- The Hendra virus first emerged in a Brisbane suburb in 1994, killing horses and later humans, and was identified as a new zoonotic disease.
- The virus was traced to flying foxes (fruit bats) as the natural host, which carry the virus without becoming ill.
- Land clearing and deforestation in Queensland, particularly for agriculture and urban development, destroyed bat habitats and drove bats closer to humans and horses, increasing spillover risk.
- Research, led by scientists like Hume Field and Peggy Eby, showed that ecological disruption and loss of winter-flowering trees were key drivers of Hendra outbreaks.