Warrnambool pigeon race proceeds despite H5 bird-flu concerns

To mark its 100-year anniversary and raise money for prostate-cancer testing equipment at Warrnambool Base Hospital, the Warrnambool Racing Pigeon Club intends to launch 150 racing pigeons from Lascelles, about 320 km away, on Sunday. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action has exempted the sport from the strict housing rules applied to poultry after the H5N1 strain caused mass bird deaths on Victoria’s south-west coast.

Environmental advocate David Mould of the Victorian Wildlife Alliance criticised the decision, saying even a low-risk activity could spread the disease across the state. Club vice-president Kevin Ashworth argued the birds are kept in secure lofts and are unlikely to mingle with wild birds during the flight, though he admitted some may never return. Despite the controversy, officials confirmed the race will go ahead as scheduled.