The 2025 Virtual Annual Surveillance Workshop (ASW) was hosted and coordinated by Plant Health Australia (PHA) through the Plant Surveillance Network, Australasia-Pacific (PSNAP). Held over two virtual sessions on 10–11 June, the event brought together more than 100 surveillance practitioners each day from across Australia and the Pacific to connect, share and collaborate on plant surveillance.

Session 1 focused on general surveillance, offering a platform to explore community-led approaches, data integration and early detection strategies. The session began with an in-depth examination of the concept, followed by case studies from government, industry and community organisations. These highlighted the diversity of stakeholders involved, the challenges of engagement, and opportunities to improve outcomes through better coordination and communication.

Session 2 featured program updates from surveillance initiatives across Australia and neighbouring countries. Presentations reinforced the importance of strong relationships and regional collaboration in addressing shared biosecurity risks. Highlights included offshore surveillance partnerships in Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait, advancements in diagnostics and genomics, environmental surveillance innovations, and sector-specific updates from the sugar, cotton and forestry industries.

The Annual Surveillance Workshop is a key initiative for building a connected and capable surveillance community. First held in 2017, the ASW has become a core component of PSNAP’s efforts to support knowledge exchange, professional development and capability building for plant health surveillance professionals.

Recordings from both sessions will be made available to PSNAP members via the member portal. Thank you to all presenters, attendees and partners for contributing to another successful event.

For more on the ASW and other initiatives, visit the PSNAP website.

The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic and Surveillance Professional Development and Protocols Projects are coordinated and delivered by PHA and are funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) up until 30 June 2025.