Australian police have made a series of arrests in the southern city of Melbourne after uncovering a plot to launch a terror attack in Australia.

The group was at an advanced stage of preparing to storm an army base, the Australian newspaper reports.

More than 400 officers were involved in carrying out 19 search warrants. The number of people arrested was unknown.

Those arrested are reported to include Australian nationals of Somali and Lebanese descent, reports say.

"Police believe members of a Melbourne-based group have been undertaking planning to carry out a terrorist attack in Australia and allegedly involved in hostilities in Somalia," a police statement said.

Homes across several northern Melbourne suburbs were among those raided, The Australian reports.

It adds that those arrested are thought to be linked to the Somali-based al-Shabaab group, which seeks to overthrow the Somali government.

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