Through a coordinated, area-wide management approach, the program has delivered measurable results. In hotspots such as Cobram, fruit fly populations have dropped dramatically, with broader reductions recorded right across the Goulburn Murray Valley. For commercial orchardists and growers, that translates to lower pressure at harvest, reduced spray reliance, and stronger biosecurity confidence when accessing domestic and export markets.
What makes this project different is its practical, boots-on-the-ground focus. Instead of leaving control solely to individual growers, the initiative coordinates trapping networks, data monitoring, community education, and the removal of unmanaged host trees that act as breeding reservoirs. The result? A genuine area-wide suppression model that works because the whole region is involved.
For producers, this collaborative approach reduces reinfestation risk from neighbouring properties and townships — one of the biggest frustrations in fruit fly management. When backyard trees, public spaces and commercial orchards are all part of the solution, everyone benefits.
The project’s “No Flies On Us” campaign has helped strengthen grower awareness while reinforcing practical on-farm strategies such as timely baiting, hygiene management, and monitoring. Importantly, it demonstrates how industry and community alignment protects the long-term viability of one of Australia’s most valuable horticultural regions.
If you’re serious about safeguarding your crop and maintaining market confidence, now is the time to stay engaged.
Learn more about the program’s strategies, data insights and how you can stay involved at Goulburn Valley Fruit Fly Program— and be part of keeping fruit fly numbers down across the Goulburn Murray Valley.
