Horse flu alert downgraded

The Queensland Horse Council says it hopes the state will be officially declared horse flu-free well before the target date of June 30.

The Federal Government has declared the country "provisionally" free of equine influenza and the amber zone - which includes parts of the Darling Downs, Gold and Sunshine Coasts - has been downgraded to green.

The Council President Julie de Visser says the industry is only beginning to assess the fallout from the crisis.

"Many people have missed the breeding season this year for their horses so next year we're going to have less foals on the ground and it's going to take a few years for that impact to be really felt," she said.

"I think we'll find a couple of years before we can rebuild the industry to what it really was."