The Queensland cattle tick line is the boundary between the cattle tick free and infested areas, and in central and northern Queensland it is closely aligned to the 500 mm rainfall belt. In parts of southern Queensland, built structures make up much of the line because environmental control alone is not reliable.

What that means

  • It is not a single straight line on the map; it follows a managed biosecurity boundary.
  • The line was formally enacted on 1 July 2016 under Queensland’s biosecurity framework.
  • It is used with the cattle tick zone layer, so the exact position depends on the official map rather than a simple verbal description.

In SE QLD

In southeast Queensland, the tick line generally sits farther inland than the coastal belt and is shaped by local biosecurity and control arrangements rather than just geography. If you are asking about a specific property, town, or transport route, the exact answer depends on that location because the official boundary is mapped digitally and can change in how it is interpreted for management purposes.

Recent context

Recent reporting in 2026 says the tick line is back under scrutiny because outbreaks have been detected inside Queensland’s cattle tick free zone, prompting a review of management rules. That means the topic is active right now, especially for producers moving cattle across the boundary.

Practical check

If you need the exact status for a place in SE QLD, the best way is to match the property or town against the official tick zone map and tick line dataset, since the published metadata says the line is not meant to be treated as a definitive absolute boundary on its own.

Item| What the sources say
---|---
Tick line meaning| Boundary between tick free and infested areas 9
Central/northern QLD| Closely aligned to the 500 mm rainfall belt 11
Southern QLD| Often defined by built structures 11
Current situation| Under review after recent outbreaks inside the free zone

TL;DR: In SE QLD, the tick line is the official cattle tick boundary, but its exact position is map-based and varies by location; it is not just a simple geographic line.