Don’t Let Mosquitoes Make Your Backyard Their Home

Published on 24 April 2025

Mosquitoes thrive in still water, with common breeding grounds including buckets, pot plant bases, bird baths, old tyres, and blocked gutters. These mosquitoes can carry diseases such as Ross River Virus, Barmah Forest Virus, and potentially Dengue Fever, posing a health risk to our community.

Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort emphasised the importance of a collective effort to combat mosquito populations.

“Council is actively working to reduce mosquito numbers in public areas, but we need the community’s help,” Mayor Dalle Cort said. 

“Mosquitoes don’t just breed in public areas - they can thrive in backyards if water is left to stagnate.

“By simply tipping out, storing, or disposing of water-holding containers, residents can play a crucial role in reducing mosquito numbers and protecting themselves and their families.”

To help control mosquitoes, residents should:

Tip it – Empty water from containers such as buckets, pot plant bases, and bird baths weekly.

Store it – Keep items that can hold water, like wheelbarrows and containers, stored away or covered.

Throw it – Dispose of unused items like old tyres that can collect water.

In addition, Council encourages residents to take extra precautions, such as using insect repellent containing DEET or Picaridin, wearing long-sleeved light-coloured clothing, and ensuring homes are properly screened.

Under the Public Health Regulation, householders have a responsibility to prevent mosquito breeding on their properties. 

Council will continue to monitor and implement mosquito management strategies in public areas, but every resident’s participation is vital in reducing the risk.

For more information on mosquito control and prevention, visit Burdekin.qld.gov.au or contact Burdekin Shire Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4783 9800.