Overview
Exercise Waterhole was a national laboratory exercise in 2023. It showed the need for enhanced management of baseline or centralised laboratory stockpiles. In March 2025, a national workshop considered a centralised national laboratory stockpile for emergency animal disease response. Scenario-based activities tested needs and found gaps in reagents and storage. After the workshop, a catalogue of commonly used tests and reagents across the Laboratories for Emergency Animal Disease Diagnosis and Response (LEADDR) network was created.
Project Lead: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Subcommittee on Animal Health Laboratory Standards; Laboratories for Emergency Animal Disease Diagnosis and Response network
Project Contact: animalhealthlaboratories@aff.gov.au
Project Status: Complete
Objective alignment:
• 2 - Improve Australia’s preparedness and ability to respond to emergency animal diseases
Activity alignment:
• 2.1 – Implement actions under National Animal Health Surveillance Business Plan and National Animal Health Diagnostic Business Plan.
See more
See previous updates and future actions on the National Animal Health Diagnostic Business Plan.
See more about Exercise Waterhole.