Shot-hole borer detected near Harvey in WA’s South West

The destructive polyphagous shot-hole borer has reportedly been detected near Harvey in WA’s south west, sparking concern the State’s fruit growing region could be jeopardised. Harvey Shire president Michelle Campbell said the invasive beetle — which has already led to the destruction of thousands of Perth trees — was discovered in Myalup, 39km from Bunbury, and one other location in the past week. The Shire will launch a new public awareness campaign on Monday to help inform residents of what to look for and how to report the pest to Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. “Staff within our Shire have been involved with officers from the DPIRD in the identification of the shot-hole borer within a few locations and treatment of the infested trees has been carried out by DPIRD,” Ms Campbell said. She expressed concern her local government and smaller regional councils might be under resourced to handle the pest effectively. “As a local government, we’re not adequately resourced to manage this on our own,” she said. “We do have an environmental office, but it’s not enough.” She also noted the incidents are yet to be included in the quarantine zone information on the DPIRD website, and her council only recently received briefings on the borer and the quarantine zones. “The Shire of Harvey plans to roll out our communications next week to raise awareness about the risk,” Ms Campbell said. “Through this process, we hope to educate those bringing firewood to southern local government areas and those transporting plants from nurseries, to prevent further spread.” “We don’t want to alarm the community, especially horticulturists, but awareness is crucial. There needs to be swift action. We’ll also emphasise that people should report sightings to DPIRD, as they are the experts, not us.” “I believe DPIRD has been proactive, with staff working on it since it was detected.” Shadow environment minister Neil Thomson said it marked a concerning expansion of the 871sqkm quarantine area, which already spanned more than 25 councils — all in Perth. “It is deeply concerning that the outbreak has spend beyond the metropolitan boundary,” he said. “Especially with our fruit growing area of the south west already very vulnerable to this pest, it appears that State Government has lost control of this.” The discovery has particular implications for south west fruit growers — including avocados, stone fruit, and citrus — which the PSHB is known to reproduce in. The beetle bores into trees, creating tunnels that weaken them and make them susceptible to disease and decay. The detection of the PSHB near Harvey came just hours after the WA Government announced a $7.2 million funding package to support a new tree planting program. Minister Jackie Jarvis launched the fund in Hyde Park on Saturday and said it was designed to help replace the thousands of trees that have been destroyed by the borer since its arrival in WA. “We are working around the clock to both eradicate the pest. We’re working around the clock to secure our containment lines along the metropolitan area,” Ms Jarvis said. “It’s not uncommon when we have an eradication plan in place that that there will be species found outside a containment zone. “It’s important to note also that that does not mean that the pest has spread from Hyde Park, and has gone through every suburb. We know there are lots and lots of suburbs in the containment zone that have to have less than 10 premises impacted. “We are actively looking outside the quarantine zone so that we can work out an out limit and work our way in. “That is best practice for biosecurity.” The DPIRD were questioned about the expansion of the outbreak on Saturday but denied any knowledge of it. “DPIRD is not aware of any confirmed detection of PSHB in the Harvey area,” a spokeswoman told The West on Saturday afternoon. Ms Campbell said the sighting is yet to be included in information about the quarantine zone on the DPIRD website and her council had only recently received briefings on the borer and quarantine-zone information. “We will be rolling out our communications next week, just to raise awareness,” she said. “Through that process, we also hope to educate people bringing firewood down to the southern local government areas and those moving plants from nurseries and the like. “We don’t want to scare the community about it, particularly the horticulturists, but there certainly needs to be more awareness in this space. There needs to be a flurry of activity. “We’ll also communicate that people should report to DPIRD, because they really are the experts on this, not us. “I believe DPIRD were right on top of it and they’ve had staff working on it since it was detected. I would surmise, however, that they are not resourced enough to deal with it.” WA shadow forestry minister Steve Martin slammed the State Labor Government for the pace of the response and lacking public awareness campaign across the past three years. “I’m very concerned at the lack of public awareness about the quarantine plans to attempt to restrict the outbreak of shot hole borer to the metropolitan area.” “Three years after the outbreak of this very destructive invasive pest, how many Western Australians know about the quarantine area surrounding Perth and what is Minister Jackie Jarvis doing to spread the message?” “I travelled from Perth to the Great Southern last week for a meeting of local governments and I didn’t spot any signage or information for travellers that they were entering or leaving a quarantine zone. “If someone from regional WA brings home a load of garden prunings from their Perth property and throws them in the local tip then the shot hole borer could escape the metro boundary.” His Liberal party colleague Mr Thomson agreed, describing the awareness campaign as “woeful”. “The messaging has been absolutely woeful. It has not been clear and sufficient. The department hasn’t mobilised the community in the way that it needed to,” Mr Thomson said. Mr Marin accused the Minister and the Department of being slow to act, adding there had been and that lack of urgency is putting at risk any efforts to contain the pest.” Under a national cost sharing agreement, $44 million has been allocated nationally to fund the emergency biosecurity response. A 163-strong team, established in the Department, has been scrambling to contain the destructive borer since it was first detected in 2021 near Fremantle. Report borer damage through the MyPestGuide Reporter app, phone the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881, or visit the department’s website.