Together we can help minimise the impacts of H5 bird flu on our people, wildlife and farms.
If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals showing signs of bird flu, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report multiple sick or dead birds or other animals to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Simple steps you can take to help protect your backyard poultry and other birds.
Staying safe when handling birds.
While you’re out and about, and information for wildlife carers.
On-farm biosecurity measures for producers.
Vets play a critical role in early detection and reporting of bird flu.
What is bird flu and how does it spread.
Data current as of 4pm AEST, 16 September 2026.
*Positive events
Hotline reports
*From 12 August 2026, we have changed how we report on H5 bird flu detections. Reporting will be based on events, rather than individual detections. The new number of positive events captures all previously reported individual confirmed detections.
H5 bird flu is a serious, highly contagious strain of bird flu that has been circulating globally.
There have been no detections in poultry or the wider agriculture industry.
The risk to human health remains low.
Australia is well prepared to respond to H5 bird flu and has well-established national response arrangements in place.
See how we have prepared for bird flu
We are helping to protect Australia’s most at-risk species and important natural places.
Whether you keep one chicken or a whole flock, Poultry Post is your go-to newsletter for biosecurity tips, H5 bird flu updates and expert advice to keep your birds safe.
Friday, 11 September
H5 bird flu has been detected in a greater crested tern in the Booderee National Park within the Jervis Bay Territory. This is the first detection of H5 bird flu in the Jervis Bay Territory.
Friday, 28 August
Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) has confirmed H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) in a red fox, found at Osborne in metropolitan Adelaide.
Sunday, 23 August
Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) has confirmed H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) in a long-nosed fur seal, found at Beachport in South Australia. This is the first detection of H5 bird flu in a mammal species in Australia.