Australia's Avalon Airport was evacuated on Thursday after a suspicious item was detected during security screening, prompting a police response and the arrest of one individual.

Emergency services were called to the airport, located about 55 km southwest of Melbourne, capital of the state of Victoria, just before 6 a.m. local time, with the bomb response unit deployed to assist local officers, police said.

The domestic terminal was evacuated and a safety cordon established while the investigation was conducted.

An airport spokesperson confirmed a person had been detained following the incident. Flights were disrupted, with delays expected as safety procedures continued.

Avalon Airport is Melbourne's secondary international airport.