Queensland fruit fly outbreak at Lindsay Point in Victoria
An outbreak of Queensland Fruit Fly was declared at Lindsay Point (Riverland, Victoria) on 21 May 2019, as the result of fruit fly being detected in a Biosecurity SA Plant Health fruit fly trap.
It is a requirement of other states that a Suspension Area is imposed for all fruit fly host produce which effectively removes the fruit fly free status of the zone. Until the suspensions are lifted, any host produce grown or packed in the area must be treated and certified as meeting the import requirements of the destination state prior to departure and cannot be certified under SA ICA 23 (SA ICA 23 Approved Properties in Suspension Zone can no longer supply an SA ICA 23 business).
The Suspension Area is the area within 15 km radius of the Outbreak centre and encompasses parts of South Australia and Victoria. It applies for:
- All Tasmania, Ti‐Tree in NT, other parts of the Riverland Pest Free Area (PFA) and WA.
- Entry or movement through Victoria/NSW areas of Sunraysia PFA
- No suspension zone applies for Queensland or areas of Victoria/NSW not in PFA.
There is also a 1.5km radius Outbreak Area from which produce must not leave under any circumstances unless prior approval from PIRSA is granted and conditions met.
Host produce may continue to move from the South Australian Produce Markets (SAPM) provided produce was grown and packed from outside the Suspension Area and cold chain and secure conditions are maintained. Secure conditions apply for transportation also.
Host produce from within a Suspension Area (but not from within the 1.5 km Outbreak Area, see map or pdf document here) may move for local market within the area without restrictions – but must not be moved outside the 15 km, especially not to the wider Riverland areas or other growing areas.
The anticipated earliest re‐instatement date for fruit fly freedom (lifting of suspensions) will be 22 December 2019. Further detections may however cause this date to change.
Key fruit fly treatments available for produce from within a Suspension Area include:
- Dipping or spraying of some hosts with dimethoate under Biosecurity SA Plant Health supervision or by self‐application using SA ICA 01 or SA ICA 02 accreditation.
- Cold storage (SA ICA 07).
- Fumigation with methyl bromide (SA ICA 04)*.
New ICA arrangements require an application being made to Biosecurity SA with up to 10 days processing time.
Please determine whether you are within the Suspension Area using this map around Lindsay Point.
For further information on these requirements, produce movements, other treatment options or maps please contact Plant Health Operations on 08 8207 7814 or explore pir.sa.gov.au/ica.
Biosecurity SA Plant Health
Phone: 08 8207 7814
Fax: 08 8349 8310
Email: PIRSA.PlantHealthMarketAccess@sa.gov.au
Web: pir.sa.gov.au
*Fumigation services available from TriCal 08 8347 3838 or Australian Fumigation 0417 833 223.