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Tweed Shire Council is throwing its support behind efforts to eradicate fire ants from the Tweed, urging landowners to provide consent for treatment to go ahead on their properties.
The National Fire Ant Eradication Program (NFAEP) is set to start extensive aerial treatment across targeted properties in Murwillumbah – and must access 100% of properties to ensure eradication success.
Expected to get underway within days, weather permitting, the aerial program will see helicopters conduct eradication treatment on larger parcels of land where landowners have provided consent. It will complement on-the-ground eradication activities being undertaken on smaller residential properties in Murwillumbah.
No treatment is able to take place – either via aerial means or by persons on the ground – without the consent of property owners.
Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry said it was vital the Tweed community supports the fire ant treatment being undertaken by the NFAEP with the support of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI).
“We have seen great efforts from the jurisdictions involved to educate the public about fire ants and fire ant treatment, now is the time to support teams in delivering this vital treatment,” Cr Cherry said.
“Treatment is the only proven way to eradicate fire ants – we must work together to protect our community, agriculture sector and local businesses from their irreversible damage.
“I urge all landowners in the eradication treatment area to provide consent and let treatment teams in so the National Fire Ant Eradication Program can do their job.”
Local cane grower David Bartlett – who chairs Council’s Rural Land Industry Management Committee and whose own property is within the targeted eradication area – agreed.
“It is imperative that as a community we do all we can to prevent the spread of fire ants in the Tweed,” Mr Bartlett said.
“While it is pleasing no new fire ant nests have been detected in the Tweed since the first infestation at South Murwillumbah last year, we have to do everything we can to encourage community participation in the baiting program.
“We are extremely concerned about the significant impact fire ants could have on our environment, to farming businesses, outdoor recreation activities and human and animal health if they established here.
“There is still a lot of misunderstanding about what is allowable, and I just urge farmers and other businesses to spend the time to familiarise themselves with the restrictions and to allow treatment on their properties.”
Human-assisted spread presents a major risk of further incursions of fire ants across the border and some materials cannot be moved without treatment and certification.
Eli Szandala, Sustainable Agriculture Program Leader at Council, emphasised the urgency of the situation.
“It's critical that individuals and businesses understand the requirements on movement of materials such as soil, turf, plants, baled hay and mulch from out of southeast Queensland and the 5km infestation area around South Murwillumbah,” Mr Szandala said.
The Rural Land Industry Management Committee (RLIMC) recently met with representatives from the NFAEP and NSW DPI to receive an update on the fire ant infestation detected at South Murwillumbah in November last year.
For information about the fire ant treatment program, visit fireants.org.au/south-murwillumbah-fire-ant-detection.
For more information about movement requirements at Murwillumbah, Piggabeen and Cobaki and guidance on how to identify and report suspected sightings of fire ants, visit dpi.nsw.gov.au/rifa.
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