Fire ants in NSW
South Murwillumbah
Fire ants were detected at South Murwillumbah on 24 November 2023.
Wardell
Fire ants were detected at Wardell on 19 January 2024.
Important information
Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order (No. 11) 2024
NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has published Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order (No. 11) 2024 on 22 August 2024. This supersedes Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order (No. 10), published on 6 August 2024.
There are no changes to the NSW Fire Ant Infested Area or the Fire Ant Movement Control Areas.
The QLD fire ant infested area has increased in size with some nests within 12km of the NSW border. Suburbs in Queensland where increases have occurred include parts of Austinville, Bonogin, Tallebudgera Valley, Numinbah Valley and Springbrook in the Gold Coast Hinterland.
The Department has maintained swift and effective responses to containing the two fire ant incursions in NSW, with no new infested premises identified to date.
Anyone bringing organic mulch, compost, growing media, manure, soil, hay, straw, chaff, silage, potted plants, turf, agricultural equipment, earth moving equipment, sand, gravel, chitters, coal fines, coal stone, overburden and decomposed granite into NSW from Queensland must comply with the current NSW Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order.
Read the current NSW Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order
Read the Emergency Order Plain English Guide (PDF, 301.71 KB)
Fire ants are prohibited matter in NSW
Fire ant treatment in NSW can only be done by officers authorised under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015. It is an offence for an unauthorised person to treat fire ants in NSW. This information is provided to help people in infested areas understand the treatment process.
More on prohibited matter