The NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty has announced that the fire ants site detected late on Friday 19 January south of Ballina has today been destroyed and is no longer a risk to the community living in the immediate area.
To manage the risks of spread, a biosecurity control order has been put in place with immediate effect, restricting movement within the surrounding 5km area of the site in Wardell, south of Ballina.
Department of Primary Industry teams will support the local businesses and community who will need to lock down movement of landscaping, gardening, and building materials plus machinery until inspected and checked.
The NSW Government is working closely with the Commonwealth and the Queensland Governments, plus Ballina Shire Council. Experienced teams are on site and today chemically eradicated the infestation and treating a radius of 500m from the site.
Following detection of the fire ants the NSW Government instigated its action plan covering – eradication, control, tracing, and engagement of local businesses and community.
The fire ants in Wardell were originally reported in by a member of the community to the NSW Biosecurity Hotline on Friday 19 January and confirmed as fire ants late that day.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries team moved swiftly with colleagues from the National Fire Ant Eradication Program and Ballina Shire Council to destroy the fire ants, control the site, start tracing the source and survey the surrounding area.
The team will continue activities with sniffer dogs and boots on the ground to determine the extent of any infestation, undertake genetic testing of the fire ants, as well as engaging and supporting the impacted local community and businesses.
The following types of materials cannot be moved out of the 5km zone: mulch, soil, compost and manure, growing media, hay, chaff, silage, potted plants, turf, agricultural and earth moving equipment, grass/vegetation and clippings.
