Community Champions
Knowledge is power
Here we have compiled some case studies of commercial growers and home gardeners to share in their successes and to offer hope to those that feel like controlling Queensland Fruit Fly on their property is a hopeless case.
Getting creative to control fruit fly
Monnapa Gervasi is one of many community members finding creative ways to
control Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) in their gardens.
The Mildura resident has had great success using different types of nets to
protect her fruit – from small bags, to curtains, to shade cloths.
Monnapa’s large garden is filled with many types of fruit trees and fruiting vegetables. Some trees are completely covered with insect exclusion netting,
while only select bunches of fruit have been covered on other trees, and netting draped over hoops protect her taller vegetables.
Read Monnapa's story here
John joins the fight
After years of struggling with fruit fly on his own, John Fox joined the free community Fruit Fly Fighter Program for help to successfully control the pest in his big backyard.
“But we need to learn to control fruit fly because the horticulture industry contributes substantially to the economy in this area.”
Hear more of John's story here
From zero to hero
Mildura home gardener Rob Wood went from losing much of his fruit and vegetables to Queensland fruit fly to having no infested produce this year by taking part in the local Fruit Fly Fighter Program.
“We are never going to get rid of fruit fly, so we need to learn to live with it," he said.
Read Rob's story here
Free tree removal helping after years of disappointment
Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area’s free tree removal program has been successful in helping residents who have struggled to manage their trees for Queensland fruit fly (QFF).
Kathy O’Donnell planted a Nectarine tree five years ago with the vision of one day walking out her backdoor, picking and enjoying her own beautiful Nectarines. However after years of not one piece of edible fruit, Kathy’s disappointed had turned into incredibly frustrated and the free tree removal program was just want she needed.
Read Kathy's story here
Working together to protect our crops
Working together is the key to reducing QFF populations across the region, according to Sunraysia growers.
Stone fruit growers Michael Tripodi and Paul Mobilio said fruit fly could be managed using the right control strategies, but it was important that all growers were doing something. “We need to work as a community, and as a collective of growers, to make sure we’re doing the best job we can to control fruit fly on our properties, and to let each other know if there’s something new to be aware of,” Michael said.
Read the case study for more about how Michael and Paul control fruit fly on their properties.
Beating fruit fly with exclusion netting
Kathryn Stevens was over the moon this summer when she picked peaches for the first time in years. Queensland fruit fly had destroyed all her family’s stone fruit over the past few years, so they had all but given up.
"We had stopped watering the fruit trees as much because we thought we didn't have a chance," Kathryn said. But with the help of Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area field officer, Kathryn was able to trial an exclusion net to keep fruit fly out and protect her fruit. To read the full story click here
Fighting fruit fly in the community
When Allan Bryce moved into his new home in Swan Hill, he discovered that it also came with a lot of Queensland fruit fly.
Find out how Allan managed to eat beautiful fruit this year after taking advice on Qfly management from Tricia Witney, who is a Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area field officer in the Swan Hill region. To read the full story click here
Community banding together to control Queensland fruit fly
Sam Oresti is winning the battle with QFF by reducing the number of host trees he has and using insect nets to keep QFF away from the remaining trees. “We just had too many trees to look after each year - it was becoming a losing battle against Queensland Fruit" said Sam. Story here
Kerang community garden beating fruit fly
"God that's good!" Dave Randell, caretaker of the Kerang Community Garden, is ‘over the moon’ about his stone fruit this year. These trees were destined to be bull-dozed, when our field officer Tricia Witney paid a visit to the garden in June 2018. “I couldn’t have done it without Tricia.” Story here
