Are you transporting high-risk fire ant carrier materials into NSW from Queensland? Avoid stowaways - cover your load.
Fire ants are spread primarily by humans. Carrier materials sourced from fire ant infested areas must be stored and transported in preventative conditions (details below) until they reach their destination in NSW.
Materials sourced from outside a fire ant infested area and transported through a fire ant infested area must be covered until they leave the area.
Mulch, soil, compost, manure, growing media, potted plants, hay, chaff, silage, sand, rocks and stones (under 20mm diameter), recycled concrete aggregate (under 20mm diameter), coal fines and chitters from the parts of Queensland and NSW shown in red, orange or yellow on this map, must be:
- covered or inside an enclosed building
- off the ground, or on hard ground treated with bifenthrin
- on concrete, bitumen, or heavy plastic with edges treated with bifenthrin
- covered during transport until it reaches the destination in NSW.
There have been four detections of Solenopsis invicta (fire ants) in NSW since November 2023, with nests found at South Murwillumbah, Wardell, and Tweed Heads South, and an interception of infested turf at Clunes.
All detections in NSW have been linked to human-assisted movement of known carrier materials which include turf, soil, mulch, hay and potted plants. Read the Emergency Order (Clause 10) and understand your duties.
Drivers are reminded Operation Victa regularly stops vehicles crossing the border into NSW to carry out inspections.