Banana freckle (Phyllostica cavendishii)

Banana freckle is a disease of banana leaves and fruit. It's caused by the Phyllosticta cavendishii fungus. The disease is a serious threat to the Australian banana industry. It also affects backyard growers.

There is no risk to food safety or human health from eating bananas infected with this disease.

Detection in Australia

Phyllosticta cavendishii (banana freckle) was detected in May 2022 in the Northern Territory and had been subject to an eradication response under Australia’s national emergency response arrangements until December 2024.

On 10 December 2024, the National Management Group agreed that banana freckle is not technically feasible to eradicate from Australia, and that the response in the NT will transition to the next phase including long-term management of the disease supported by official control requirements.

The decision was based on scientific information that the outbreak was likely a carry-over from a previous incursion in Australia, and the challenges of detecting and delimiting the disease.

The infected premises (locations where banana freckle has been found) were mainly in the Batchelor-Rum Jungle area, around 100km south of Darwin, and in the Girraween-Humpty Doo area, around 35km southeast of Darwin. Localised detections were found in Middle Point, Marrakai, Fly Creek, Howard Springs, McMinns Lagoon, Herbert and on Melville Island in the Tiwi Islands.

See more

How we coordinate a response to an outbreak.

Your obligations

Check your bananas

If you’re in Darwin, Palmerston, or rural areas of NT, you can arrange a banana health check. Call 08 8999 2136 or email bananafreckle.nt.@nt.gov.au

Report sightings

If you suspect an exotic pest or disease outbreak, report it. Even if you’re not sure.

Call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. This will put you in touch with your state or territory’s biosecurity agency.

For signs of exotic pests and diseases in imported goods, sea containers or parcels, call See. Secure. Report on 1800 798 636 or use our online form

Follow the rules

Keep exotic dangerous pests and diseases out of Australia. Never ignore our strict biosecurity rules.

Import shipments may need to be treated and certified, so before you import, check our Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON).

Movement restrictions

Restrictions are in place to stop movement of plants, plant material and fruit from infected or suspect premises.

NT growers have been advised they cannot send any banana fruit or plant material out of the territory without approval. In addition, Queensland, New South Wales, and Western Australia prohibit the entry of banana fruit and plant material from NT. There are quarantine checkpoints at some state borders.

Dispose of all banana fruit, peel and material in appropriate waste bins. Do not discard onto the ground or on other plants wherever you are in Australia. Do not take banana fruit, the peel or banana plant material out of the area where you bought it.

See more on banana freckle in your state or territory:

• Northern Territory
• New South Wales
• Queensland
• Western Australia.

You can also check the Australian Interstate Quarantine website.

About the pest

Banana freckle is a pest of banana leaves and fruit caused by the fungal pathogen Phyllosticta cavendishii. This fungus infects Cavendish and non-Cavendish bananas.

Banana freckle reduces the productivity of banana plants. Affected bananas are safe to eat but blemishes on the skin reduce their visual appeal and saleability.

Banana freckle appears as dark raised spots that feel like fine sandpaper on the leaves or fruit. On fruit, spots first appear as minute, reddish-brown flecks surrounded by a halo of dark-green, water-soaked tissue.

Banana freckle has been recorded in 27 countries across southeast Asia, India, and Oceania.