Overview

• The outbreak at BHP’s Broadmeadow Coal Mine near Moranbah marks the first detection of red imported fire ants in Central Queensland, roughly 800 kilometres from the established infestation zone
• National Fire Ant Eradication Program officers visited the site on July 9 and destroyed the identified nests during a rapid response operation
• Genetic testing and tracing is under way to determine how the invasive ant colony reached the mine and to identify pathways of incursion
• The Invasive Species Council and other conservation advocates are calling for an annual funding boost of $200–300 million to improve surveillance, enforcement and eradication capacity
• Experts warn that fire ants pose serious risks through painful stings, threats to livestock and crops, and potential economic losses of up to $22 billion by the 2040s if containment efforts falter