Queensland fruit fly has turned up in Perth again, this time in Como and South Perth. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) found it through its routine trapping network. A quarantine area has applied to home gardens across a wide part of the city since April 2026. If you grow fruit or fruiting vegetables nearby, the rules affect you directly.
Qfly is native to the eastern states but is an invasive pest in Western Australia. It attacks more than 300 kinds of fruit and vegetables. Here is what the quarantine means for backyard growers and how you can help.
Where the quarantine area applies
The quarantine area covers a 15 kilometre radius around the detection points. It is split into two zones. The Red Zone is a 1.5 kilometre radius around the detections and includes parts of South Perth and Victoria Park. The Orange Zone is the rest of the area and acts as a buffer.
The Quarantine Area Notice is set to run until 31 March 2027. It may be lifted early if eradication is shown, or extended if more flies are found. You need to follow the rules until it is lifted. DPIRD has a map lookup on its Queensland fruit fly page so you can check your address.
This is not the first outbreak in Perth. Qfly has been eradicated from the metropolitan area ten times since 1989. Recent responses include Willagee in 2025 and Bayswater and Belmont in 2023. Keeping WA free of the pest protects export markets such as avocados to Japan.
Rules for gardens in the Red Zone
Red Zone residents carry the heaviest load. Ripe and ripening fruit and fruiting vegetables must be picked from host plants every three days. Fallen fruit must be picked up, treated and thrown out straight away. Picked fruit should be eaten immediately or treated, not left indoors to ripen.
Host fruit cannot be moved within or out of the Red Zone unless it has been treated. Putting it in the fridge does not count. You also cannot give fresh host fruit to neighbours unless it has been treated or processed. Jam, juice, salads and cooked dishes are all fine to share.
Fruit trees need some attention too. DPIRD tags host plants with ribbon or tape and baits them, but staff do not strip fruit. If you prune branches, strip all the fruit off before they go out for green waste. Fruit from a neighbour’s tree that lands on your side becomes your responsibility.
Rules for the Orange Zone
The Orange Zone rules focus on movement. Host fruit and fruiting vegetables must not leave the Orange Zone unless treated. Produce moving within the zone or into the Red Zone must be kept secure. That means covered, packaged, fully enclosed or kept in a screened building.
If you want to move host fruit or host plants grown in the Orange Zone outside the quarantine area, you must tell DPIRD first. The notice must go in at least 24 hours before the move. Treatment and secure conditions also need to be in place. DPIRD inspects some Orange Zone properties as well.
How to treat fruit before disposal
DPIRD lists four approved ways to treat host fruit. Each one kills any eggs or larvae inside. Treated fruit should be bagged securely and placed in the general waste bin. It must not go into green waste or food organics bins.
- Cooking, such as boiling or microwaving.
- Freezing for at least 24 hours.
- Solarising in a sealed black bag on a hard surface in full sun for at least seven days, and longer in cloudy weather.
- Processing, such as slicing, blending, juicing, pressing or pickling.
Some common habits need to stop for now. Do not compost host fruit or put it in a worm farm. Do not bury it either, as larvae can survive burial up to one metre deep. Chickens should not be fed host fruit unless it has been treated or processed first.
The soil rule makes sense once you know the life cycle. Females lay eggs just under the skin of the fruit and the larvae feed inside it. Mature larvae drop to the ground and tunnel into the soil to pupate. For more on caring for garden beds, see our guide to adding new soil to your garden.
Signs your fruit may be affected
Look for small sting marks on the fruit, often with discoloured skin around them. Fruit that rots quickly or drops early is another warning sign. Maggots inside the fruit are the clearest sign of all. If you find any of these, keep the fruit double bagged in the fridge for DPIRD’s next visit.
You can also report it through the MyPestGuide Reporter app or website. The eggs and larvae of Qfly and Mediterranean fruit fly look the same. Adults are easier to tell apart. Qfly has a reddish brown body with yellow patches and clear wings, while Medfly has mottled wings.
What DPIRD officers are doing
Biosecurity officers are inspecting properties and applying an organic bait called Naturalure. It goes on plants at least 1.5 metres above the ground. Small cardboard lures that attract and kill male flies are also hung out of reach of children and pets. Separate traps monitor fly numbers.
Red Zone properties are visited at least once a week. Those closest to detections get two visits a week. The first inspection takes about 30 minutes. DPIRD asks residents to allow officers into their gardens when asked.
Planning a fruit garden with Qfly in mind
Outbreaks like this are a reminder to keep fruit trees manageable. Trees kept to a height you can reach make regular picking much easier. If fruit is too high to reach safely, DPIRD suggests hiring an arborist. Those who cannot do the work because of age or health can ask friends or carers, or contact DPIRD.
For ideas on fitting productive plants into a smaller space, read our Perth landscape design tips for small yards. Our guide to planting in Perth gardens covers what to grow through the seasons. Keeping fallen fruit off the grass also helps, and our article on solving common lawn issues has more on lawn care.
Full details sit in the DPIRD Como and South Perth response FAQs. The rules can change as the response goes on, so check back for updates. Following them is the best way to help Perth get rid of Qfly once more.
Frequently asked questions
How long will the Qfly quarantine last?
The Quarantine Area Notice is set to run until 31 March 2027. It may end sooner if eradication is shown. It could also be extended if more flies are detected.
Can I put fruit in my green waste bin?
No. Host fruit must be treated, bagged securely and placed in the general waste bin. Green waste, food organics bins, compost and worm farms are all off limits.
Can I share fruit with my neighbours?
Not fresh host fruit in the Red Zone. You can share it once it has been treated or processed. Jam, juice and cooked dishes are all allowed.
How do I report suspected fruit fly?
Use the MyPestGuide Reporter app or the MyPestGuide website. You can also contact DPIRD’s Pest and Disease Information Service. Keep affected fruit double bagged in the fridge.