17 November 2021
Residents in 11 southern Brisbane suburbs will soon have all the tools they need to keep their properties free of fire ants.
With the support of Councillor Angela Owen, the National Fire Ant Eradication Program is giving all homeowners, tenants and operators of public spaces in the Calamvale Ward area access to free fire ant treatment kits.
National Program General Manager Graeme Dudgeon said the community fire ant treatment project gives locals the chance to play their part in the fight against fire ants and keep the pest off their properties.
“People have told us they really want to help protect South East Queensland from fire ants and we’re keen to encourage a whole-of-community approach,” Mr Dudgeon said.
“The more people who participate and treat for fire ants, the better chance we’ll have of stopping them in their tracks.
“No one wants fire ants in their backyard, their neighbourhood and impacting their everyday lives.
Councillor Angela Owen (Councillor for Calamvale Ward) said: “having personally been subjected to a fire ant attack I know how excruciating the pain can be, and this is the last thing I want to happen to families, or particularly young children, in our local parks, footpaths or in their own backyards.
“All residents in Calamvale Ward now have the opportunity to participate in this project which will assist to greatly reduce fire ant populations in our suburbs.
“Our suburbs can be negatively affected by fire ants through impact on the environment, the economy and by threatening our outdoor way of life — no one wants that.
“Everyone in our local community has the power to stop fire ants spreading through simple actions such as reporting fire ants, collecting free bait from the designated pickup locations and using it to treat their properties.
“This is the time for residents to play a part in our neighbourhood and fight against fire ants by working together to try to eliminate them from Calamvale Ward,” Cr Angela Owen concluded.
If you find and report fire ants, the National Program will treat your property and you will receive a fire ant treatment kit to help prevent the ants returning.
If you can’t see any fire ants in your yard, but want to reduce the chance of them moving in you can participate by collecting a free treatment kit from Councillor Angela Owen at the Calamvale Ward office — Shop 10, 168 Algester Road, Calamvale, or the Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre, 149 Acacia Road, Brisbane. Proof of address is required.
Eligible suburbs which fall within Calamvale Ward are Algester, Calamvale, Drewvale, Heathwood, Karawatha, Larapinta, Pallara, Parkinson, Stretton plus part of Forest Lake and Willawong.
For more information on the program visit fireants.org.au or call 13 25 23.
The National Fire Ant Eradication Program is a nationally cost-shared program funded by all Australian state and territory governments, and the federal government.