Fury as fire ants hit major coalmine

Perth Now

11-07-2025

An outbreak of fire ants has hit mining giant BHP's Broadmeadow mine in central Queensland, sparking alarm and fury in environmentalists.
The Invasive Species Council flagged the outbreak on Friday, warning it marked the first time the ants, which can cause devastating economic and environmental impacts, had been detected in the region.
'In the last week, we've had another detection in NSW, an interception in WA and now the first outbreak in Central Queensland,' advocacy manager Reece Pianta said.
'I am incredibly angry about this. This is not bad luck. It's a spectacular failure because of known gaps in funding, enforcement and surveillance.'
The ants infect painful stings on people and animals and pose a threat to agricultural businesses.
They can fly up to 5km and travel over and underground, the government's animal and plant pests and diseases website states, and can also move with shipping containers and cargo and hide in soil, mulch, fertiliser and plant material.
The government has spent $690m to contain and eradicate the species since 2001 following an outbreak in South East Queensland. Red imported fire ants are an invasive ant species that can infect painful stings on people and animals. Supplied Credit: Supplied A nest of fire ants has been discovered at a BHP coalmine in central Queensland. BHP Credit: News Regional Media
The 2021 Scott-Orr Review concluded an extra $200m to $300m in yearly funding for 10 years was needed to contain and eradicate the threat.
'Australia's last chance to eradicate deadly fire ants is being destroyed because Australia's governments are dithering and delaying critical funding increases,' Mr Pianta said.
'We have warned for two years that there is a major gap in funding for suppression, with nest densities off the charts south of Brisbane.
'The Senate inquiry found this. The independent program review found this. The Queensland government has raised this. The federal biosecurity department knows this.
'But every time it has been raised, the message we get back is that new funding is just around the corner if only we will be patient.'
Broadmeadow is a metallurgical coalmine located near Moranbah in Queensland's Bowen Basin, about 1050km north of Brisbane.
National Fire Ant Eradication Program officers visited the mine site on Wednesday to clear out the ant nests. Fire ants pose a serious threat to the country's agricultural industry. Supplied Credit: Supplied The Invasive Species Council warns fire ants are spreading across Australia. Supplied Credit: Supplied
A BHP spokesman said the company was working closely with the program to support the 'rapid containment, treatment and eradication' of the detection.
Mr Pianta said the Broadmeadow detection demonstrated the country's control system was 'breaking down'.
'This outbreak at Broadmeadow is almost 800km from the known infestation zone,' he said.
'That's simply unacceptable. Every mine site and construction project across the country should be checking for fire ants.
'Any business or resident that has received materials from South East Queensland needs to check them.
'This outbreak is a national wake-up call.'
In 2024, The Australia Institute warned that fire ants could cost the country up to $22bn in losses by the 2040s.
It is estimated the ants will produce $2.5bn in damages each year beyond 2035.