Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order
The current Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order defines the emergency zones and requirements for moving fire ant carriers.
If you are moving the defined fire ant carriers from the parts of QLD and NSW shown in red, orange or yellow on this map, you must comply with the current Emergency Order. View the current order and Plain English Guide.
GROUP PERMIT FOR HAY SUSPENDED:
The Group Biosecurity Emergency Permit allowing movements of hay from specified lower risk areas of south east Queensland under certain conditions, was suspended for one month from 13th March 2025.This suspension allowed the department to further assess the distribution of fire ants following recent flooding events and determine the current biosecurity risk.
Fire ants infest around 830,000 ha in Southeast Queensland, close to the NSW border which poses an ongoing risk of new infestations in NSW. Most of NSW has been free of fire ants. Nests found in South Murwillumbah (November 2023) and Wardell (January 2024) were destroyed and surveillance and treatment are ongoing, in partnership with the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program.
The movement of fire ant carrier material from fire ant infested areas is prohibited unless certain conditions are met. Conditions are detailed in the Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency order.
The Department has a NSW Fire Ant Strategic Plan 2024-2025 (PDF, 184.47 KB) that sets out key actions to prevent fire ants from establishing in NSW.
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.
