlights” because State authorities had not contacted her.
Fire ant detection dogs would return in the next fortnight for a check, she said.
Lifestyle and Community director Alton Twine said councillors were informed if any nests were found on council land, and agreed they should know about other sites.
Lifestyle committee chair Hermann Vorster told councillors: “We need to request that the State Government be more proactive in terms of their communication.”
Cr Vorster recalled being in a meeting in 2020 where officers forecasted that fire ants would reach Burleigh by 2024.
“The State kind of laughed at that, at the comment. If they have arrived at Miami State School in 2023, I think our worst fears are being realised,” he said.
Councillor Mark Hammel said he was made aware by officers of up to five sports fields in his northern division in recent weeks which had major infestations.
Deputy Mayor Donna Gates said recent fire ant nests had been identified at Viney Park and Coomera Sports Park where sports clubs were later contacted.
“For years we have been suggesting their treatments be expanded to actually halt the progress to the south,” she said.
“And we just have seen that occur. It’s very disappointing given fire ants can actually climb up the legs of a cot into a baby’s bassinet.”
Cr Gates said she had read that the ants “attack your body at the one time” and “about hundred fire ants over a person’s body” can attack in one hit.
“They are very frightening and I think we probably underestimate the impact of fire ants. I think quite clearly the State has,” she said.
“Because I remember one of our former managers in parks and gardens saying it was the one thing that kept him awake at night.”
Cr Vorster told colleagues: “The terrifying thing about them, is they can be fatal as you say. They can effectively swim. They will build a raft out of themselves and some will sacrifice themselves on the bottom of the raft to travel over water. They can fly, and obviously travel along the ground as well. We have to beat them in the skies, in the sea and on land.”
Councillors backed Cr Vorster's recommendation that the City CEO Tim Baker write to Government bureaucrats seeking better updates on new ant infestations on State land.
A National Fire Ant Eradication Program spokesperson said residents in Mermaid Waters and surrounding suburbs should be on the lookout for fire ants after a detection in the area.
“A member of the public discovered 3 nests on the property and reported them to us at the National Fire Ant Eradication Program,” a spokesperson said.
“The nests have been destroyed and we are conducting further surveillance around the area to ensure there aren’t any more nests. Samples of these ants have been taken for further genetic testing.
“We have alerted Gold Coast City Council to the detection and will confirm it in writing as is usual practice.”
City officers last year after the ants had reached Nerang suggested a southern barrier approach, sending treatment kits out to residents at Arundel, Parkwood and Pacific Pines.
Mapping showed nests were found on 623 sites across 26 suburbs. The biosecurity zone only covered 17 suburbs in 2016.
The report to council said the red imported fire ant was first found in 2006 in Alberton and four years later at Ormeau. By 2016, 17 city suburbs — 24 per cent of the city area — were in the Biosecurity Zone.
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