Mosquito Management Program now underway

Sydney Olympic Park Authority will commence its annual mosquito management program on Friday 9 November, with helicopter spraying of the wetlands at Newington Nature Reserve to take place between 7am and 10am, weather permitting. 

The annual program of aerial and ground spraying is undertaken to reduce mosquito pests on lands under the Authority's care and improve comfort levels for people living, visting and working in the area, particularly Newington and Wentworth Point.

Like a number of other areas along the Parramatta River, Sydney Olympic Park contains extensive wetland and saltmarsh areas which are natural breeding habitats for saltwater mosquitoes. The Authority implements a proactive mosquito management program in collaboration with scientists from the University of Sydney's Department of Medical Entomology.

Saltwater mosquitoes (Aedes vigilax) can reach particular nuisance levels each year in the warmer months during their breeding season.

The Authority's mosquito management program involves the application of a bacterial larvicide containing Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis). The larvicide is considered safe for humans, pets and other fauna in the environment.

The program will include spraying activities in some of the mangrove forest and saltmarsh areas of the parklands at Sydney Olympic Park.

Based on predicted tide data, mosquito helicopter treatment is expected to take pace on Newington Nature Reserve Wetland between 6:30am and 10:30am during the following periods:

• Friday 9 November 2018
• Monday 26 or Tuesday 27 November 2018
• Monday 10 or Tuesday 11 December 2018*
• Wednesday 26 or Thursday 27 December 2018*
• Wednesday 23 or Thursday 24 January 2019
• Thursday 21 or Friday 22 February 2019
• Thursday 21 or Friday 22 March 2019
• Sunday 21 or Monday 22 April 2019*

(These dates are subject to change depending on rainfall, temperature and tide. Dates marked with * are nominated as alternate dates.)

Further information:

View boundary map of where mosquito aerial spraying will occur.
View Material Data Safety Sheet on Bti.
View SOPA's Mosquito Awareness and Protection flyer to learn more about mosquitoes and the management program.

If you have any enquiries about the Mosquito Management Program, please contact the Authority via enquiries@sopa.nsw.gov.au