A 17-year-old boy arrested last week when police allegedly found three homemade bombs in his family home in Melbourne, Australia, has appeared in a children's court charged with terrorism offenses.

The boy was remanded in custody after a brief court appearance in a Melbourne Children's Court charged with planning a terrorist act somewhere in Victoria state and with possessing items connected with a terrorist act.

He faces a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted.

The boy did not apply for bail.