A Brief History of Fire Ants in Australia​​

• They were first discovered in the Port of Brisbane in 2001.

• The infestation covered 36,000 hectares & nests were half a metre high, indicating presence since the 1990s.

• Between 2001-2004, poisoning was conducted with three to four rounds per year, followed by two years of surveillance.

• Eventually, eradication was abandoned and converted to ‘containment and suppression’.

• Multiple programs were started and abandoned between then and now

Map of current infestations 2024​

Map of Treatment area 2017 to 2021​