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Posted by David Sexton
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15 Oct, 2026
NEW South Wales government officials are to work closely with businesses and the Enfield community, as they seek to thwart a possible fire ant incursion.
Earlier this week, officials from the federal Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), discovered fire ants in a detection lure at Enfield Intermodal Logistics Centre in Sydney’s inner west.
A fire ant nest was then found and subsequently treated.
Specialist fire ant detection dog teams have undertaken surveillance at the site and immediate vicinity. No other nests have been found at the intermodal centre.
DAFF entomologists have also confirmed the ants to be red imported fire ants.
Genetic analysis by the National Fire Ant Eradication Program has confirmed the fire ants are likely to be from overseas via container and are not from the main Australian fire ant impacted site in Southeast Queensland.
The NSW Government has established an Incident Management Team in response to the detection and has engaged the Fire Ant Biosecurity team which is made up of experts from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Queensland-based officers from the National Fire Ant Program.
The immediate focus is on inspecting properties and treating any potential location within a 500-metre radius of the Intermodal Centre.
After the community engagement period a Biosecurity Control Order will be implemented to enable NSW Government teams to appropriately manage risks within the biosecurity zone, with a focus on businesses involved in moving or working with fire ant carrier materials.
NSW agriculture minister Tara Moriarty said their expected biosecurity team had “swung into action after being advised by the Commonwealth of the detection of fire ants at the Intermodal Centre at Enfield”.
“It’s important to note that no further ants have been found, but we are focused on making sure any potential spread is identified and eradicated quickly,” Ms Moriarty said.
“While fire ants are one of the world’s most invasive species, they can and have been successfully eradicated in New South Wales. The action plan is underway and it is important we focus the next two weeks on working closely with the community and businesses to educate them on keeping an eye out and what to do if they see fire ants.”
She said they would have teams on the ground door-knocking, handing out flyers and staffing our community information drop-in centre.
According to Southern Cross University, fire ants are a threat to people and livestock.
“Fire ant encounters usually involve tens or hundreds of ants, and they swarm. Their sting is extremely painful, especially when they sting all at once,” SCU said in a statement.
“They have killed people (due to anaphylactic shock after being bitten) in the United States, removed livestock from infested paddocks and have decimated entire native ecosystems.”
Fire ants are native to South America. According to SCU, they were first observed in Brisbane in 2001, after probably hitching a ride on a ship that docked at the Port of Brisbane.
