Brisbane Skip Bins and Fire Ant Shenanigans

Now you might well be wondering what fire ants might have to do with Brisbane skip bins. And here is a clue that it has to do with soil...

Brisbane was first invaded by foreign red fire ants back in 2001 when these little critters arrived from South America.  The fire ants are not very nice and pose some what of a threat to environmental, social and economic aspects of the Brisbane and South East Queensland region.  The fire ants are such pests that the Queensland Government have a division of Bio-security Queensland who monitor there appearances and reported activity.  Seriously though, the fire ants that are in many suburbs of Brisbane do pose a threat, so much so that the Queensland government have declared them a notifiable pest under the Plant Protection act of 1989.

This means that if you want to dispose of soil, clean fill, or soil filled plant pots in a Brisbane skip bin then you may well have to invite a government inspector (and their dog) round before you disturb any soil.  Yes, before you can put any soil in a Brisbane skip bin in many suburbs you may well have to notify Bio-security Queensland.  They are interested if you are going to move more that 1 cubic metre of soil from or within one of the effected or restricted suburbs.  The restricted suburbs include:

Acacia Ridge, Alberton, Alexandra Hills, Algester, Amberley, Annerley, Anstead, Archerfield, Ashwell, Auchenflower, Augustine Heights, Balmoral, Banyo,  Basin Pocket, Beenleigh, Bellbird Park, Bellbowrie, Belmont, Berrinba, Bethania, Birkdale, Blacksoil, Blackstone, Boondall, Booval, Boronia Heights, Brassall, Broadbeach, Brookfield, Brookwater, Browns Plains, Buccan, Bundamba, Burbank, Calamvale, Calvert, Camira, Cannon Hill, Capalaba, Carbrook , Carina, Carina Heights, Carindale, Carole Park, Chambers Flat, Chandler, Churchill, Chuwar, Clayfield, Cleveland, Coleyville, Collingwood Park, Coopers Plains, Coorparoo, Corinda, Cornubia, Crestmead, Daisy Hill, Darra, Deebing Heights, Dinmore, Doolandella, Drewvale, Durack , Eagle Farm, Eagleby, East Brisbane, East Ipswich, Eastern Heights, Ebbw Vale, Ebenezer, Eight Mile Plains, Ellen Grove, Fairfield, Fig Tree Pocket, Flinders View, Forest Lake, Forestdale, Gailes, Goodna, Goolman, Graceville, Grandchester, Greenbank, Greenslopes, Gumdale, Haigslea, Harrisville, Heathwood, Hemmant, Hendra, Heritage Palms, Heritage Park, Hillcrest, Holland Park, Holland Park West, Holmview, Inala, Ipswich, Ironbark, Jamboree Heights, Jeebropilly, Jindalee, Karalee, Karana Downs, Karawatha, Karrabin, Kenmore, Kenmore Hills, Kingston, Kuraby, Lanefield, Larapinta, Leichhardt, Limestone Ridges, Logan Central, Logan Reserve, Loganholme, Loganlea, Lower Mount Walker, Lyons, Lytton, Macgregor, Mackenzie, Manly, Manly West, Mansfield, Marburg, Marsden, Meadowbrook, Merryvale, Middle Park, Milora, Moggill, Moores Pocket, Moorooka, Morningside, Mount Coot Tha, Mount Cotton, Mount Forbes, Mount Gravatt, Mount Gravatt East , Mount Marrow, Mount Mort, Mount Ommaney, Mount Walker, Mount Walker West, Munruben, Murarrie, Mutdapilly, Nathan, New Beith, New Chum, Newtown, North Booval, North Ipswich, North Maclean, Northgate, Nudgee, Nudgee Beach, Nundah, One Mile, Ormeau, Ormiston, Oxley, Pallara, Park Ridge, Park Ridge South, Parkinson, Peak Crossing, Pine Mountain, Pinjarra Hills, Pinkenba, Priestdale, Pullenvale , Purga, Raceview, Radford, Red Hill, Redbank, Redbank Plains, Redland Bay, Regents Park, Richlands, Ripley, Riverhills, Riverview, Robertson, Rochedale, Rochedale South , Rocklea, Rosevale, Rosewood, Runcorn, Sadliers Crossing, Salisbury, Seventeen Mile Rocks, Shailer Park, Sheldon, Silverdale, Sinnamon Park, Slacks Creek, South Ripley, Spring Mountain, Springfield, Springfield Central, Springfield Lakes, Springwood, Stapylton, Stretton, Sumner, Sunnybank, Sunnybank Hills, Swanbank, Tallegalla, Tanah Merah, Tarragindi, Tennyson , Thagoona, The Bluff, Thornlands, Tingalpa, Toowong, Underwood, Upper Brookfield, Upper Mount Gravatt, Victoria Point, Virginia, Wacol, Walloon, Warrill View, Washpool, Waterford, Waterford West, Wellington Point, West End, West Ipswich, Westlake, White Rock, Willawong, Willowbank, Wilsons Plains, Wishart, Woodend, Woodridge, Woolloongabba, Wulkuraka, Wynnum, Yeerongpilly and Yeronga.

So remember before you fill a Brisbane Skip Bin with soil contact Bio-security Queensland and they will come and check out your place for signs of Fire Ants so they don't get moved to another Brisbane suburb in your skip bin. Also remember to allow yourself some extra time when planning your job and to avoid the disappointment of having the skip bin but not being able to fill it till your fire ant inspector from Bio-security Brisbane comes round.