Australia Health & Safety

Health & Safety

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required by travellers over the age of one year arriving within six days of having stayed overnight or longer in an infected country.

Medical services are excellent in Australia and hygiene standards are very high. Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Medicare is Australia's public health care system and is restricted to permanent residents of the country however reciprocal health care agreements exist with Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. All larger towns and cities have hospitals and medical centers however rural areas generally have limited medical care available.

It is recommended to carry sunscreen and insect repellant for all travel throughout the country and take care when on the beaches. It is very important to swim only on patrolled beaches between the red and yellow flags and be wary of strong rips in the ocean. Many tourists get into trouble and several drown each year from swimming on unsupervised beaches. From late October to early May, venomous box jellyfish are abundant in the coastal waters of northern Australia, around many of the Queensland islands, in the Northern Territory, and in Western Australia along the Kimberley coastline so check if it's safe to swim in these areas before venturing into the water. In some parts of Australia, normally Western Australia, Queensland and Northern Territory, tropical cyclones occur between November and April. In summer there is a serious risk of bush fires particularly in Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and ACT.

The tap water in Australia is safe to drink and bottled water is readily available. All food and drink in Australia is safe for consumption, including meats and dairy products, fruit and vegetables.

Australia has a low crime rate however always use common sense and remain alert as petty crime does occur. Incidents of spiked drinks, pick-pocketing, purse-snatching and sexual assault have been reported. Importing illegal drugs into the country is a very serious crime which can lead to long jail terms or even life imprisonment.

When driving on roads in rural areas be cautious of animals such as kangaroos and wombats crossing roads especially around dusk or early morning. Large native animals can cause serious damage to vehicle if struck at highway speeds. The drink driving limit is 0.05% b.a.c. (blood alcohol content) and drink driving and speed limits are strictly enforced throughout the country. In many instances you will be asked to take a breath test if you are pulled over for a traffic violation. Many states have fixed- and mobile-speed cameras in use throughout the state.

The emergency number for Australia is 000 for police, fire and ambulance.

We strongly advise that all New Zealand travellers check the latest travel advice on the New Zealand Government Safe Travel site.