Updated 21 July 2003.
Although we are winning the battle against fire ants, the war is far from over. The big challenge ahead of us is finding those few infestations that may be out there beyond the current known areas. And we need your help! Click on the logo to find out more...
View the latest media releases from the Fire Ant Control Centre.
Following the detection of several small fire ant infestations, new areas have been added to those currently subject to Movement Restrictions on materials with a high risk of transporting fire ants. The new areas are in Pullenvale, Bundamba / Ebbw Vale, Kingston, and Heritage Park. Detailed maps of the Restricted Areas can be viewed on the Movement Controls pages.
The period for fire ant treatment is determined by soil temperatures. With the onset of Winter, broad scale treatment has been suspended until the return of suitable condtions in Spring 2003. Any new infestations detected before Spring will be treated individually.
Windaroo Valley State High School, in association with DPI, have developed an excellent interactive fire ant website specifically for use as a resource for schools in Study of Society and Environment (SOSE). The site has been designed to allow students to access information at a number of different levels, making it suitable for a wide range of grades. It also includes teacher resources such as question sheets, activities etc.
Videos on the site require Quicktime to view, which you can download for free.
Other fire ant lesson plans, activites, games and fun stuff for schools are also available on the School Stuff/Cool Stuff pages.
Up to 3,000 Australians will face severe reactions to fire ant stings by 2030 if the pest is not eradicated, new research suggests. The reasearch indicates people who do not usually react to stings may have potential to be allergic to fire ants. View more information on this topic.
Updated 14 July 2003
Number of infested properties: 1,154
Total treatment area: 40,515 hectares
Number of treatment rounds completed: Season two of treatment commenced 16 Sept. 2002. Round 8 completed 27th May. Treatment is now on hold until Spring 2003
Areas currently being treated: (July 2003)
Ground treatment:
Broad scale treatment is now finished until Spring 2003. You can view a list of suburbs in the treatment area here.
Aerial treatment:
| N/A |
Total surveillance area: 44,230 hectares
Areas currently being surveyed: (July 2003):
Shorncliffe
Boronia Heights
Chelmer
Chermside
Crestmead
Deebing
Eight Mile Plains
Greenbank
Lyons
Mt Crosby
Nathan
New Beith
Nundah
Park Ridge
Pullenvale
Ripley
South Ripley
Wakerley
Wellington Point
Number of businesses on Approved Risk Management Plans: 2,348
Total fire ant calls to date: 80,461
Visits to Fire Ants website (since August 2001): 109,491
July 2003
| When | What |
Where |
Time |
| Fri 4th - Sun 6th | Display | Qld Home & Garden Expo, Nambour Showgrounds, Nambour | 9.00am- 5.00pm |
| Fri 18th - Sun 20th | Display | Farm Fantastic, Pumicestone Rd, Caboolture | 9.00am- 5.00pm |
| Sun 20th | Display | Mountains to Mangroves Festival, 7th Brigade Park, cnr Gympie & Murphy's Rd. Chermside | 9.00am - late |
| Sat 26th | Display | Bunnings Hardware, Wecker Rd, Mt Gravatt | 8.00am - 2.00pm |
| Sat 26th | Display | Indooroopilly Shopping Town, Moggill Rd, Indooroopilly | 9.00am - 5.00pm |
| Sun 27th | Display | Bunnings Hardware, Wecker Rd, Mt Gravatt | 9.00am - 2.00pm |
| Sun 27th | Display | Indooroopilly Shopping Town, Moggill Rd, Indooroopilly | 9.00am -5.00pm |
| Sun 27th | Display | Shopping Centre, cnr Scrub Rd & Old Cleveland Rd, Carindale | 10.30am - 3.00pm |
| Sun 27th | Display | Chandler Markets, Tilley Rd, Chandler | |
| Sun 27th | Display | Eagleby South State School Community Day, River Hills Rd, Eagleby | 10.00am - 4.00pm |
| Tues 29th | Display | Central Railway Station, Brisbane | 7.00am - 9.00am |
| Tues 29th | Display | Wynnum North Shopping Centre, Wynuum North Rd, Wynnum Rd | 9.00am - 11.00am |
| Wed 30th | Display | Queen St Mall, Brisbane | 11.00am - 1.00pm |
| Thurs 31st | Display | Redbank Plains shopping centre | 8.30am - 9.00pm |
| Thurs 31st | Display | Ipswich City Mall, Ipswich | 10.30am - 12.30pm |
August 2003
| When | What |
Where |
Time |
| Fri 1st | Display | Roma St Railway Station, Roma St, Brisbane | 7.00am- 9.00am |
| Fri 1st | Display | Morningside Central Shopping Centre, Cnr Wynnum & Junctions Rds, Morningside | 10.00am - 1.00pm |
| Sat 2nd | Display | Leichardt Park, Ipswich | 10.00am - 3.00pm |
| Sat 2nd | Display | IGA Shopping Centre, Old Celvelnad Rd, Carina | 11.00am - 3.00pm |
| Sat 2nd | Display | Westpac bank, Edith St & Bay Terrace, Wynnum | 11.00am - 3.00pm |
| Sun 3rd | Fire ant watch group activity | Grandview Place Park , Grandview Place, Carindale | 10.00am - 12.00pm |
| Thurs 7th - Sat 16th | Display | Brisbane Ekka, Horticultural Pavillion, RNA Showgrounds, Bowen Hills | 8.00am - 9.00pm |