Australia warns H5N1 may spread further after suspected bird flu deaths in a second state
Victoria has reported a suspected second cluster of dead and sick birds as Australia continues to assess the spread of H5 bird flu in wildlife. The new observations were made in the Glenelg River estuary near Nelson and across Lawrence Rocks in the state's south-west, following confirmation of the country's first mass mortality event in South Australia. Officials said the Victorian findings are consistent with what was recently reported across the border, but samples still need to be tested before the cluster can be confirmed.
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Federal environment minister Murray Watt said Australia had begun what he described as a long and difficult journey in dealing with the virus's impact on wildlife. He said the confirmed South Australian event at Baudin Rocks involved about 50 dead birds and 30 sick birds, with samples from five greater crested terns and a silver gull later confirmed positive by the CSIRO's Centre for Disease Preparedness. In Victoria, the state's chief veterinary officer, Dr Graeme Cooke, said aerial and ground surveillance near Portland and Nelson had shown a clear increase in dead terns along that part of the coast.
The development matters because it suggests the outbreak may no longer be confined to a single location. Authorities have warned that native and wild birds cannot be stopped from moving, which means more mortality events are likely if the virus continues to spread through wildlife populations. The confirmed South Australian case was described as the country's first mass mortality episode among seabirds linked to the virus, and the suspected Victorian cluster raises the possibility of a wider ecological impact.
The situation is being watched closely because Australia has spent years preparing for H5N1, including tighter biosecurity at farms, testing of shorebirds and response planning. Officials have said there is still no evidence of the virus on farms, but the wildlife detections increase concern about how far the disease may travel. H5N1 has caused major losses to poultry industries in other countries and has also affected other animals, making early detection important for both conservation and agriculture.
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The current events also highlight the role of surveillance in remote coastal areas, where aerial observations first identified the dead and sick birds. In South Australia, the confirmed mortality event was found off the coast near Cape Jaffa, south of Adelaide, while the Victorian cluster was reported further west near the border region. The involvement of the CSIRO's Centre for Disease Preparedness and state biodiversity and veterinary officials shows the response is being coordinated across federal and state levels.
What remains unclear is whether the Victorian birds will test positive and whether more wildlife deaths will emerge in other states. Officials have not reported any farm infections, and they have not said how many additional birds may be affected in the coming days. The next stage will depend on laboratory results, continued surveillance and whether the pattern seen in South Australia is repeated elsewhere.
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