Biosecurity Emergency Order (No. 2) 2025
NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (the Department) has published Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order (No. 2) 2025 on 13 February 2025. This supersedes Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order (No. 1) 2025, published on 28 January 2025.
- View the new order and Plain English Guide.
- The Biosecurity Emergency has been extended for a further six months. This acknowledges that there is still a very real risk of fire ants moving into and establishing in NSW and allows NSW DPIRD to remain focused on prevention, surveillance and tracing to address this risk. The extension also allows investigations into the Clunes interception, and subsequent turf suspension, to be continued.
- There are no changes to the carrier requirements in the current order.
- There are no changes to the boundaries of the NSW Fire Ant Infested Area or the Fire Ant Movement Control Areas (Murwillumbah and Wardell). There are no changes to the boundaries of the Qld Fire Ant Infested Area.
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.
