Updated traffic light system for fruit fly

Last week, Blackfriars provided preliminary information for families about local fruit fly outbreaks in metropolitan Adelaide. This information was supplied directly by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA).

Updated advice has just been received, and is collated here for the convenience of Blackfriars families. PIRSA has now implemented a ‘traffic light’-style system to categorise the level of outbreaks across the metropolitan area. The map below shows the distribution of red, yellow and green categories across Adelaide.

Families will need to follow the rules that apply to their residential area’s categorisation. Those rules are as follows:

Red areas

• Red areas are outbreak areas.
• The fruit and vegetables that fruit fly like can’t move from your property.
• Keep fruit in the fridge rather than in a fruit bowl.
• Fruit waste needs to be put in your green bin – not composted. If you do not have a green bin service, seal in an airtight plastic bag and contact the Fruit Fly Hotline on 1300 666 010 to arrange collection.
• What you need to do in your garden if you live in a red (outbreak) area.

Yellow areas

• Yellow areas are suspension areas.
• You can move fruit and veg that fruit fly like within the yellow area.
• You can’t take this type of fruit and veg into the green area.
• If you take this type of fruit and veg into a red area, you must not take it out again.

Green areas

• Green areas are not affected by fruit fly. No restrictions apply within this area.
• Green areas are not affected by fruit fly. No restrictions apply within this area.

What does this mean for my child’s lunchbox?

You will notice on the map that Blackfriars is located in a red (outbreak) zone. That means that if you live in a green or yellow zone, you may bring any fruit or vegetables into the red zone (ie, to school), but if you do so you cannot bring it back out again. That means that any fruit brought to school must be consumed or disposed of at school, not returned back home. If you live in a red zone, all fruit and veg that host fruit fly must be consumed at home.

Here is a list of fruit and vegetables that commonly host fruit fly, and are subject to the restrictions listed above:

Here is a list of safe alternative fruit and vegetable options that may be brought to and from school by all students:

• pineapple
• melons (watermelon, rockmelon, and honeydew)
• cucumber
• carrots
• lettuce
• broccoli
• celery
• mushrooms
• asparagus
• strawberries (metropolitan Adelaide only). Learn more about why.
• cooked fruit
• processed fruit (such as fruit straps)
• fruit puree
• canned fruit
• dried fruit
• frozen fruit.

For the most up-to-date fruit fly information, please keep an eye on the following PIRSA webpages:

Outbreak information: https://www.pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/fruit_fly_in_sa/current_outbreaks
Packing lunchboxes: https://www.pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/fruit_fly_in_sa/packing_lunches
Fruit fly FAQs: https://www.pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/fruit_fly_in_sa/faqs