Because this outbreak follows a strong wet season, locusts have bypassed their usual dormant phase and instead proliferated, blooming into large bands that can migrate hundreds of kilometres. With ongoing rainfall, experts warn of potential plague escalation, as locusts could produce up to five generations under ideal conditions.

Control efforts are already underway, including aerial spraying—though success rates suffered after delays and weather setbacks. Farmers bear primary responsibility under biosecurity regulations, while government and the Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) step in only when outbreaks threaten broader agricultural zones.

New cattle graziers, such as Katie and Glen Rabnott, express deep concern: variable pasture recovery means uncertainty for winter feeding regimes. The sentiment is echoed across the region—many landholders feel stranded by slow institutional response and limited on-ground support.