Call goes out to farmers: Time to roll up sleeves for fight against locusts

The week's hatching reports total 459, taking the State's overall hatching tally to 705.

The sharp spike in hatching numbers given warmer temperatures was expected and signals the long, hard fight ahead for farmers and authorities combating potentially the worst plague locust outbreak in 30 years.

Efforts to control the outbreak rely on landholders' vigilance checking their land for hatching locusts and reporting activity promptly to their Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB).

New local control centres are being opened today at Narrandera and Forbes.

Ground treatment continues across affected regions. The first aerial campaigns to treat locust bands too widespread for effective landholder ground control have been carried out in the north.

The Department of Primary Industries has treated 1400 hectares (nine properties) west of Narrabri from fixed-wing aircraft and the Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) treated 650 hectares near Croppa Creek.

NSW DPI aerial surveying continues at Dubbo, Narrabri, Tamworth, Coonabarabran and Mudgee.

The APLC is undertaking aerial and ground survey in Walgett, Moree, Northern Slopes, Nyngan and Condobolin districts.

Reports this week:

Brewarrina (1), Condobolin (1), Coonabarabran (112), Coonamble (13), Dubbo (74), Forbes (20), Hillston (2), Hunter (1), Molong (6), Moree (8), Mudgee-Merriwa (41), Narrabri (38), Narrandera (8), Northern Slopes (8), Nyngan (7), Tamworth (87), Walgett (31) and Wilcannia (1).

Media contacts:

• Brett Fifield  02 6391 3311, 0427 029 511
• Trudy Glasgow  02 6391 3312, 0427 217 354

Reported locust hatching areas:

Locusts hatching locations: