Support for large landholders and primary producers

People on large properties can get extra support to manage fire ants on their land.

Who is eligible

To access additional assistance, you must:

  • live in select South East Queensland suburbs
  • have reported fire ants or nests
  • be a primary producer or large landholder with a land area (generally 10 hectares or more).

Properties smaller than 10 hectares

We're providing additional support to people with smaller properties, on a case-by-case basis.

We'll assess what support is best for your situation, after you report fire ants.

What you can get

The Queensland Government is offering free fire ant treatment products and self-management support.

Our teams will work with you to:

  • develop a tailored self-management plan
  • access free treatment products, spreading equipment and advice.

Search your address to see if this assistance is available in your area.

Check your address

How to access

If you think you have fire ants, your first step is to report them.

You can do this by either:

We may contact you first, if we are aware of an existing fire ant infestation close to your property.

If you don't have fire ants, we encourage you to keep inspecting your property and report any suspicious ants and nests.

Fire ant self-management plan

A fire ant self-management plan details how to reduce the number of fire ants on your property.

Having a self-management plan helps you to:

  • understand your obligations and treatment approach
  • keep records of your fire ant management activities.

We will work with you to design a plan that is tailored to your situation. We will help you identify:

  • specific treatment product types and application methods
  • priority treatment areas on your property
  • when and how often you need treatment
  • any equipment needed to distribute treatment products
  • safety considerations and PPE needed
  • your obligations under the relevant biosecurity legislation.

We will make specific recommendations in your plan based on your:

  • land area size
  • land use
  • level of fire ant infestation.

Your self-management plan is for you to use until planned eradication treatment reaches your area.

Ideally, your plan is integrated into your regular pest control and property maintenance routines.

Treatment types and application methods

Your self-management plan recommends a treatment approach specific to you.

Note: all treatment is in granular form; it is not a liquid spray.

Your plan may include one, or a combination, of the following treatment types:

Proactive broadscale treatment

This treatment is designed to treat hidden nests on your property.

An insect growth regulator (IGR) is spread over your property. The IGR stops the fire ant queen from producing viable offspring, which leads to the colony dying off over time.

Active infestation (nest) treatment

This targeted treatment is sprinkled around each fire ant nest. These products are fast-acting, safe and easy to use.

Your plan may include one, or a combination, of the following application methods:

Treatment shaker or hand-held spreader

These methods are generally best for applying product to smaller areas and around individual nests.

Vehicle-mounted hopper or pendulum spreaders

These options are best for applying product to large, open areas of land.

Aerial treatment

Aerial distribution is only available in some situations. If your property is suitable, we will discuss this method with you before using drones or helicopters to distribute treatment products aerially.

This application method is optional, at the discretion of the landholder. It is best suited to large properties that include areas difficult to access on foot or by vehicle.

If your property is treated aerially, you will still need to manually treat a buffer zone (i.e. around buildings and waterways). We will provide specific advice to you as part of your self-management plan.

Self-management for primary producers

Eradicating fire ants is a national priority. We must work together to stop fire ants in their tracks.

Primary producers play a critical role by managing fire ants on properties in the suppression treatment area. Treating fire ants yourself helps keep people, pets and animals safe while also protecting your livelihood.

When self managing fire ants on your property, it's important to look, report, prevent and treat.

Actively look for fire ants by routinely checking your property in areas where they're more likely to be.

Report any suspect fire ants or nests online at fireants.org.au or by calling 132 ANT (13 22 68) and prevent by using fire ant safe practices when dealing with materials from within the fire ant biosecurity zones.

If you're moving in a material that can carry fire ants, you must take all reasonable steps to ensure they do not spread to new areas and treat your property.

Fire ant self management may include multiple rounds of broad scale treatments over large treatment areas for the fire ants that you can't see and fast acting nest treatments for the nest that you can see, or a combination of both.

Prioritise treating fire ant nests that pose risks to human or animal health.

Treat these nests with a fast acting insecticide.

Treat as many nests you can see as possible.

For broad scale treatment, evenly spread an insect growth regulator or IGR over open areas to target the nest that you can't see.

There's a general guide.

About a kilo of fast acting product treats about 60 nests, while IGR should be spread at a rate of about 2kg per hectare.

Always read and follow the instructions on the label.

You must keep a record of your treatments, including the products used, the areas treated and how you treat it.

You can submit a treatment report to us by scanning the QR code on the instruction brochure and consider how best you can integrate surveillance, reporting, prevention and treatment of fire ants into your regular farm management and pest control activities.

And together we can eradicate fire ants from Australia.

Next steps