Termite inspections & treatment in Cairns.

Two species, not one — why Cairns is different.

Australia has hundreds of termite species but only a handful do real damage. Cairns has the worst two. Coptotermes acinaciformis — the most destructive termite on the continent — builds large central colonies and forages up to 100m through soil to reach timber, growing to a million-strong colony inside 5–7 years. We also sit in the range of Mastotermes darwiniensis, the giant northern termite, which attacks live trees, garden timbers, cable insulation and even soft concrete. Treating Cairns like a southern city is a mistake — all our work is done to AS 3660 with both species in mind.

The AS 3660 inspection.

A proper inspection is not a 20-minute walk-around. To AS 3660.2 we methodically cover the sub-floor, roof void, full perimeter, garden and fence line, wet areas and outbuildings, taking moisture-meter readings and probing suspect timbers. On the old elevated Queenslanders common around Cairns the sub-floor tells most of the story; on slab-on-ground estate homes we work the perimeter weep holes, expansion joints and slab edge. Where activity is suspected we use a borescope and thermal imaging on stud walls. You get a written report within 24 hours. Pre-purchase buyers should always request the more detailed AS 4349.3 timber pest inspection.

Chemical soil barriers.

A non-repellent termiticide such as Termidor SC is injected into a treated zone in the soil around the building. Termites cannot detect it, pass through it, pick it up and transfer it through the colony. It gives broad protection for roughly 8 years and is the workhorse for high-risk properties and active-infestation response. A standard residential barrier runs $1,500–$5,000 depending on the size and shape of the footprint and how much drilling through paths and slabs is needed.

Baiting systems.

A baiting system such as Sentricon places in-ground stations around the perimeter. Foraging termites feed on a growth regulator and carry it back, eliminating the colony at the source — including the queen. Stations are then monitored on an ongoing basis. Install is about $1,800–$3,500 plus annual monitoring. Baiting is ideal where trenching is awkward, where you want to wipe out a known colony, and as the interior half of a combined program. On the highest- pressure Cairns blocks we often run a chemical barrier and baiting together.

Licensing and why we do not cut corners.

Termite work in Queensland needs a licensed Queensland Pest Management Technician (administered by Queensland Health under the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019) with the right competency for AS 4349.3 timber pest inspection; barrier installs on new builds also engage QBCC requirements. We use only APVMA-registered termiticides, applied to label. The corners cut in this trade are the dangerous ones — skipping the sub-floor or roof void, guessing instead of moisture-metering, or installing an under-strength barrier. A missed colony in a Cairns home can mean tens of thousands in structural repairs, so we inspect fully and document everything for your insurer.

Termites are only part of the picture in the tropics — see our general pest control and rodent control, or read about the high termite pressure in rainforest-backed Redlynch.