Gold Coast Titans join forces with new program as they prepare for the cities biggest battle

The Gold Coast Titans biggest fight won’t come on field this season, instead their biggest challenge is a six legged insect.

The Gold Coast Titans biggest fight won’t come on field this season, instead their biggest challenge is a six legged insect.

The Titans have joined forces with the National Fire Ant Eradication Program as the nasty insect makes its way down the South-East Queensland coast into New South Wales.

Chairman Dennis Watt said the Titans are determined to work with the program to stop Fire Ants effectively.

“The fire ants are normally destructive in terms of our agriculture, our sporting fields, our playing fields,” Watt said.

The Gold Coast Titans have joined forces with the National Fire Ant Eradication Program. Picture: Supplied

“This is very much an education program to raise awareness.

“The idea is that we all work together, that we have done in the past to eradicate this menace.

“But to certainly do it by 2032 by the time the Olympics come around.

“We do need people to be aware and it is going to take a whole of a community approach.”

Originally from South America, fire ants were first detected in Brisbane in February 2001.

There are many types of ants species found in Australia but only the Solenopsis invicta (fire ant) qualifies as an invasive fire ant.

Despite being here for 23 years, Watt said now is the most appropriate time to join forces.

“The fire ants have actually crossed the border (now),” Watt said.

“There is a threat there that will become a national challenge issue.

“We have come together a partnership to stop it as best we can.”

National Fire Ant Eradication Program executive Ashley Bacon said the community effort is how they can stop this.

“Like the Titans, we need the community behind us,” Bacon said.

“We are going to need the whole community effort to eradicate this pest.

“So we are asking people to sit up, take notice and lean in to help eradicate this pest from the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales.

“We work on a containment area around the south east corner of Queensland and methodically working our way in to eradicate the pest.”