The first COVID-19 outbreak in Australian residential aged care occurred on 4 March 2020 at Dorothy Henderson Lodge, an 80-bed facility in Sydney. A second cluster followed in April 2020 in Newmarch House, a 102 bed facility in Sydney.

After the initial containment of COVID-19 in Australia in May 2020, in June 2020 a second wave in Victoria spread rapidly through Melbourne-bases nursing homes.

During 2020 and 2021 case numbers and deaths have been concentrated the in two most heavily populated states, NSW and Victoria.