General News
17 May, 2024
Biosecurity zone order placed on Oakey
A fire ant biosecurity zone will be established, with broadscale eradication treatment beginning within a 5 km radius of the 80 nests found at the Oakey Army Aviation Centre.
The fire ant biosecurity zones apply to anyone who deals with organic materials that can carry fire ants, sourced from within the zones. This includes soil, hay, mulch, manure, quarry products, turf, and potted plants.
This means that residents and business located in the Oakey fire ant biosecurity zone are legally required (outlined in the Biosecurity Regulation 2016) to:
• check the fire ant biosecurity zones regularly and follow associated movement control orders
• use fire ant-safe practices before transporting materials originating from within the zones.
People purchasing organic materials produced within the zone will also be required to ask their suppliers if these materials have been produced, processed, and stored using fire ant- safe practices.
Failing to check the fire ant biosecurity zones or the associated movement controls can lead to financial penalties, temporary business closures, and legal implications.
Fire ant eradication treatment will also start in Oakey from next week. This will involve aerial treatment, using fixed-wing aircraft, followed by targeted treatment on smaller and residential properties.
All targeted properties must be treated multiple times to ensure eradication success.
The treatment products used are safe for humans, animals and pets, and approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.
They contain the same active ingredients as those found in household and agriculture pest control products.
The National Fire Ant Eradication Program is also responding to a new detection in MeringandanWest, Toowoomba.
Two suspect nests were located by the Program’s odour detection dog team on Tuesday 14 May.
The team was in the area conducting surveillance as part of compliance tracing activities. The tracing is not linked to the recent detection in Oakey.
Both nests have been treated using liquid insecticide.
Whilst this new detection is concerning, it demonstrates that the decision to strengthen the national program’s compliance function to address spread through human-assisted movement was the right one.
Field teams were on site yesterday and are there again today conducting eradication activities to ensure all nests are located and if necessary, treated.
Residents and businesses in Meringandan West are encouraged to join the fight by looking for and reporting any suspect nests or ants.
Fire ants are copper brown in colour and have a darker abdomen.
They measure 2–6 millimeters in length with a variety of sizes found in each nest.
Fire ant nests appear as mounds or patches of loose soil and have no obvious entry or exit holes.
Fire ants are attracted to disturbed soil and can be transported through human-assisted movement of organic materials.
This is the greatest risk to their spread and can have devasting impacts on our environment, economy, human and animal health, and our outdoor way of life.
