Businesses and residents in the northeast corner of NSW are reminded to remain vigilant following the detection of fire ants at Currumbin Waters, approximately 1.2km from the NSW/QLD border.
The National Fire Ant Eradication Plan (NFAEP) has notified the NSW Government of the positive fire ant detection at Currumbin Waters, Queensland.
Following a report from the public, the nest was diagnosed as positive for fire ants and a team from the NFAEP destroyed the nest shortly after the detection.
This detection will invoke movement controls within a 5 km radius of the site and thereby involves a mix of QLD and NSW territories on either side of the border.
This has led to the NSW Government needing to issue a Biosecurity (fire ants) Emergency Order within that 5kn radius that covers south of the border.
The NSW Government is working closely with the National eradication team and QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The small, impacted section of NSW covers the surrounds of Piggabeen and Cobaki that are now for precautionary measures classified as a fire ant infested area.
Movement of fire ant carrier materials – soil, mulch, turf and hay – out of this part of NSW is now regulated under the Emergency Order and may require a Record of Movement Declaration and a Plant Health Certificate.
The NSW Government is working closely with the National team to prevent red imported fire ants from entering NSW, and ultimately eradicating the pest from Australia.
Around $600 million has been allocated to this fight, with the NSW Government topping it up by $95 million in 2023.
The state’s response plan is working with swift and effective actions such as inspecting any reports of suspicious ants or eradicating found fire ant sites.
Of the 572 reports of suspicious ants to the NSW Government’s hotline, all have been determined as not fire ants except for two – South Murwillumbah in November 2023 and Ballina in January this year.
Following those nests’ destruction, extensive ongoing surveillance revealed no further evidence of fire ants in NSW.
