Specialists available to answer questions on Fire Ant Movement Control Orders

Tweed Shire Council, Media Release, 27 November 2023

A special community information drop-in hub has been established to provide support to businesses and residents after red imported fire ants were detected at South Murwillumbah.

Located in front of Council administration office in Murwillumbah, the information hub is staffed by invasive pest specialists from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) who have the latest information on hand to answer any questions on the emergency order issued by the NSW Government.

The hub was set up at midday today and will be open as long as required.

Information on how to identify fire ants is available on the DPI website at www.dpi.gov.au/rifa.

The NSW Government yesterday issued a Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order, which puts in place a Fire Ant Movement Control Area within a 5 km radius of the nests found in the new industrial estate at South Murwillumbah.

Under this order, the movement of fire ant material out of this 5 km area is permitted under specific requirements.

Fire ant carrier material includes:

• organic mulch
• compost
• growing media
• manure
• soil and anything with soil on it
• hay
• potted plants
• turf
• agricultural equipment
• earth moving equipment
• mining and quarrying materials
• grass
• park and garden vegetation
• clippings.

Residents within this control area have a biosecurity duty not to spread fire ants as well as to report fire ants.

Tweed Shire Council is working closely with NSW DPI and National Fire Ant Eradication Program to lend support to the lead agencies.

Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry was pleased with the response and said Council would do all it could to assist in the response.

“We are very grateful for what has been a swift and professional on-ground response from the NSW DPI and National Fire Ant Eradication Program at the infected premises in South Murwillumbah – this was exactly what was needed,” Cr Cherry said.

“Now it is essential we get information out to the community, particularly those affected businesses within the 5 km exclusion zone, to assist them in letting them know what they can and cannot do under the emergency biosecurity order set by the NSW Government.

“We are particularly pleased to hear the community information bus is on site in front of Council Chambers in Murwillumbah and we will do everything we can to assist the agencies to get information out to businesses and residents.

“It is important businesses owners read the emergency order, including the definitions in the order, to see if they are directly affected. The order specifies the types of materials that are NOT allowed to be moved out of the 5km radius.

“This does not affect cattle or produce such as fruit and vegetables – but rather it affects anything that involves carriage of earth-related material.

“Council has offered our staff and whatever resources possible to support the DPI and assist local businesses as we work through this period of time together.”

Tweed Shire Council has been working closely with NSW DPI since fire ants were detected at Tallebudgera on the Gold Coast, close to the NSW-Queensland border, earlier this year.

For more information about red imported fire ants, visit the NSW DPI website.

Anyone who suspects fire ants on their property is urged not to disturb the nest but to report the activity to the NSW DPI by calling 1800 680 244 or visiting dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/forms/report-exotic-ants.

More detail on the National Fire Ant Eradication Program can be found online at fireants.org.au.