Australia has recorded its first detection of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza. On 20 June 2026, the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed the virus in a wild brown skua, a migratory seabird found at Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance in Western Australia. There are now reported cases of H5N1 in native Australian birds.
This is the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b strain that has spread across other continents since 2021, killing millions of wild birds and spilling into a range of mammal populations overseas. Its arrival here is a clear milestone, and not the kind anyone was hoping for.
As a precaution, we have confined all of our free-range stock to pens with adequate space and protection, where they can still dig, scratch, and dust bathe.
What to do right now as a backyard poultry keeper. The single most effective step is to keep wild birds away from your flock’s feed and water. Practical measures:
- Feed and water under cover, where wild birds cannot reach or poop in it. Use a treadle feeder like our Grandpa Feeder, that only opens for your own birds, paired with sealed feed storage. This removes the wild bird buffet almost entirely.
- Keeping water for your flock clean is also very important; we suggest chlorinating rainwater tanks if this is what your chickens are consuming.
- Keep pens, feeders and equipment clean by using a sanitiser designed specifically for this purpose, such as Coop Clean. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling birds.
- Limit visitors to your birds.
- Have shoes that you wear only in your chicken coop or run. Sanitise these in a disinfectant solution on a regular basis. To make an effective foot wash solution for H5N1 (Avian Influenza), you must first scrub off visible dirt with a brush and soap, then use an effective disinfectant like a 1:9 household bleach solution (one part 6% bleach to nine parts water) or an approved commercial agricultural disinfectant. (VIRKON) Use a shallow plastic tray or pan wide enough for an adult boot. Place a rubber or plastic textured mat inside the tray to help scrub boot treads. Keep the tray covered when not in use to prevent dilution from rain or breakdown from sunlight.
- House or separate your birds from wild birds where it is practical to do so. Net or roof the top of your pens to stop wild bird access to your pen.
- Watch closely for anything unusual, particularly sudden unexplained deaths.
Preventing the further spread of avian influenza is crucial, and the public plays a vital role in this effort. Individuals are encouraged to report any signs of illness in their backyard poultry or wild birds to the relevant authorities. Maintaining good hygiene practices, such as thoroughly cooking poultry and eggs and avoiding contact with sick or dead birds, can help mitigate the risk of transmission to humans.
If you see unusual signs of disease or suspect an exotic disease in your poultry, immediately call your veterinarian, an LLS District Vet or the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Hotline 1800 675 888.