General News
22 February, 2026
Poised to respond fast
THE Queensland Government is ramping up efforts to protect the Cassowary Coast’s unique environment, agriculture and communities from the devastating impacts of electric ants with a new local base for the national electric ant eradication program in South Johnstone.
This new local presence will allow expert teams to respond faster to infestations, ensuring the region’s biodiversity, natural beauty and agricultural productivity are safeguarded.
Operations from the Department of Primary Industries’ Centre for Wet Tropics agriculture facility started last month and the move will allow teams to rapidly respond to reports of suspect ants and free yard check requests and undertake the program’s eradication activities in the area more efficiently.
Electric ants are one of the world’s worst invasive species and category 1 restricted matter under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
Principal project officer Gary Morton said the team’s new local base would benefit the community in the fight to eradicate electric ants.
“Having a permanent team based in South Johnstone will mean we can be on the scene of ant detections more quickly and effectively than ever before,” he said. “The program conducts proactive and scheduled surveillance work across the whole of the Cassowary Coast and we have been successfully treating and eradicating known infestations across the region since the first detection in the region in 2010,” Mr Morton said.
“There are also 30 sentinel sites that are acting as an early warning system in the region that are surveyed on a regular basis.
“Sentinel sites are facilities that aggregate materials that may harbour electric ants and include council-run waste transfer stations, private tips, nurseries, outdoor material suppliers and known illegal dumping sites.
“The local team can undertake this surveillance work in a timely manner, free from the effects of road closures and other unforeseen circumstances.”
“Residents and landowners are encouraged to register for a free property check. More than 40% of electric ant infestations are detected during these checks. The earlier they are detected, the quicker the progress to eradication.
“Electric ants are tiny, just 1-1.5mm long, but pose a serious threat to human health, our pets, the environment and native wildlife, such as insects and other invertebrates and small vertebrates, such as frogs and skinks.
“They sting, injecting a painful venom, which in severe cases can cause anaphylaxis and secondary infections.
“Electric ants can kill or displace our native species, taking over their food sources and driving them away from their own environments.
“Eradication is imperative to safeguard our unique and diverse ecosystem, rainforests and agriculture.”
For more information visit www.bit.ly/407B1zf. Follow this link to request a free electric ant yard check in the region or call 13 25 23
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