Last week, Agriculture Victoria announced the final avian influenza restrictions in Golden Plains Shire have been lifted.
While most of the Control Area covering the south of Golden Plains Shire was removed earlier this year, a smaller Control Area remained in place around Lethbridge. Following surveillance activities finding no further detections of the disease, the Control Area has been removed, and permits are no longer required for the movement of poultry, poultry products and vehicles involved in poultry production.
All poultry and captive bird owners in Golden Plains Shire should continue to follow good biosecurity practices in order to prevent a recurrence of avian influenza. Poultry owners are requested to continue monitoring their birds for signs of sickness and disease.
In July and August 2020, avian influenza was found at four poultry farms near Lethbridge, as well as properties in Bairnsdale and Kerang. Decontamination and depopulation works were carried out at all properties last year.
For more information, visit Agriculture Victoria’s website here.