Strathbogie, Victoria: New detection of bird flu at farm in Northern Victoria

Authorities are acting to contain a new case of bird flu confirmed at a poultry farm, just days after an outbreak last year was declared “eradicated”.

Authorities are racing to contain a positive detection of bird flu at a farm in northern Victoria just days after last year’s outbreak was declared “eradicated”.

According to Agriculture Victoria, the poultry farm in the eastern portion of the Strathbogie Shire alerted the government agency with diagnostic testing identified the case of high pathogenicity H7N8.

The testing, by the CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong, found the virus is different to the HPAI H7 outbreak in 2024 and the H5N1 strain impacting the United States of America and other parts of the world.

Bird flu has previously been transmitted to chickens from wild birds. Picture: Supplied.

Victoria’s Acting Chief Veterinarian Cameron Bell said a 5km control order is being established around the commercial free-range egg farm.

“Avian influenza is commonly spread by wild birds, and unfortunately, despite the business having excellent biosecurity controls in place, poultry have been infected,” he said.

“The business has acted quickly to identify the infection within the flock and are working closely with Agriculture Victoria officers to contain the outbreak.”

The news comes just days after the Federal Government advised the World Organisation for Animal Health that the HPAI H7 has been eradicated from Victoria, NSW and the ACT.

The previous outbreak led to egg shortages. Picture: NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

“This most recent eradication follows no new detections since July last year and underscores the effectiveness of our national emergency animal disease response arrangements,” Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Julie Collins said.

“This was Australia’s most significant avian disease incident to date and the eradication response highlights the importance of the partnership approach to biosecurity across all governments, industry and other stakeholders.”

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins, said the egg farm has been placed under quarantine. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Last week, the Federal Government announced a $100 million investment to improve the country’s capability to fight back against the H5 bird flu is rapidly spreading globally.

To date, Australia is the only continent to have not detected H5N1.