aurantia

I'm thinking of moving to live near the oceanfront area of Sandgate, Brisbane. I've read on the Brisbane City Council website that midges are becoming a real problem in Brisbane. Does anyone know if they are a nuisance in the Sandgate area?

Also, are they a problem indoors or only if you are outside in the evening?

adamlt1972

I don't know about the suburb in particular, but I've had real problems with sandflies when I've been anywhere near the beach, I have some kind of issue with them, and when I get bitten by them on the arm I come out looking like Popeye. The insect repellant does help, but you've really have to get in the mindset of making sure you use it. I'd certainly recomend having some in the car with you, in case you just chose to head to the beach on the spur of the moment.
Fly screens on windows and doors help to prevent the little buggers getting indoors.

Rainydaze

And don't wander around in the dusk in short sleeves and bare feet like I did last summer -got bitten rapidly all over the feet and arms within the space of a minute or two. I could feel the stings but stupidly because I was chatting to my neighbour I didn't want to end the conversation abruptly to flee indoors, so I basically prolonged my own agony. Will not make that mistake again

fish.01

I've never heard anyone in Brisbane discuss them apart from coming back from a holiday on Fraser island or something like that. The BCC website says:

Midges have been a minor nuisance in Brisbane with occasional periods of activity from a day-biting species that breeds in leaf litter and plant residue.

However, in October 2004 the serious marine pest, Culicoides ornatus, (C. ornatus) was found along tidal creeks in a number of Brisbane’s western suburbs. Since then, the number of known locations in Brisbane has slowly increased.

So I guess they are just warning about a localised issue near some creeks in the western suburbs of Brisbane - I'm sure they will be spraying those areas more to try and control it. Sandgate is near wetlands and on the bay so it may have a problem - hopefully someone who lives up there will be able to help you.

Grayling

Are you serious?

They have been so bad in Brisbane this year the ABC local radio ran several items about them.

G

fish.01

As the website says, must be localised. Not a whimper out my way, no mentions at work, nothing.

aurantia

Hi everyone, thanks for all your feedback. Actually, I'm trying to decide between moving to Brisbane or Fremantle/ Rockingham (WA). I get very bad reactions to insect bites (particularly midges) so maybe I'll be better off in Fremantle/ Rockingham where the weather is windier and drier. One of the great attractions of moving to Oz is to be able to walk on the beach regularly so I don't want to worry about getting bitten all the time. If you have any more comments, please let me know!

framac67

Aeroguard before you go and you can live anywhere. You even have the small roll-on version the size of a lip balm (maybe a little bigger but not much) You'll be fine. Good luck.

fish.01

You may be better off, not sure....just doesn't ring true to me as I've lived here for a long time and it just isn't a normal thing that crops up in conversation when people go to the sunshine coast/gold coast beaches - other people may have a different story.

My wife used to get big mossie reactions when she first arrived but I think you get immune as stopped getting them after a few years of being here (maybe midgies are the same but as I've only heard people complain about them rarely over the years I don't know). I guess it would make sense that a semi-tropical climate would have more bitie things.

Just note that drier WA leads to seasonal flies crawling in your nostrils trying to get moisture while walking on the beach. Don't think they'll bite you but can be pretty full on for a month or so - maybe you can avoid the beach for that period - our friends in Perth told us some people wear fly nets?

I do think it might be easier to buy a house near the beach in Perth area and still be nearish to the city as the suburbs run directly parallel to the beach.

edman

I have a terrible reaction to the buggers....until I met a pharmacist who sold me a cheapo bottle of vitamin A tablets, take one a day and hey presto they nearly back flip away from you. Something to do with the odour from your skin. All I can tell you is from tortured by everything that bites to left in peace...it works.

aurantia

I've heard about bush flies in Perth but hope I can put up with them if it's just for a short season. The advantages of Brisbane are that it's less isolated, warmer in winter (though seems prone to crazy storms sometimes) and houses near the seafront are generally cheaper than in Perth.

I picked Sandgate as the bay there seems less mangrovey (from what I could make out on Google Earth) than the bays to the south but I'm not sure if there's really much of a beach for walking on or whether it's mainly mud!

aurantia

I've heard of Vitamin B repelling mozzies (not sure about midges) but not Vit A - might give it a try - do you know the strength of the Vit A tablets?

NigelWaring

They are all over but can be very selective. Mosquitoes attack my wife but hardly bother me, at least not when she is nearby. I'm usually the target for midges sandflies and ticks. You'll soon get in the habit of carrying the tropical strength Aeroguard around.

Some time ago we came across a home remedy and it works well for mosquitoes and most of the above. Add 5 ml of 'tea tree oil' to 10 ml of 'methylated spirits', we use the clear meths. Mix well then add to about 500 ml of water. We put ours in one of those hand spray bottles and give it a good shake. It goes white initially but soon clears. We spray curtains, carpets and bedding each night, doesn't need much and we haven't had any real problems for a couple of years now.

Brisbane Bob

Well, I live in western suburbs of Brisbane where the problem is apparently quite bad. Out of all of Australia's bad things, forget spiders and snakes and sharks and crocodiles. I hate mozzies and sandflies the most! they are so irritating. But that's probably because none of the others had bitten me yet.

But it's not that bad and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else just because of it. As the others have said, you can use spray and use other methods. Also, I agree with the poster that says you build up some kind of immunity.

When I first got here back in November 2007 the bites would really itch. Sometimes for four or five days. Now I just about notice them for about half an hour and then they seem to calm down. Mind you, it's probably taken me about 100 to 200 bites to get here!

On a positive note, I hardly see any flies at all.