Travel health
It’s important to protect your health when you’re travelling, especially outside of Australia. With good planning you can avoid diseases and other health conditions. Find out what we’re doing to help Australians stay healthy when they travel.
This is our new health website
While we are updating our content, some of the links will take you back to our old website.
Travel health for Australians
In 2018, more than 11 million Australians returned from short overseas trips. Travel is exciting but there is a risk you could catch diseases you wouldn’t normally come across.
If you prepare for travel, you can stay healthy and enjoy your trip. There are many things to think about, such as protecting yourself from insect bites, unsafe food and sexually transmissible infections.
Following Australian Government advice to travellers means you’re less likely to get sick or bring back unwelcome diseases.
If you become unwell within 2 weeks of returning to Australia, see a doctor and tell them where you’ve been travelling.
What we’re doing about travel health
We provide information for travellers to help them avoid health issues:
- Travellers’ health alerts warn you about any current health risks in different countries.
- Travel health updates tell you what to do before, during and after your trip.
- Immunisation for travel helps you find out if you need vaccinations before you leave.
- Travelling with medicines and medical devices helps you avoid problems at border control in Australia and overseas.
We also work with other agencies to reduce the risk of diseases entering and spreading in Australia.
Initiatives and programs
National Guidelines for Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres and Providers
Our national guidelines help health practices who want to become yellow fever vaccination centres. From 26 November 2018, doctors and eligible nurse practitioners who want to give yellow fever vaccinations must complete a course and become accredited.
Related laws
Biosecurity Act 2015
We jointly administer the Biosecurity Act 2015 with the Department of Agriculture. The Act helps us manage the risk of serious communicable diseases entering, emerging, establishing or spreading in Australia.
Resources
Travelling with medicines and medical devices
Watch this video to find out what you need to do when preparing for your trip and going through border control. It also tells you about the requirements that may apply when coming into Australia.
Support services
Smartraveller
If you're going overseas, visit the Smartraveller website for advice on staying healthy while travelling. Information on vaccinations, disease outbreaks, prescription medicines and medical emergencies is also available.