The National Fire Ant Eradication Program (the program) have found a single fire ant nest outside the containment boundary at Kunda Park on the Sunshine Coast.
The detection on 9 June 2026 was part of a proactive activity led by the program’s compliance team.
Program officers acted quickly, destroying the nest on the same day. They will now carry out eradication activities, such as treatment and surveillance to protect the surrounding area.
Fire ant detections outside the program's containment boundary are serious. The program has procedures in place to manage them.
Everyone in Kunda Park and surrounding areas is encouraged to check their property and local area for fire ants and report their findings
Further investigations will be conducted to determine the source of the fire ants.
Fire ants can hitch rides in materials – such as soil, hay, mulch, manure, quarry materials, turf, and potted plants – and in soil attached to equipment. Human-assisted movement is the biggest risk to their spread.
Every Queensland business and individual has a general biosecurity obligation to prevent the spread of fire ants. Failing to do so can result in heavy penalties including fines of more than $500,000 or 3 years imprisonment.
Visit fireants.org.auor call 132 ANT (13 22 68) for more information.
Quotes attributable to Robert Wilson, A/Senior Director Operations, National Fire Ant Eradication Program
'Our odour detection dogs are an invaluable asset to the program, helping us locate fire ants quickly and effectively,' he said.
'Their ability to detect fire ants across a range of environments is a gamechanger in our mission to eradicate fire ants from Australia by 2032.
'Compliance activities are essential to ensuring everyone is doing their part to prevent fire ants from spreading.
'Every fire ant nest detected and destroyed is a step closer to a fire ant free Australia.