Type Status Location Last Updated
Community Update - Env - Stay Informed Unknown Euroa, Longwood and surrounds 15/04/2025
This Community Information message is being issued for Euroa, Longwood and surrounds. 
  • Response to an outbreak of H7N8 avian influenza (bird flu) continues on four poultry properties near Euroa.
  • This warning is relevant for all bird owners including poultry producers, bird keepers and pet bird owners, as well as recreational game bird hunters. 
  • A restricted area with a radius of about 5 kilometres has been in place around the infected properties, and includes Euroa and parts of Longwood. This is part of a larger control area. 
  • The control area spans about 40 kilometres from east to west, and 30 kilometres from north to south. 
  • Mandatory movement restrictions for birds and game no longer apply to Violet Town, Ruffy, Avenel and Strathbogie. 
  • This Community Information message replaces the Community Information issued on 31 March.
All bird owners should regularly check their birds. Unexplained illness or deaths in your birds should be notified to your local vet or by calling the VicEmergency hotline on 1800 226 226 or the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.   

If you are located within the warning area and you own birds, you must follow all movement controls.
If you own birds:  
  • Do not move your birds, eggs, chicken manure or poultry equipment into, within, or out of the control or restricted areas without an Agriculture Victoria issued permit.   
What you should do: 
  • Follow the movement controls. Check the Agriculture Victoria website agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianinfluenza - or call 1800 226 226 for detailed information on what you can and can’t do in the restricted and control areas.  
  • It is no longer mandatory for premises with 50 or more birds in the restricted area to house birds, however voluntary housing of birds is still encouraged. 
  • Recreational game bird hunting is not allowed in the restricted or control areas. This includes the hunting of duck, stubble quail and introduced game birds.  
  • Moving game bird carcasses and any equipment associated with game bird hunting into, out of or through the restricted and control areas is prohibited unless under an Agriculture Victoria issued movement permit.    
H7 bird flu can be spread to other animals by movement of eggs, birds, people handling birds, vehicles and equipment between farms, and by clothing, footwear, aerosols, water, feed, litter, wild birds, biting insects and vermin.    

To help prevent the spread of disease to your birds you should:  
  • Restrict contact between pet birds, poultry and wild birds.  
  • Prevent access by wild birds to food and water sources for your birds.  
  • Keep equipment and yards or aviaries clean.  
  • Limit visitors to your birds. 
  • Bird owners should wash their hands before and after handling birds.  
Check for signs of H7 bird flu in your birds: 
  • Sudden death.  
  • Birds with difficulties breathing, such as coughing, sneezing, or rasping.   
  • Swelling of the head 
  • Purple discolouration of the comb and wattles.  
  • Rapid drop in eating, drinking and egg production.  
  • Ruffled feathers, dopiness, closed eyes.  
  • Closed eyes.  
  • Diarrhea.  
  • Occasionally, nervous symptoms.
Things you should know about H7 bird flu: 
  • Eggs and poultry products from supermarkets are safe to consume.  
  • H7 bird flu is a highly contagious disease that infects chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, quail, pheasants and ostriches. Many species of wild birds, including waterfowl and seabirds, can also carry the virus.  
  • You can find more information about movement controls and quarantine here: agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianinfluenza. 
  • Agriculture Victoria is ensuring the safe and efficient decontamination and disposal of depopulated birds, and poultry litter and eggs by deep burial and composting in accordance with Environment Protection Authority (EPA) authorisation.  
  • Waste material from the poultry properties, including litter and feed, is being transported to Agriculture Victoria’s biosecurity facility near Rutherglen and managed under stringent biosecurity controls.  
  • Strict decontamination and quarantine measures are in place at the Euroa and Rutherglen sites. Security and traffic management plans are in place to manage safety due to increased traffic movement around the area.
This message was issued by Agriculture Victoria.

The next update is expected by 29/04/2025 04:50 pm or as the situation changes.

Use multiple sources to stay informed: 
Accessibility: 
The following services can help you, or someone you know, access information during an emergency. 
  • To access this information in other languages call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 (freecall) and ask them to call VicEmergency Hotline.   
  • If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/communication impairment contact the National Relay Service and ask them to call the VicEmergency Hotline.