Poultry housing controls lifted by Chief Vet but crisis not over

AGRICULTURE Victoria has lifted the temporary requirement on poultry producers to house their birds in metropolitan Melbourne and specified coastal and adjacent areas, ending on Friday, October 16, 2026.

But the impact of the H5N1 bird flu outbreak is not over, according to Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Graeme Cooke.

Speaking to the ABC Country Hour on Friday, he said the change in biosecurity measures was more a response to warming seasonal conditions than any sign of bird flu relief.

He thanked the poultry industry for their ongoing support and is strongly encouraging all poultry producers to continue to use all practical measures to prevent and minimise contact between poultry and wild birds.

“Strong biosecurity must be part of everyday poultry management. We will continue monitoring the risk closely and retain the ability to introduce additional controls if circumstances change,” said Dr Cooke.

“Reducing contact between poultry and wild birds remains one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of disease entering a flock, and we strongly encourage poultry owners to continue taking practical steps to separate birds wherever possible and as suits their business.

“We thank Victoria’s poultry owners in the affected areas for meeting the temporary housing requirement. While the requirement has ended poultry producers must maintain strong biosecurity practices as the seasonal conditions change,” he said.

Victorian Farmers Federation President Ryan Milgate encouraged farmers to check and update their biosecurity measures.

“Maintaining strong biosecurity practices remains our best defence to reducing the risk of disease outbreaks, such as H5,” said Mr Milgate.

“All farmers are strongly encouraged to check their existing biosecurity measures, update them to address current threats, and monitor their properties for any sick or deceased birds or other unusual signs of illness.

“It’s been a huge joint effort to keep bird flu out of our commercial poultry industry, but we must not rest on our laurels and become complacent,” he said.

Keeping poultry separated from wild birds wherever possible, protecting feed and water from wild bird access and preventing wild birds from entering poultry sheds and yards remains critical to managing the risk of H5 bird flu.

Forecast hotter than average summer temperatures, together with animal welfare considerations support ending the temporary requirements.

Since 2022 the Victorian Government has invested more than $130 million to boost our preparedness to rapidly respond to biosecurity threats.

The successful eradication of H7 avian influenza from poultry farms in 2024 and 2025 demonstrated the strength of Victoria’s response capability, however, the H5 variant differs from previous strains and can cause the deaths of large numbers of wild birds and some mammals.

The governments’ investment in surveillance and detection technology like mobile diagnostic and forward command centre equipment, as well as technical expertise and surge workforce capability, position Victoria strongly to response to a detection of H5 bird flu in poultry farms.

Over recent weeks, Agriculture Victoria has worked closely with industry and poultry producers to undertake surveillance of disease spread and support strengthened biosecurity preparedness. Providing additional assurance that now is the right time to lift these temporary and targets biosecurity requirements.

Poultry producers should continue to review their biosecurity plans, remain alert for signs of disease on or near their property and stay up to date with the latest advice.

The Chief Veterinary Officer has the authority to implement future Control Orders under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994, for the purpose of controlling H5 bird flu if the current situation were to change.

There have been no detections of H5 bird flu in Australian poultry or livestock, however the risk remains as detections occur in wildlife across the state.

We encourage Victorians to avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife, record what they see and report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

These reports provide valuable information to support surveillance activities and help authorities understand the distribution and impacts of the disease.

Members of the public should not touch sick or dead birds or wildlife, or the immediate environment where they are located.

Anyone who finds sick or dead birds or wildlife should record the location and report it online or by calling the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

For more information visit H5N1 avian influenza (H5 bird flu).

Dr Cooke reminded farmers about the ongoing risk and also encouraged members of the public to continue making their reports of sick or dead birds.

“So, this is a time, before people let their birds out, to make sure all these other measures, designed to reduce the risk, the ongoing risk, and it will be with us perhaps forever, that those biosecurity measures are in place and have real meaning and become ingrained into poultry producers' ways of protecting their business,” said Dr Cooke.

He said H5 bird flu was continuing to spread through wild birds and required a constant response.

“Australia has conducted probably the most comprehensive surveillance effort for H5 and wild birds, and I want to thank all those people who made reports to our hotline.

“But yes, it implies the risk is still carrying on. We are still finding it in coastal birds, but at the same time, as yet, we have not had the experiences that has happened in other parts of the world, such as mass die-offs, although we have seen it spread across a wide variety of marine birds, some inland birds, and also marine mammals.

“So, that surveillance effort must be maintained, and that is why we are really recommending that poultry producers maintain a high level of biosecurity and do as much as they can to reduce contact with wild birds or wild bird droppings or common areas where they might mingle with wild birds,” he said noting that the housing order was always likely to lift the housing order as the warmer months approached.

Dr Cooke was also asked about poultry shows, which might also apply to poultry sale events.

“The recommendation is for as strong a biosecurity position as possible, and if it is still feasible for poultry owners to keep birds in to maintain that situation, that applies to all owners of poultry, regardless of whether they're commercial or they are, let's say, show breeders of poultry,” said Dr Cooke.

“The risk may change, but at present we have no firm recommendation about poultry shows. We leave that up to the poultry show committees themselves as to what their level of risk is, but managing the risk starts at the home premises.

“And again, I would ask people who are seeking to further enhance their biosecurity measures they have in place, to visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

He also asked those who people wish to report dead or wild birds to continue to phone the emergency animal disease hotline on 1800-675-888.

“Not all reports are investigated, and there is a triage system in place, but that has been a huge contribution to Victoria's understanding of the incursion of H5 into Australia,” he said.