Fears killer bird flu has reached Australian mainland
ByAlex Mitchell
Updated June 19 2026 - 2:28am, first published 2:26am
It's too early to confirm a bird on the Australian mainland contracted the H5N1 strain. Photo: Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS
A single suspected case of bird flu has triggered fears a deadly strain that has killed millions of animals worldwide has reached the Australian mainland.
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins confirmed a single migratory wild bird had been detected with a suspected case of the disease in Western Australia.
But it was too early to confirm it was the concerning H5N1 strain that has killed millions of birds around the world, the minister said, with results from further testing expected on Saturday.
Scientists say more than three-quarters of Heard Island's elephant seal pubs died from bird flu. (PR IMAGE PHOTO)
"There is no evidence of any mass mortality at this time, nor is there any evidence of infection in poultry," Ms Collins said.
"If it is confirmed to be the H5 bird flu, this will be sobering, but not unexpected, given the spread globally."
The deadly strain of bird flu was detected for the first time on Australian soil in October on the World Heritage-listed Heard Island, which sits some 4000km southwest of Perth.
Scientists who visited Heard Island estimated 13,359 southern elephant seal pups had died from the disease out of a total population of 17,364 - more than three-quarters of the total.
Ms Collins insisted the strain's arrival was inevitable and said the government had been preparing for it as a result.
She downplayed fears it could devastate Australia's farmers, who are still reeling from the fuel crisis caused by conflict in the Middle East.
Julie Collins describes the strain's arrival as inevitable but the government is well-prepared. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
"This is a single bird, a suspected case and we are as prepared as any country can be," Ms Collins said.
"We have invested early, as we said we would, and those investments are now showing provision ... if this is detected as a case, we will have gotten there early."
Risk to human health would be exceptionally small, she added.
States and territory representatives and industry experts are meeting on Friday afternoon to discuss planning.
Australian Associated Press
