The Wet Tropics Management Authority has announced a major milestone in the fight against Yellow Crazy Ants, declaring an additional 365 hectares of rainforest, farmland, and suburban areas around Cairns free of the invasive species. This includes 615 residential lots in Bentley Park, marking the largest single eradication of Yellow Crazy Ants in the world and the greatest number of residential properties to be cleared in a single effort.
Since the beginning of the $6 million-per-year eradication program in 2013, which is jointly funded by the Albanese and Miles governments, over 450 hectares have been cleared of Yellow Crazy Ants. The ongoing effort follows more than a decade of coordinated action, starting with broadscale treatments and progressing to years of detailed surveys and spot treatments.
Currently, around 2300 hectares of land across 46 infestations in the Wet Tropics region are being managed for Yellow Crazy Ants, with 70 percent of the affected area now under long-term monitoring. Further eradication efforts are expected to bring more sites to be declared free of the pest soon.
Yellow Crazy Ants, first discovered in Cairns in 2001, are considered one of the world’s 100 worst invasive species. The ants aggressively swarm once established, decimating local ecosystems by killing invertebrates and small animals. If left unchecked, their presence can have significant economic impacts on tourism, agriculture, property development, and the quality of life for local residents.
The Wet Tropics area, home to Australia’s largest diversity of native species, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is under constant threat from invasive pests like Yellow Crazy Ants. The partnership between the Australian and Queensland governments reflects their shared commitment to preserving this vital region’s unique biodiversity.
Australian Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, highlighted the importance of protecting the Wet Tropics and stressed the role of joint government funding in tackling invasive pests. She also noted the partnership with the sugarcane industry to reduce the risk of Yellow Crazy Ants being transported between farms.
Queensland’s Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Leanne Linard, praised the eradication effort as a testament to successful collaboration between governments, local communities, and industries. She emphasized the obligation to preserve the Wet Tropics for future generations, not just for its natural value but for its cultural and economic importance.
Senator Nita Green, Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef, also congratulated the Wet Tropics Management Authority and local stakeholders for their hard work, expressing confidence that remaining infestations in the region will be eradicated in the near future.