- WA declared free of Queensland fruit fly after significant community eradication effort
- Southern suburb communities, businesses and Perth Markets recognised for role in protecting WA from destructive pest
- National Biosecurity Week returns from 25 to 31 August, highlighting the importance of remaining vigilant and early reporting of plant pests or diseases
Western Australia has successfully eradicated Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) thanks to the dedicated efforts of government, community and industry.
Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis has confirmed WA has achieved area freedom from the destructive plant pest after an extensive eight-month eradication response in Perth's southern suburbs.
Qfly was detected in the Willagee and Palmyra areas in November 2024, through routine monitoring of traps in WA's early warning surveillance network.
The destructive fruit fly is one of the biggest threats to Western Australia's $1.49 billion horticultural industries and backyard fruit trees.
The pest attacks more than 300 species of fruit and fruiting vegetables including avocados, chilli, tomato and capsicum.
If Qfly became established in WA, it could limit access to valuable horticulture export and domestic markets and severely impact home-grown fruit and vegetables.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development undertook an extensive eradication response with the support of the Willagee and Palmyra and surrounding communities as well as the Perth Markets to successfully eradicate Qfly.
More than 12,000 properties were visited, over 10,500 fruit fly lures deployed and almost 600 samples of fruit collected for testing.
The quarantine area covered a 15-kilometre radius from the initial detection point in Willagee and spanned 22 local governments.
Residents and local governments were key to the eradication by regularly stripping and disposing of their home-grown fruit and not moving fruit or plant material out of the quarantine area.
The local success story has been celebrated ahead of National Biosecurity Week which runs from 25 to 31 August, highlighting the important role of the community in helping to protect Australia's primary industries, environment and way of life from harmful pests and diseases.
The Quarantine Area Notice will be lifted, with residents and businesses to no longer be subject to quarantine movement controls on fruit and vegetables required to prevent the spread of the plant pest.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"This achievement is thanks to an enormous effort by residents, businesses and local governments in our southern suburbs, along with the Perth Markets who faced a number of quarantine restrictions to ensure we could eradicate this pest as quickly as possible.
"This is the tenth time Qfly has been successfully eradicated from the Perth metropolitan area since the 1980s and is a great example of how we can all pull together to protect our horticultural industries and environment from harmful pests and diseases.
"It comes just in time for National Biosecurity Week and is a testament to the importance of our entire community working together to protect our State's biosecurity.
"I encourage all Western Australians to remain vigilant and continue to report any unusual animal or plant pests via the MyPestGuide Reporter app.
"The quicker we identify a pest or disease the better chance we have of containing and eradicating it."
