Biosecurity alert: Fire Ants and your nursery supply chain - what to check now
24 July 2026
24 July 2026
For nurseries, the fire ant risk is practical: plants, growing media, equipment and freight may all be affected by movement controls.
In Queensland, fire ant biosecurity zones are in place and legal requirements apply to the movement or storage of fire ant carriers. In New South Wales, movement restrictions are currently in place under a Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order in South Murwillumbah and Wardell.
To protect our industry, nurseries should make a habit of checking current fire ant zones and movement requirements before moving stock.
Why this matters for nurseries
Nursery businesses regularly move materials that may be regulated under fire ant movement controls. Depending on what is being moved and where it is travelling, businesses may need permits, certificates or other supporting documentation before regulated material can be transported. Failing to meet these requirements may result in delays, fines or other compliance action.
In Queensland, regulated fire ant carrier materials include potted plants, soil and growing media, plants removed from the ground with soil attached, mulch, compost, turf, green waste, animal manure, baled hay and straw, mining and quarry materials, and machinery or equipment with soil attached.
Movement controls can affect how materials are handled, treated, cleaned, stored, documented and dispatched. Failing to meet movement requirements or provide the correct supporting documentation may result in delays, fines or other compliance action. Depending on the movement, this may include a BioSecure HACCP Certificate, Plant Health Certificate or Plant Health Assurance Certificate.
The risk does not only come from a confirmed detection on your own site, it may also arise elsewhere in your supply chain.
What to check now
Nurseries should review:
- Where incoming stock, growing media and other regulated materials are coming from.
- Whether suppliers are operating in, or moving through, areas subject to fire ant movement controls.
- Whether freight providers understand current movement requirements.
- How vehicles, machinery and equipment are cleaned after contact with soil.
- What permits, certificates or other documentation are required before receiving or dispatching regulated materials.
- Who in the business is responsible for checking current requirements before material moves.
- Queensland’s material movement advice tool before sending or receiving any materials that could carry fire ants.
Current rules change regularly and requirements differ between Queensland and New South Wales. Before moving plants, soil, growing media, machinery, mulch, turf or other regulated materials, check the latest official advice.
What is still uncertain
The current NSW restrictions are tied to an Emergency Order in place in South Murwillumbah and Wardell. Whether movement conditions change, and when, will depend on how the situation develops. Nurseries should not assume current arrangements will continue unchanged.
To make sure any permit remains valid, subscribe to NSW DPIRD email updates about the fire ant emergency order or check the website regularly. Businesses moving regulated material should build fire ant checks into their receival, dispatch and freight processes as a standing practice.
What to do if you suspect fire ants
- Do not disturb a suspected nest.
- Report immediately through the official state pathway.
- In Queensland - report online or call 13 22 68.
- In New South Wales - use the official online reporting form or call 1800 680 244.
More information
Check current movement controls and reporting advice through official sources before moving regulated material:
