Clarence Valley residents can download a free mobile device application which provides them with fast, reliable, accurate, and current information about Biosecurity emergencies across NSW, including the nearby Fire Ant invasion.
Developed by the NSW Government Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the BioResponse NSW app, allows property owners to get immediate information about how they will be affected, and what they should and shouldn’t do.
One of the most immediate, serious threats in the Northern Rivers region is the Red Imported Fire Ants, which have the ability to decimate agriculture and industry, costing billions annually if they are not controlled.
Native to South America, the dark reddish-brown ants with a darker brown-black abdomen vary from 2 to 6mm for worker ants, while the Bull Ant may be up to 30mm long.
They are aggressive, swarming in large numbers and repeatedly stinging if their nests, which range from flat patches to mounds of soil up to 40cm with no obvious entry or exit holes, are disturbed.
Red Imported Fire Ants have been detected in NSW at Murwillumbah and Wardell, about 50km from the Clarence Valley Local Government area border.
Fire ants can fly up to 5km or more, form rafts to float on water, and travel over or under the ground.
The most common method of spreading these highly invasive pests over long distances is through the transportation of Fire Ant carrier material.
Last November, Fire Ants were detected in turf on a vehicle that was intercepted at Clunes, just 18km from Lismore.
A suspension on the movement of turf from the Queensland Fire Ant infested area will stand until investigations and compliance activities into the Clunes interception and broader considerations of the effectiveness of fire ant treatments in turf are complete.
To prevent the spread of Fire Ants into NSW from the increasing Queensland infested area of Lower Tenthill, Ma Ma Creek, Placid Hills, Townson, Veradilla, Winwill, Beechmont, and Witheren, plus a new outlier infestation at North Arm, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development issued the Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order (No. 1) 2025 on January 28.
The Biosecurity Emergency Order prevents the movement of Fire Ant carriers including heavy vehicles, agricultural and horticultural equipment, earth moving equipment, pallets, packaging, containers and covers, building waste, green waste, mulch, soil, compost and manure, growing media, soil samples, hay, silage and chaff, turf, potted plants, indoor potted plants, excavated plants and stumps, sand, rocks and stones, recycled concrete aggregate, coal fines and chitters (under 20mm diameter), rocks and stones, recycled concrete aggregate (over 20mm diameter) from the Fire Ant infested area in Queensland into NSW.
To download the BioResponse NSW App visit the Apple App Store or Google Play.
For more information about Red Imported Fire Ants visit https://www. dpi.nsw.gov.au/dpi/bfs/ insect-pests/rifa.
This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 5 February 2025.
