After a 10-day course of oral oseltamivir for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza infection, a renal transplant recipient developed rapid-onset severe primary viral pneumonia due to oseltamivir-resistant virus. Respiratory failure progressed despite high-dose oral oseltamivir, nebulised zanamivir and cessation of immunosuppressive medications, but his condition improved with intravenous zanamivir. He subsequently died of non-respiratory complications. This is the first case of oseltamivir-resistant pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in Australia and the first report of resistance in a solid organ transplant recipient.