Termites will attack the Whitsunday Terraces, if we are not vigilant. Although most of the building is built of concrete blocks, termites will take advantage of any openings. Termites are a continuing problem in the tropical north, and Airlie Beach is no exception. That is partly why so many buildings in the Whitsundays are based on concrete.

Checking for termite and white ant infestation by a professional or use of termite traps should be on the regular maintenance schedule. This was being done on an annual basis. Anchor, Barnacle and Cutlass Terraces were the problem areas.

This web site is intended for for Body Corporate owners of apartments in Whitsunday Terraces, not for potential guests. Make room bookings for accommodation at Whitsunday Terraces Resort, Airlie Beach, overlooking the Coral Sea, at the Resort Manager's web site.

Any plumbing or other works that penetrate the concrete base of a building leaves potential entry points for termites or white ants. This particularly applies to buildings on the ground level, or where the base of the building is in dark, moist surroundings. Any renovation must keep this problem in mind.

We had several attacks in some of the lower Anchor, Barnacle and Cutlass Terraces over the years, often around new or damaged plumbing, resulting in considerable expense to the Body Corporate.

Fencing, screening and other wooden construction must be kept clear of the concrete, so as to avoid leaving bridging material for termites. You need to make inspections easy.

Moisture from leaks or drains, darkness under buildings, and cellulose from sleepers or mulch all encourage white ants and termites. All need to be checked and where possible removed.

A lot of disused material accumulated under the buildings over the years. The AquaVista Resort Manager managed to remove a lot of this around 2006-2007. However the areas under the buildings should be checked again, and continue to be checked on a regular schedule.

Wooden railway sleepers used to support banked garden beds are a potential breeding ground for white ants and termites. Body Corporate committee policy has been to remove sleepers and replace them with concrete retaining walls when the sleepers age or as removal becomes feasible.

Air conditioner drainage should in all cases first be directed down existing internal drains in the wall cavity between bathrooms. Failing that, air conditioning should be drained into the external downpipes from the gutters. Air conditioning must never be allowed to drop on sleepers or on paths (it increases the risk of guests slipping).

The photo shows a typical air conditioning drain that drops directly on sleepers. That should never have been installed that way, and should now be altered so that it falls on the garden elsewhere. The moisture laden sleepers should be scheduled for removal.

Mulch can attract termites and white ants, especially if it is kept moist by air conditioners or garden water sprinkling systems. Some varieties of mulch are said to be less attractive to white ants and termites.

Tree lopping in July 2011 has resulted in left over sawdust piled against wooden structures under the sides of buildings. The sawdust must be removed, and the wood exposed to the light and held clear of the ground.

We have Mastotermes darwiniensis in the northern sections of Australia. This is about the most destructive termite around.

Termites were practically defeated in the 1950's by the introduction of organochlorine poisons such as dieldrin and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). This led to increased use of slab on ground buildings. However use of these poisons was banned around 1995. The termites will be back in these new buildings.