Sunshine Coast households in fire ant areas have been excluded from a mass rollout of treatment kits across Queensland’s south-east.
Locals in biosecurity zones at Bells Creek, Caloundra West, Forest Glen, Kiels Mountain, Mons, Tanawha and parts of Buderim, Nambour, Palmwoods and more than a dozen other suburbs in the region weren’t included in the initiative.
By contrast, more than 64,000 homeowners in Logan, Ipswich, Redlands and parts of Brisbane and the Gold Coast can now register for kits, giving them tools to protect their backyards, neighbourhoods and outdoor lifestyle from one of the world’s most invasive pests.
Delivered through the Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce (FAST), the scheme forms part of the state government’s pledge to eradicate fire ants from Australia by 2032. The species has already spread across more than 800,000 hectares of South-East Queensland and northern New South Wales in the past decade.
The Sunshine Coast suburbs, where infestations have been found, fall under Zone 2 biosecurity restrictions. Eligible areas are classed as Zone 1, with boundaries reviewed monthly.
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Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said the government was bolstering biosecurity with practical measures.
“Fire ants are a serious threat to our health, environment, economy and outdoor way of life,” he said.
“These safe, easy-to-use self-treatment kits allow residents to treat their properties and play a direct role in reducing populations.”
Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Alison Smith welcomed the rollout.
“Fire ants have significant economic implications for farmers and our environment, but eradication and restrictions also put pressure on local producers,” she said.
Alongside household kits, aerial treatment is underway on larger properties in northern Gold Coast cane-growing areas. Spraying will continue through Ormeau, Eagleby, the Logan-Albert river catchments and onto the Bremer River catchment. By mid-2026, 106,000 hectares with the highest fire ant numbers will have been treated twice by helicopter or drone.
The most recent fire ant nest sighting on the Sunshine Coast was at Baringa in May. It was just one of several within Aura, a rapidly growing master-planned community that is home to more than 10,000 residents. Nests have previously been found at Nirimba and Banya.
Nests have also been sighted in other areas of the Sunshine Coast during the past year, including at Forest Glen, Palmview, Yandina and Currimundi.
