The NSW DPI Cattle Tick program currently employs 43 staff across the areas of operations, surveillance, border patrol and border cameras. The team works to prevent and detect unlawful livestock movements into NSW from the cattle tick zone and providing education to livestock owners. The longest serving member of the Cattle Tick Program has been serving for 46 years, with other staff members having worked for the team for 25 – 40 years.
TODAY
2004
2005 -
Present
Farmers use a combination of plunge dips, sprays and backline products to cattle to control cattle tick and ensure NSW remains tick-free.
2001
1995
1991
1960s
1920 -
1960
1920
1918
1980s
1985
1906
1898
1891
NSW declared tick-free. The last quarantine area north west of Kyogle was released as a Tick Quarantine Area. A greater understanding of ticks, the increased effectiveness and availability of chemicals to treat the disease prompted the release of the region as a Cattle Tick Protected Area.
Kyogle region remained the only area classified as a Tick Quarantine Area.
Compulsory dipping programs were discontinued. The adoption of a strategic search and eradication policy was introduced, supported by an enhanced surveillance program.
Cattle Tick Dipsite Committee established to manage environmental issues from residues left in the soil by old and former cattle dips.
Policy change enabled livestock to undergo a risk assessment and one cleaning treatment, reduced from three treatments, to move cattle from tick quarantine areas to tick-free areas.
Training programs were provided to producers to operate cattle dips, with DPI continuing to supply the chemicals for treatment.
A significant number of regions in northern NSW, including Grafton, Cullendore and Tabulam, were released from the Tick Quarantine Area.
Cattle Tick Research Station established at Pearces Creek, Wollongbar to conduct trials on alternative chemicals and other control methods to assess their effectiveness of eradicating cattle ticks. The facility closed in the mid-1970s.
1648 cattle dips and 10 spray race facilities were constructed in total, with 248 dips constructed on Crown Land Reserves and 1600 on private land under a 15-year lease with the DPI.
Tick Quarantine Areas were established across the state, and plunge dipping or spraying of livestock became compulsory for cattle entering quarantine zones. Attempts to control cattle tick using these methods were largely unsuccessful. Ticks resisted chemical treatments, problematic mustering logistics and insufficient knowledge of tick life cycles contributed to the poor results.
NSW Cattle Tick Program established. Returned soldiers were employed as Inspectors, with quarantine areas in place from Kempsey to the Queensland border. At the peak of the program, 800 staff were employed to combat the disease.
Royal Commission held into impact of cattle tick in NSW.
Cattle tick spread to the northern NSW town of Kyogle and to Kempsey by 1908.
Reports of cattle tick present near the New South Wales border town of Tweed Heads.
Infestations of cattle tick spread down the east coast of Queensland.