The town of Ceduna has been declared free from Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), following the successful eradication of the pest through the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) fruit fly response program.
Restrictions have now been lifted with no Medfly detected in Ceduna since April, confirming the pest has been eradicated from the area, the Department said in a statement.
“This means residents can again share home-grown fruit and vegetables with friends, family and neighbours both within and outside Ceduna,” it stated.
The outbreak, which was declared in March, was detected early through PIRSA’s permanent fruit fly monitoring network. The Department says early detection allowed for a quick and targeted response to prevent the pest from spreading.
“PIRSA field teams worked with local residents to inspect fruit and vegetables, apply safe organic bait, and remove fallen produce to break the fruit fly lifecycle. Strong cooperation from the Ceduna community played a key role in the successful outcome.”
The final stage of the eradication program is a 12-week Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) road release that began in late September. Each week, up to one million sterile male flies are being released across Ceduna’s former outbreak area.
These flies are harmless to people, animals and the environment. When they mate with any remaining wild females, no offspring are produced, breaking the life cycle. Although the outbreak has officially ended, the SIT program will continue until mid-December to complete this stage of the response.
The Ceduna Quarantine Station remains a key line of defence against Medfly entering from Western Australia, where the pest is established. Permanent monitoring traps will remain in place in and around Ceduna as part of PIRSA’s early warning network to allow a rapid response to any future detections.
“This result wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Ceduna residents,” said PIRSA General Manager, Fruit Fly Response, Jason Size.
“Our teams worked closely with the community throughout the eradication program, and their cooperation was outstanding.
“It was a truly coordinated effort that delivered a great outcome for the town and for South Australia’s horticultural industries.”
While the Ceduna outbreak has now ended, quarantine restrictions remain in place for Queensland fruit fly outbreaks in Salisbury North, Glynde and the Riverland as eradication programs continue.
