Fire Ant Management Plans

What Is a Fire Ant Management Plan?

A Fire Ant Management Plan (FAMP) is a site-specific document that outlines how fire ant biosecurity risks will be managed on a development site or property in South East Queensland. Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are one of the world’s most invasive and destructive pest species, and their management is a critical biosecurity priority in Queensland under the Biosecurity Act 2014 and the Biosecurity Regulation 2016.

The National Fire Ant Eradication Program, managed by Biosecurity Queensland, coordinates the eradication effort across SEQ. However, individual landholders, developers, and contractors have specific legal obligations to manage fire ant risk - particularly when undertaking earthworks, landscaping, or any activity that involves the movement of soil, mulch, or other fire ant carrier materials within the fire ant biosecurity zone.

Queensland Ecologists prepares Fire Ant Management Plans that ensure your project complies with all biosecurity requirements, minimises the risk of fire ant spread, and meets the conditions of your development approval. Our plans are practical, site-specific, and designed for straightforward implementation by construction teams and site managers.

When Do You Need a Fire Ant Management Plan in Queensland?

If your project involves moving or storing soil, turf, mulch, hay, manure, potted plants, quarry materials or other fire-ant carriers from a fire ant biosecurity zone, you need documented procedures to show how your general biosecurity obligation will be met. For many development, civil, landscaping and earthworks projects, a project-specific Fire Ant Management Plan is the most practical way to demonstrate compliance.

A FAMP may be required by a development approval condition, principal contractor, council, or project risk controls in the following situations:

• Development Involving Soil Movement: Any development activity that involves excavation, filling, stockpiling, or transport of soil within the fire ant biosecurity zone triggers biosecurity obligations. The biosecurity zone covers parts of South East Queensland, including sites within Brisbane, Gold Coast, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley, Somerset, and Toowoomba local government areas. Zone boundaries are map-based and updated periodically - always check the current fire ant biosecurity zone map for your specific site.
• Landscaping and Civil Works: Projects involving earthworks, landscaping, turf laying, garden bed construction, or other activities that use soil, mulch, compost, or potting mix require fire ant management protocols.
• Development Approval Conditions: Many local councils in SEQ impose fire ant management conditions on development approvals. A FAMP demonstrates compliance with these conditions and provides contractors with clear operational procedures.
• Movement of Fire Ant Carrier Materials: Under the Biosecurity Regulation 2016, the movement of fire ant carrier materials (soil, mulch, hay, straw, potting mix, manure, and other organic materials) within, into, or out of fire ant biosecurity zones is subject to specific restrictions and may require treatment or clearance.
• Construction and Infrastructure Projects: Large-scale construction, road, rail, and infrastructure projects in SEQ require comprehensive fire ant management to prevent the spread of fire ants via soil movement and material transport.
• General Biosecurity Obligation: All persons in Queensland have a general biosecurity obligation under the Biosecurity Act 2014. If you know, or ought to reasonably know, that fire ants are present on your property or work site, you must take reasonable steps to manage the risk.

What’s Included in a Fire Ant Management Plan

A Fire Ant Management Plan prepared by Queensland Ecologists includes the following key elements:

• Fire Ant Survey and Inspection: Detailed documentation of fire ant survey methodology and results, including visual inspection of the site for fire ant nests, assessment of potential fire ant habitat areas, and recording of any confirmed or suspected fire ant activity. Surveys are conducted in accordance with Biosecurity Queensland guidelines.
• Site Risk Assessment: Evaluation of the site’s fire ant risk profile, including proximity to known fire ant infestations, presence of suitable fire ant habitat (disturbed ground, stockpiled materials, irrigated areas), and the volume and type of soil movement proposed.
• Treatment Protocols: Specifications for fire ant treatment if nests or activity are detected, including approved bait products (e.g., Advion, Distance Plus), application rates, re-treatment intervals, and direct nest injection procedures for individual nest destruction. All treatment recommendations comply with the National Fire Ant Eradication Program guidelines.
• Soil Movement Restrictions: Clear protocols for managing the movement of soil and other fire ant carrier materials on, to, and from the site. This includes stockpile management procedures, material tracking requirements, and restrictions on receiving soil from other sites within the biosecurity zone.
• Clearance Requirements: Procedures for obtaining fire ant clearance before moving carrier materials off-site, including the inspection and treatment protocols required to certify that materials are free of fire ants.
• Reporting to Biosecurity Queensland: Obligations and procedures for reporting fire ant detections to Biosecurity Queensland, including reporting timeframes, contact details, and the information required in a fire ant report.
• Worker Education and Awareness: Requirements for informing all site workers and contractors about fire ant identification, reporting procedures, and management protocols. This typically includes site induction materials and signage.
• Monitoring and Surveillance: An ongoing monitoring program for the duration of construction and any post-construction period, including regular site inspections, monitoring of treated areas, and surveillance of imported materials.
• Record Keeping: Requirements for maintaining records of all fire ant surveys, treatments, soil movements, and reports, as evidence of compliance with biosecurity obligations.

Our Process

Our process for preparing a Fire Ant Management Plan is efficient and tailored to the scale of your project:

1. Project Review: We review your development plans, approval conditions, and the location of the site within the fire ant biosecurity zone to determine the scope and specific requirements of the FAMP.
2. Site Inspection: Our ecologists conduct a thorough site inspection to survey for fire ant nests and activity, assess the fire ant risk profile, and identify areas where soil movement or material storage is proposed.
3. Plan Preparation: We prepare the FAMP with clear, practical management protocols that can be readily implemented by construction teams. The plan includes site maps, treatment specifications, soil movement procedures, and reporting requirements.
4. Regulatory Compliance: We ensure the plan meets all requirements under the Biosecurity Act 2014, Biosecurity Regulation 2016, and any council-specific fire ant management conditions.
5. Implementation Support: We can provide ongoing support during construction, including periodic fire ant monitoring inspections, treatment supervision, and compliance reporting to council and Biosecurity Queensland.

Related Services

Fire Ant Management Plans are often required alongside other environmental management services:

• Weed and Pest Management Plans - broader invasive species management that addresses weeds and other pest animals alongside fire ant obligations.
• Environmental Management Plans - comprehensive construction-phase environmental management, including fire ant protocols as a component of the broader EMP.
• Vegetation Management Plans - managing vegetation on development sites where fire ant risk must be addressed during clearing and revegetation.
• Ecological Assessment Reports - ecological assessments that identify biosecurity risks, including fire ant presence, as part of the site assessment process.

Important: Non-compliance may result in enforcement action, project delays, movement restrictions or directions, depending on the circumstances. Queensland Ecologists helps you prepare a practical Fire Ant Management Plan aligned with current Biosecurity Queensland requirements and the way your site actually moves soil, mulch, turf, hay or equipment.

Get a Quote

If you are undertaking development, earthworks, or soil movement in South East Queensland, you may need a Fire Ant Management Plan to meet your biosecurity obligations. Queensland Ecologists prepares practical, compliant FAMPs for projects of all sizes - from small residential subdivisions to major infrastructure and civil works projects.

Request a quote online or call us on (07) 3018 7538 to discuss your fire ant management requirements.