Julia Gillard, prime minister, said that in the wake of the deaths she would cut short a trip to the Cook Islands for a forum of Pacific nation leaders.
"In a war of so many losses, this is our single worst day in Afghanistan," she said.
"Indeed, I believe this is the most losses in combat since the days of the Vietnam War and the Battle of Long Tan. This is news so truly shocking that it's going to feel for many Australians like a physical blow."
The news of the deaths shocked the nation, with the Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, describing the past 24 hours as "one of our darkest days".
"I know that Australians everywhere, will pause to think of the families left behind, and the colleagues who will feel this tragic loss deeply,'' she said.
Australia has now lost 38 troops in the eleven-year-long campaign in Afghanistan, including seven who were killed by Afghan soldiers.
The first three soldiers were killed while relaxing at a patrol base late on Wednesday night near Tarin Kowt, in Uruzgan, by an Afghan soldier who opened fire at close range with an automatic weapon.
The attacker scaled a fence and escaped and both Afghan and Australian forces were said to be hunting him.
The deaths were the latest in a spate of killings by Afghan forces.
Nearly one in seven of all coalition troop deaths this year have been at the hands of their Afghan allies. Nato commanders believe around one in four of such attacks can be linked to infiltration or coercion by the Taliban and the rest are rooted in violent arguments based on cultural or personal clashes.
In the second unrelated incident a helicopter tipped over on landing in the early hours of Thursday, killing two Australian soldiers.
Air Marshal Mark Binskin, acting chief of the Australian Defence Force, said: “Australia's lost five men today. They were soldiers who were committed to serving our nation.
"I cannot begin to describe the overwhelming grief their families are experiencing. ... This is a terrible day for all of us."
Australia has around 1,550 troops deployed in Afghanistan, mainly in Uruzgan. Public support for the war has plummeted in recent years, with almost two-thirds of Australians backing a withdrawal. Ms Gillard has brought forward plans for a withdrawal of the bulk of the forces to within 12 to 18 months. However, both the government and the opposition support a continued presence.
The opposition leader, Tony Abbott, paid tribute to the victims and described the incidents as "a terrible, terrible tragedy".
"It is a black day for our Defence Forces", he said.
"They died in the service of our country, trying to make the world a better place and our country will draw strength from their service and memory."
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