The prevention and management of diseases that impact on plants and animals is a key part of Australia’s biosecurity system.
The term “disease” is applied broadly and can include viruses (ie. High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in native birds and poultry); bacterial infections (ie. anthrax in livestock); fungal agents (ie. myrtle rust in native plants); and water moulds (ie. phytophthora dieback in native plants).
Compounding biosecurity risks some pests also carry diseases, such as the exotic polyphagous shothole borer that physically attacks trees and also infects them with Fusarium dieback causing secondary impacts.
Given the challenges with identifying and diagnosing diseases, early detection and incursion response to limit and contain diseases is vitally important to reducing impacts on environmental and agricultural assets.
Webinar: Preparing for bird flu impacts on Australian wildlife
Insights into the global impacts of bird flu and implications for Australian wildlife.
Avian Influenza - Risk mitigation toolbox for wildlife managers with a focus on HPAI H5 2.3.4.4b
Develop plans to mitigate the risk of HPAI and prepare for the response to and recovery from an outbreak in wildlife.
High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza and Wildlife - Advice for people who encounter sick or dead wild birds
Factsheet of the appropriate response to encountering wildlife affected by Avian Influenza.
Wildlife Health Australia - Avian Influenza page
Latest information on High pathogenicity avian influenza information - H5N1 global outbreak
Dr Michelle Wille - Avian influenza website
Updates on avian influenza reports in Australia, global situation updates, official guidelines, response updates and all the latest science.
Briefing Note: A looming wildlife catastrophe: Australia is poorly prepared for possible arrival of deadly H5N1 bird flu this spring.
Quantifying the threat that highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 poses to Australian wildlife.
Video: Avian influenza awareness – Keep a TopWatch!
2-minute animation that explains H5N1 and what to do if you encounter a sick bird.
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Factsheet
NSW Health factsheet covering symptoms, how the virus spreads, prevention and diagnosis.
Animal Health Australia Online training courses
Online courses related to emergency animal disease (EAD) preparedness, arrangements and biosecurity.
ALA Reporting Guide: Tackling the Spread of Myrtle Rust
Outlining identification of myrtle rust and recording in citizen science apps.
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Factsheet
NSW Health factsheet
Myrtle Rust in Australia; A National Action Plan
Actions to prevent Myrtle Rust from emerging, establishing or spreading in Australia.
Pests, Diseases and Disorders of Cucurbits; A Field Identification Guide
A comprehensive pocket sized guide containing both endemic and exotic pests, diseases and disorders affecting melons and other cucurbits including high priority exotic pests.
Soil borne diseases in vegetable crops – A practical guide to identification and control
Divided into chapters based on vegetable crop families, this guide identifies the most common soil-borne diseases affecting vegetable crops.
Summary of proceedings: Australasian Myrtle Rust Conference, 21–23 July 2023 & Workshop on selection and breeding for Myrtle Rust-resistant plants, 26-27 June 2023
Short precis of key points from the conference, with summaries of all presentations and workshop discussions.
Threat Abatement Plan: Beak and feather disease affecting endangered psittacine species
Actions to contain beak and feather disease virus from becoming a key threat to psittacine birds.
Threat Abatement Plan: for disease in natural ecosystems caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi (Dieback)
Actions to abate the threat to Australia’s biodiversity from Phytophthora (Dieback).
Threat Abatement Plan: Infection of amphibians with chytrid fungus resulting in chytridiomycosis
Actions to prevent increasing infections and to decrease the impact of infection of populations that are currently infected.
Review National Threat Abatement Plan for Disease in Natural Ecosystems Caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi
Response to the five-year Statutory Review of the National Threat Abatement Plan.
Understanding Biosecurity – Diseases
Managing Dieback; The State Dieback Framework
South Coast NRM, 2019
Introduces the Western Australian Dieback Framework.
Myrtle rust, the silent killer
Australian Network for Plant Conservation, 2023
Introduces the cultural, social and ecological effects of myrtle rust on Australia's native environment.
Roots of Resilience ; First Nations environmental biosecurity
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, 2024
What is at risk of being lost due to the threats posed by Myrtle rust from a First Nations’ perspective.
Biosecurity Queensland’s Biosecurity YouTube channel
Biosecurity Queensland works in partnership with industry, local and state government and the community to lead and promote a biosecurity system that protects Queensland’s economy, environment, lifestyle and human health.
Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Environmental Biosecurity Webinars
Managing Pests and Diseases - WA’s Biosecurity YouTube playlist
DAFWA's videos related to managing a range of pests and diseases.
NRM Regions Australia’s YouTube Biosecurity playlist
NRM Regions Australia's Biosecurity YouTube playlist featuring videos from Biosecurity CoP mtgs, webinars and external content.
Report a Biosecurity Concern
Use this page to Report a concern about pests or diseases: - in goods, containers and parcels arriving in Australia - on or around your property.
Outbreak
Information on outbreaks of exotic plant and animal pests and diseases in Australia including responses to current outbreaks and advice to prepare and respond to outbreaks.
Biosecurity Commons
Biosecurity Commons delivers a cloud-based decision-support platform for modelling and analysing biosecurity risk and response.
Farm Biosecurity Hub
The Farm Biosecurity Hub holds information to help producers understand disease, pest and weed risks, what they can do to reduce those risks, and how to go about it.
Agrifutures Australia
Research publications, reports, fact sheets, podcasts and more can be found here on our AgriFutures Australia Knowledge Hub.
Animal Health Australia
Animal Health Australia's Resource Hub contains a range of animal health and biosecurity resources.
Dieback Working Group (DWG)
The DWG has a repository of publications of best management practices plus links to those involved in Dieback work.
Melons Australia
Representing the biosecurity interests of melon producers and the industry, Melons Australia provides resources to support this.
Plant Health Australia
Plant Health Australia's Resource Centre is a collection of plant biosecurity publications, reports, fact sheets and more.
Project Dieback
Funded by South Coast NRM, the Project Dieback website holds a comprehensive library of Dieback related resources.
Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (Soil Wealth ICP) project
These resources target specific vegetable and melon issues and allow growers to apply knowledge to solve problems.
Wildlife Health Australia
The Resource Centre holds a range of wildlife biosecurity guidelines, disease management and response guidelines and risk assessments.
