Welcome to the QBA Varroa mite portal
This portal has been specifically designed as an information portal to support industry during the response to Varroa destructor detected in the Port of Newcastle on the 22nd of June 2022.
>Our Admin team will endeavour to publish updates relating to the incursion as frequently as physically possible. QBA members will continue to receive email updates via our dedicated communication channels.
If you are interested in supporting the QBA by becoming a member, please click here to complete your application for membership. Once you have completed your application and settled your membership invoice, you will be automatically added to our members communication list.To report varroa mite detections in Queensland
Call: Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23
Varroa mite is on the march to Queensland
Learn to check your hives and report your testing activities to help us to detect the mite early and support industry through this next chapter of Australian beekeeping.
Meet Sarah Hickman – Engagement Officer (DPI)
Sarah grew up around beekeeping, with both her grandfather and stepfather keeping bees, instilling in her a lifelong fascination with insects, especially honeybees.
Her commercial beekeeping experience began in New Zealand, where she gained firsthand experience managing varroa and learning the importance of Integrated Pest Management practices in a synthetic chemical free operation.
That experience ultimately led Sarah back to Queensland to join the “mite fight” as a Varroa Development Officer, a role she held for 12 months before transitioning into her current position as Engagement Officer with the Varroa Mite Innovation and Resilience Initiative (VMIRI).
In her role, Sarah supports beekeepers through education, guidance, resources, and industry engagement. She also works with pollination-reliant industries to raise awareness of the current Queensland varroa situation and the possible future challenges varroa may create.
Sarah works closely with Queensland’s Biosecurity Champions network, a dedicated group of volunteer beekeepers who act as an important supportive bridge between government and industry by sharing information, updates, and resources with clubs and communities across the state.
Contact Details for Bee Biosecurity Officer (BBO)
Tonia Johnson - Queensland's Bee Biosecurity Officer
Tonia brings extensive beekeeping experience to her role, including work in large-scale commercial operations in New Zealand. She later relocated to Australia, where she assisted in the New South Wales Varroa Mite response before joining Biosecurity Queensland as a Varroa Development Officer. She now serves as a Bee Biosecurity Officer under Biosecurity Queensland and the National Bee Biosecurity Program (NBBP).
n her role, Tonia supports Queensland honeybee stakeholders through education and training on both established and exotic honeybee pests and diseases. She also helps beekeepers understand and meet their General Biosecurity Obligation (GBO).
Contact Details for Tonia
News & Updates
Please use the blog post below to access a time line of all communications relating to the varroa destructor detection and response.
Varroa Mite Update 18 – NSW DPI Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Emergency Order No.7
June 28, 2026
Please see today's final update from the NSW DPI Biosecurity team. New infested premises linked to known cases New Varroa mite detections have been confirmed in Narrabri, Ferodale and Lambton. These cases are epidemiologically linked to previously known cases in the Newcastle area. This brings the number of emergency zones to a total of 19...
Varroa Mite Update 17 – NSW DPI Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Emergency Order No.6
June 28, 2026
Varroa mite emergency order extended to include Port Stephens 3 Jul 2022 The properties at Tanilba Bay, Salt Ash and another at Mayfield East are part of 16 premises now confirmed to have varroa mite infiltrating their hives. “Further reporting by beekeepers and investigations by NSW DPI officers, has identified three varroa mite infestations at...
Varroa Mite Update 16 – NSW DPI Biosecurity Varroa Mite Emergency Order No.5
June 28, 2026
Please find the latest update to the Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Emergency Order 2022 (No.5) issued by the Deputy Chief Plant Protection Officer. Please find the new order attached below. I have also taken the liberty of attaching the updated varroa response map to the end of this email.
Varroa Mite Update 15 – AHBIC Update No. 5
June 28, 2026
Please find the todays update from AHBIC attached below. Thank you for your efforts by supporting the QBA through the distribution of important industry updates. Kind regards, Jo Martin QBA State Secretary
Varroa Mite Update 14 – Update from AHBIC via Facebook – 11am 2nd July 2022
June 28, 2026
Update from AHBIC - 11am, 2nd July 2022. A quick update. Surveillance has been ramping up in the zones around Newcastle. The good news is that there still has not been any new identifications without direct links to the initial commercial beekeeper. Precautionary tracing and surveillance activities have commenced north of the Newcastle area focusing...
Varroa Mite Update 13 – NSW DPI New Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Emergency Order 2022 (No.4)
June 28, 2026
Please find the latest update to the Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Emergency Order 2022 (No.4) issued by the Deputy Chief Plant Protection Officer. I have also taken the liberty of adding the press release which accompanied the new order below. Please note this information has been taken directly from the NSW DPI website. I have also...
Varroa Mite Update 12 – AHBIC Update No. 4
June 28, 2026
Please see the today's update from AHBIC in relation to the response to the varroa destructor detection in Newcastle NSW. We will continue our efforts to keep members and contacts of the association well informed with the situation on the ground.
Varroa Mite Update 11 – Call for Volunteers for the QBA Response Team
June 28, 2026
Earlier today, AHBIC communicated a call for assistance to the member bodies of AHBIC for additional volunteers to assist in the efforts on ground to support in the response to contain and eradicate varroa destructor. Whilst we appreciate there will be some additional questions around volunteer support, it is the intention of AHBIC to initiate the...
Varroa Mite Update 10 – QBA Varroa Mite Portal
June 28, 2026
As advised in a recent email, I have been working behind the scenes to get a QBA portal up and running to support our members and industry colleagues, access on time and factual information directly relating to the detection of varroa destructor on the 22nd of June 2022 in the Port of Newcastle, NSW. We encourage you...
Varroa Mite Update 9 – Queensland DAF E-hub (information to support industry)
June 28, 2026
In addition to our last email, the QBA is pleased to advise the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAF) have created a dedicated information engagement hub (E-hub) that will serve as a portal to support our industry through this next chapter as we collectively play our part to eradicate varroa destructor. We strongly...