Why biosecurity movement controls exist — and why they matter

Red Imported Fire Ants spread primarily through human movement of infested soil, turf, and plant material. Every time a trailer load of garden soil, a delivery of mulch, or a truck carrying fill material moves from an infested area to a fire ant-free area, it carries the risk of establishing a new colony at the destination. The National Fire Ant Eradication Program's containment strategy depends entirely on preventing this spread through rigorous movement controls.

The Biosecurity Act 2014 (Queensland) provides the legal framework for these controls, imposing obligations on individuals, businesses, and landholders within declared biosecurity zones. The penalties are substantial and are applied to both intentional and inadvertent breaches — the law does not require the prosecution to prove intent, only that restricted material was moved without authorisation.

What you cannot move without a biosecurity certificate

The following materials are subject to movement restrictions within Queensland fire ant biosecurity zones and cannot be transported out of those zones without a valid Biosecurity Certificate:

• ✗Soil, including topsoil, potting mix, garden soil, compost, mulch, bark chips, and sand
• ✗Turf, sod, and lawn clippings
• ✗Plants with soil attached to roots — including pot plants and bare-rooted stock
• ✗Spent mushroom compost
• ✗Hay, straw, and fodder that has been in contact with soil
• ✗Garden waste including leaf litter, prunings, and green waste
• ✗Machinery, vehicles, and equipment with soil on them — including excavators, bobcats, tractors, and trailers
• ✗Shipping containers, skips, and large removable objects that have rested on soil
• ✗Fill material and excavated material from construction sites within the zone

Common scenarios that inadvertently breach the controls

Moving house within a zone and relocating to outside

Residents moving out of a fire ant biosecurity zone to an address outside the zone are subject to movement controls. This includes garden furniture, pot plants, children's play equipment (sandpits, swing sets), and any soil-contaminated outdoor items. The practical steps: remove soil from all items before transport, do not move pot plants with soil attached, and contact Biosecurity Queensland for guidance on specific items.

Garden renovations and landscape deliveries

A landscaper or garden supply company delivering mulch, soil, or turf from within a biosecurity zone to a property outside that zone must hold a Biosecurity Certificate or operate under an approved industry biosecurity management plan. Residential customers ordering garden supplies should ask their supplier whether their materials originate within a biosecurity zone and whether delivery to an address outside the zone is compliant.

Construction fill and excavated material

Construction projects within fire ant zones that generate excavated soil — even for routine footing work or pool excavation — face movement controls on disposal of that material. Dumping soil from a zone site at a fill location outside the zone without certification is a breach. Site managers and project supervisors must establish a biosecurity management plan and ensure earthworks contractors are aware of their obligations.

Equipment hire and return

Earthmoving equipment hired for work within a fire ant zone and then returned to a depot or moved to a job outside the zone must be cleaned and certified before it crosses the zone boundary. Hire companies operating in high-risk areas are required to have equipment cleaning protocols. If you hire a machine for within-zone work and the hire company's depot is outside the zone, the equipment must be cleaned before return.

How to obtain a biosecurity certificate

Biosecurity Queensland manages the certification process for movement of restricted materials out of fire ant zones. The process depends on the material type and quantity:

• Self-declaration: For some materials, Biosecurity Queensland provides self-declaration checklists and approved treatment methods that allow landholders or businesses to certify their own material as compliant
• Officer inspection: For other material types or larger quantities, a Biosecurity Queensland officer must inspect and certify the material before movement
• Accredited certifiers: Some industry sectors have approved accredited certifiers who can issue certificates under delegation from Biosecurity Queensland

For all queries about obtaining a certificate for your specific situation, call the Biosecurity Queensland hotline.

What Jets Pest Control handles on your behalf

When Jets Pest Control treats a fire ant nest on your property using APVMA-approved Fipronil direct nest injection, we prepare and lodge all mandatory Biosecurity Queensland reporting documentation, chemical application records, and photographic compliance evidence on your behalf. This ensures that the treatment is formally recorded in the state's fire ant tracking system and that your property's compliance status is documented. We handle the paperwork — you handle the reporting phone call to 13 22 68 if you are the one who discovered the nest.