A huge manhunt is under way for a "heavily armed" male suspect after two Australian police officers were shot dead and one injured in an ambush at a property in a small rural town in Victoria state.

Police described the situation in Porepunkah in the Australian Alps - some 300km (186 miles) north-east of Melbourne - as an "active incident" with hundreds of personnel deployed to find the suspect.

Officers were attacked as 10 of them attended the property to serve an arrest warrant, which Australian media said was for historical sex offences.

Police say the suspect escaped into the bush alone and on foot after the shooting. Officers are still trying to locate the man's wife and children.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said 10 officers went to the property on Tuesday at about 10:30 local time (00:30 GMT).