Yellow crazy ants spread on Fraser Coast as experts issue dire warning for K'gari
Traditional owners on Australia's largest sand island say biosecurity checks are needed to stop the spread of one the world's worst invasive ant species near the World Heritage-listed area.
Five colonies of yellow crazy ants have been found in the Queensland town of Maryborough, which is one of the gateways to K'gari (Fraser island).
The detection follows the spread of yellow crazy ant colonies in the Hervey Bay suburb of Booral, which is near the airport and the departure point of a barge used by thousands of tourists to access K'gari every year.
The 500,000 annual visitors to the island are not subject to routine checks and vehicles belonging to residents, tourists and four-wheel drive enthusiasts could transport yellow crazy ants or other invasive species to the island.
Natural Integrity Alliance for K'gari chair Sue Sargent said the spread of the ants in the region meant it was inevitable they would gain a foothold on K'gari if biosecurity was not improved.
"My first reaction is fear," she said.
"It's extremely concerning.
"We're sort of lining up for a perfect storm in terms of tourism implications and [impacts] on [threatened] species … we've got no preventative measures in place at all, so it's really a matter of time.
"It would be devastating for K'gari to get this species."
Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation director Conway Burns said the lack of vehicle checks meant traditional owners did not know what to expect from visitors.
"We could have some kind of biosecurity set-up where we can have wash down bays where we can wash them down before they go on," he said.
"It's important that we put these in place."
Yellow crazy ants are believed to have originated in South-East Asia and likely arrived in Australia on cargo ships.
The acid-spraying ants can form "super colonies" containing hundreds of queens and millions of ants, because they do not display aggression against one another.
Their numbers exploded in the 1990s and the Queensland and federal governments committed significant resources to a successful eradication campaign in the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics.
The Wet Tropics Management Authority receives $6 million in funding per year, but the federal government has not committed to maintaining it beyond mid-2026.
Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett said the responsibility of managing yellow crazy ants outside the Wet Tropics was the responsibility of local governments.
A Fraser Coast Regional Council spokesperson said the ant colonies in Maryborough had been treated but complete eradication was "unlikely at this stage".
The spokesperson said the council had "a long-term strategy aimed at eventual eradication" of yellow crazy ants in the region but did not receive any state or federal funding to support that effort.
Reece Pianta from the Invasive Species Council said K'gari was no less important than the Wet Tropics and deserved the same level of funding and attention.
"I am concerned that they might not have the resources to deal with this threat," he said.
The Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) has received a $390,000 federal grant to develop a biosecurity strategy for the island.
A key aspect of the strategy is the implementation of biosecurity checks of vehicles accessing the island.
BAC director Christine Royan said further funding was needed to ensure the strategy could be implemented before the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
Queensland Environment Minister Andrew Powell said news of the species' spread on the Fraser Coast was "devastating".
He said his department was working with the Department of Primary Industries to contain the outbreak as quickly as possible.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Cable Beach vehicle access restricted, as foreshore revamp frustrates Broome locals
The ongoing redevelopment of one of Western Australia's most famous beaches is frustrating locals, who have lost four-wheel drive access to a popular stretch of the sand. Stage one of works at Cable Beach, 2,100km north of Perth, was recently completed and the Shire of Broome's main redevelopment is now getting underway. The 22-kilometre-long beach is one of Broome's premier tourist attractions and is famous for its four-wheel drive access. Crowds sprawl across the sand in deck chairs and cars every night to watch the sun set, but stage two of the redevelopment has seen vehicle access to the northern stretch of the beach cut and its main car parks closed. The disruption has left residents frustrated and nearby businesses scrambling to relocate. Once complete, the redevelopment will feature improved public spaces coupled with better beach access and protection for the coast. Stage one of the development targeted the precinct's southern end, where Premier Roger Cook unveiled a new basketball court and skate park last week. Stage two, targeting the remaining areas, includes a community plaza, water park and amphitheatre. But Broome residents face a challenging trade-off, as the works are not expected to be complete until mid-to-late 2026. For years, food trucks have set up shop in an area near the beach each now impacted by the development. The space has been designated as overflow parking, while access to the main car park is closed. Food van owners Petris Torres and Somjit Onvimon said trying to find somewhere else to trade had been tough. "It's attacking my business so bad," Ms Onvimon said. "We tried to ask them (the shire) about which spot, 'Can we go here and can we go there?' They keep saying no and no. Many vans have resorted to trading from the Broome Turf Club car park at Gantheaume Point to the south, but there is less foot traffic and many customers have said it is too far. "We did less than half of our normal earnings … and it's not like less than half is still good," Mr Torres said. "It's very easy to identify the problems — where the energy needs to go is finding the solutions." The sentiment has been echoed by other vendors, who are pleased about the development but believe it could have been managed better. A community petition calling for a temporary access ramp to the northern stretch of the beach is circulating online and has garnered more than 1,000 signatures. Dan Healy, who signed the petition, said he was "very excited" about the development but not being able to drive onto the beach had impacted his family's lifestyle. "I think it will be great once it's finished," he said. "But I haven't really seen any justification as to why [vehicle access] was removed. "It's part of the reason we live in Broome — for freedom of access to the amazing environment and all the beautiful beaches." Vehicles are still permitted to access a stretch of sand on Gantheaume Beach further south, but this smaller space is already becoming overrun. The Shire of Broome has extended vehicle access at Gantheaume Beach by an additional 500 metres, however some beach goers are frustrated by how busy it has become. Shire of Broome deputy president Desiree Male said it was a no pain, no gain situation, and asked locals and tourists to be patient. "There's always going to be disruptions when you have major infrastructure projects like these," she said. "As a local born and bred here, I would access that beach with my dogs, so I'm going to miss it.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
North Queensland residents struggle with restrictions on damaged road
There is growing frustration among residents of a rainforest community north of Townsville who are struggling with a permit system to return home each night. The Mount Spec Road, leading to the townships of Paluma and Hidden Valley, was cut by landslips during record-breaking monsoon rain in February. Alternative routes increase travel times by more than two hours along roads mainly suitable for four-wheel drives. Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has not provided a timeline for fully reopening the road. It last month introduced a permit system for full-time residents to access Mount Spec between 6am and 6pm. "We assure the community that we are working as quickly and safely as possible to progress critical repairs," a spokesperson said. Traffic controllers monitor entrances and the road is shut and monitored by cameras outside permitted hours. Tourism operators said the impact had been "devastating", with one business estimating more than $100,000 in lost bookings. Rhett Harrison, who lives between Paluma and the Hidden Valley, said the permit system had been challenging. "After you work an eight-hour day, by the time you travel into town, you really haven't got a lot of time to be able to live your life, get groceries and you have to pretty much hope there's not an accident on the way back to the range road," he said. Mr Harrison worked from home and homeschooled his son while Mount Spec Road was closed, and relocated to his sister's house in Townsville to reduce travel times. "We would come back in and stay at her place for the entire week, all in one bedroom," he said. "Pretty much so that we could go to work, so that he could have some level of normalcy of being able to return to school." He said he wanted access hours to Mount Spec Road reviewed. "I actually think that road is safer to drive at night because if there are any vehicles oncoming I can see them because of the headlights," he said. Paluma and District Community Association president Jamie Oliver said part-time residents were being denied access to their homes and the community was growing frustrated. "For those people who work in town and finish by around 5:30pm, it's very difficult to get to the start of the road by six," he said. "It's still extremely inconvenient even for those permit holders to get up." Mr Oliver said residents wanted TMR to release geotechnical expert assessments so they could understand the key data and logic behind the department's decisions. "Repeatedly we get nothing but vague information that is contained in the road reports," he said. "It really is infuriating and insulting to be held in this kind of disregard." A TMR spokesperson acknowledged the residents' frustration and said public safety had remained a top priority throughout the planning process. The spokesperson said the department would continue to update the community. "Engineering reports are complex technical documents and uncontrolled distribution can lead to misinterpretation and misinformation," they said. The authority said it was complying with conditions outlined by geotechnical experts, which included limiting the number of vehicles travelling on the road to reduce the risk of further landslips. They said the 6am-to-6pm timeframe provided drivers with the "best opportunity" to react to oncoming hazards. "TMR anticipates changes may be made to the conditions once restoration works occur and the risk of the slope sites reduces," they said. "Traffic data is being monitored and if volumes remain within safe limits, TMR would be able to issue further permits to other residents within the area, including those who reside there part-time."
ABC News
8 hours ago
- ABC News
Warrawong High School soccer players train with Real Madrid Foundation
Lexi Taylor was not a big soccer fan, but that changed when she heard about an extracurricular program run by one of the world's most well-known football clubs. The Real Madrid Foundation program aims to encourage healthy habits in adolescence through soccer, and operates at two low socio-economic schools in Australia. For the 17-year-old from Warrawong High School, in southern Wollongong, the real attraction was the chance to travel overseas. "I always thought it was too hard … [and] I'd never be able to save that much money," she said. But a 12-day trip to the Spanish capital was not going to happen without some hard work. All the expenses, except flights, were paid by the Real Madrid Foundation. But Lexi said it was her responsibility to save enough money and organise her first passport, all while managing the workload of year 12. "I would work at least six times a week," she said. "We got my passport three weeks later than we expected which was super stressful." At the end of last month, Lexi packed her suitcase with a jersey for star player Jude Bellingham to sign and boarded a flight bound for Madrid alongside 19 other students. Personal development, health and physical education teacher Samantha Bell escorted the group on behalf of Warrawong High School and said they were given special access to some of Real Madrid's coaching staff and training facilities. "The kids were blown away by the facilities," she said. "Everything was just so immaculate. And every session we had, had specialised coaches and first aid to check in on injuries." The students were even able to store their gear inside the club's change rooms and dress in the iconic black and white uniform. "It felt like a real 'wow' moment for them," Ms Bell said. "It was something they hadn't experienced before. Plans to meet some of Real Madrid's best players after their winning La Liga match against Real Sociedad were cancelled last minute due to the announced retirement of Luca Modric. "[I was] a bit disappointed but at least we got to see the players train," said 15-year-old Mohammed Al-aesawi. "Some of the players said hello to us from the balcony. "That in itself was more than enough." Ms Bell said since returning to the classroom, there had been a "massive" surge in students wanting to join the Real Madrid Foundation program. "We only took 20 students away and now our program has 55 students enrolled in it," she said. "So we are in the process of how to re-timetable that for the school." During their first post-trip training session last week, many students agreed the program had helped them both on and off the soccer pitch. "I'm now saving for a car," Lexi said. Victoria Ugarte from the Real Madrid Foundation said plans were underway to expand the program into more Australian schools. "We are talking to a Sydney school at the moment … and some in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales," she said.
