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 8 – Queensland Movement Control Order.
June 28, 2026
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities The Honourable Mark Furner A Movement Control Order will be issued restricting the movement of bees, bee hives, bee products (including honey) and used bee keeping equipment from New South Wales into Queensland to keep Varroa destructor (varroa mite) out of the state....
Varroa Mite Update 7 – Press Conference – Channel 7 29/06/2022
June 28, 2026
Today the QBA team have continued to progress on a number of key priorities to support the national eradication efforts and ensure our Queensland sector is well prepared for any possible outcomes. Please see below a link to watch the press conference held earlier today, providing an update on operations on the ground to respond...
Varroa Mite Update 6 – AHBIC Update – 28/06/2022 @ 9.17pm
June 28, 2026
Please find below the update published at 9.17pm, Tuesday 28/06/2022 from AHBIC. As you may have already seen, the DPI emergency zone map has been updated. The Department has been conducting tracing to identify hive movements. Three locations have been identified outside of the 50km emergency zone connected to the commercial operation detected with mites...
Special Update to Members – Information Sites for Varroa Mite Updates
June 28, 2026
We would like to share the NSW Biosecurity website with all members. The website provides information in relation to the current incursion and maps that identify any changes to the eradication zone (10km), the surveillance zone (25km), the notification zone (50km), and the general biosecurity zone (rest of NSW). https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/seasonal-pests-and-diseases/spring/varroa-mite Updates from the NSW Biosecurity...
Varroa Mite Update 5 – Extension to the Response Area
June 28, 2026
Please find below the latest announcement from the Director Plant Biosecurity & Product Integrity, NSW Chief Plant Protection Officer in relation to the addition of a new area of the current response operation.
Varroa Mite Update 4 – Taken from AHBIC’s social media page.
June 28, 2026
Varroa Mite Eradication Response Update 3 - AHBIC Posted to social media 27/06/2022 at 11.20am I have received a lot of questions around the Incident Management Team's decision to destroy the hives located near Dubbo. To add some context around that decision. On Wednesday mite was detected in sentinel hive at the port. On Saturday...
Varroa Mite Update 3 – Update from AHBIC
June 28, 2026
On Wednesday the 22nd June an initial detection of Varroa mite was found in sentinel hives at the port of Newcastle. A second confirmed detection in a commercial load of bees occurred within 10km on Saturday 25th June. These have been the ONLY detections so far. There has been no further detections outside of the...
Varroa Mite Update Number 2 – Biosecurity (Varroa Mite Dangerous Contact Premises Zone) Emergency Order 2022
June 28, 2026
Please find an additional announcement from the Director Plant Biosecurity & Product Integrity, NSW Chief Plant Protection Officer in relation to the Biosecurity (Varroa Mite Dangerous Contact Premises Zone) Emergency Order.
NSW DPI – Biosecurity Varroa Mite Emergency Order 2022 – No. 2
June 28, 2026
Please see the Biosecurity Varroa Mite Emergency Order issued by the Director of Plant Biosecurity & Product Integrity, NSW Chief Plant Protection Officer relating to all beekeeping activities in NSW effective 26/06/2022 6pm.
Varroa destructor detection – Port of Newcastle – Media Release NSW DPI
June 28, 2026
A detection of Varroa destructor was identified by authorities on Wednesday 22nd June 2022 in sentinel hives at the Port of Newcastle. Please see the media release relating to the detection issued by the NSW DPI 24/06/2022.