Important information for Adelaide Hills grapegrowers, and wineries that receive grapes from the Adelaide Hills
In addition to the nine outbreaks of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) in metropolitan Adelaide advised in the Biosecurity Alert on 25 January 2021, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) has today notified of a Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) outbreak in metropolitan Adelaide.
The current Suspension Area boundaries for these outbreaks are encroaching on the Adelaide Hills towns of Piccadilly, Summertown and Ashton, with 15 growers already inside the Suspension Areas. PIRSA is working to eradicate these outbreaks, however further expansions to these boundaries may occur if there are additional detections of Medfly or Qfly.
When a fruit fly outbreak is declared, the area around the fruit fly discovery point is split into an Outbreak Area (1.5km radius around the discovery point, within which on-ground activities are focused) and a Suspension Area (7.5km or 15km radius around the discovery point for Medfly or Qfly, respectively). Collectively, these management areas are known as the ‘Fruit Fly Affected Area’, within which different movement requirements are imposed.
Movement requirements apply to winegrapes grown within the Outbreak and Suspension Areas. Wineries receiving fruit from the Outbreak or Suspension Areas must comply with movement requirements. For any fruit moving out of an Outbreak or Suspension Area both the vineyard and winery must be accredited or certified.
This Biosecurity Bulletin outlines the movement requirements related to the current fruit fly outbreaks in Adelaide.
For those growers already identified from Vinehealth Australia’s Register as inside the Fruit Fly Affected Areas:
- You should have already been contacted by PIRSA or Vinehealth Australia with information on movement requirements that now apply to vineyard-specific practices and movements of grape material between your vineyard(s) and wineries/processing facilities.
- For these businesses and those wineries receiving grapes from the Fruit Fly Affected Areas, please ensure that you abide by all applicable movement requirements.
Given vintage has started and the fruit fly situation in metropolitan Adelaide could change rapidly, it is critical for all Adelaide Hills growers, wineries receiving Adelaide Hills grapes and industry personnel working in the Adelaide Hills to:
- Maintain awareness of the current boundaries of the Fruit Fly Affected Areas.
- Be proactive NOW, and familiarise yourself with the movement requirements that would apply to your vineyard or winery in the event that there is an expansion of the boundaries in coming days or weeks. This will minimise downtime for you during harvest.
- Vinehealth Australia is aware of growers and wineries who are proactively getting accredited now to manage the potential disruption to harvest logistics caused by having to get accredited in the middle of vintage, should the boundaries be extended at some point in the coming days or weeks.
- Information on accreditation and certification, including links to application forms, can be found at the bottom of page 3 in the Biosecurity Bulletin.
Vinehealth Australia has been advised by PIRSA of current timelines relating to the processing of accreditation applications:
- For businesses currently INSIDE a Fruit Fly Affected Area – applications to be processed and initial audits to be completed within 5 business days.
- Note: You must write on your application paperwork that your business is inside a Fruit Fly Affected Area to facilitate priority processing.
- Note: You must write on your application paperwork that your business is inside a Fruit Fly Affected Area to facilitate priority processing.
- For businesses currently OUTSIDE a Fruit Fly Affected Area – a new application will be processed within 10 business days and once completed, the initial audit conducted 1-2 weeks thereafter.
- Note: To help prioritise applications, include on your application paperwork your start date for harvest for vineyard applications or first receival date for winery applications where known. If your situation changes post submission of your applications, ensure you contact the PIRSA Market Access team on 08 8207 7814 to advise them of your updated timelines.
The quarantine end date for the Fruit Fly Affected Areas in Adelaide is late April, however, further detections may cause this date to change.
Where to find critical information
For current information on these metropolitan Adelaide fruit fly outbreaks – including maps, a Biosecurity Bulletin outlining movement requirements, and quarantine end dates, refer to Vinehealth’s Australia’s Current Outbreaks webpage.
For further information from PIRSA, refer here.
Other assistance
- If you need help to identify if your property falls inside the Fruit Fly Affected Areas, please call Vinehealth Australia’s Technical Manager Suzanne McLoughlin on 0412 859 882.
- For all enquiries relating to these metropolitan Adelaide outbreaks, including assistance for accreditation and certification, call PIRSA on 08 8207 7814.
- To report suspected fruit fly, phone the Fruit Fly Hotline on 1300 666 010.
Vinehealth Australia will continue to work in partnership with Adelaide Hills Wine and state and regional associations to inform growers and winemakers of requirements in relation to these outbreaks in metropolitan Adelaide.