Quarantine Area in place to protect from Queensland fruit fly

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has declared a Quarantine Area (QA) for the City of Melville to contain the spread of Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) which was recently detected in the Willagee and Palmyra areas. 

What is Queensland fruit fly (Qfly)? 

Qfly is a significant pest of horticulture and home gardens that infests more than 300 types of fruit, including fruiting vegetables like chillies, capsicums and tomatoes. 

• 6mm – 8mm long 
• Red-brownish torso with yellow patches and a dark brown abdomen 
• Clear wings

Quarantine Zones 

The Quarantine Area includes two zones – a corrective action zone around where the pest was first found (Red Zone) and a buffer zone of surrounding suburbs within a 15 kilometre radius of the initial detections (Orange Zone). 

An online interactive map can assist residents and businesses to identify what zone may apply to them and what rules apply.  Residents in the red zone are required to remove fruit and fruiting vegetables from all Qfly host plants and 'eat it or treat it' - see our Waste Changes due to Queensland fruit fly page for up-to-date instructions and advice for City of Melville residents and businesses. For a full host plant list and detailed information about the QA, please refer to wa.gov.au/qfly 

We understand that removing all host fruit from your garden is a sacrifice - it is a temporary measure but a powerful one that is designed at limiting the risk to your garden in the long term.  If Qfly is not eradicated, we risk our farmers losing access to valuable export markets and backyard gardeners losing the ability to grow many fruit and vegetables without the ongoing use of pesticides.