Australia’s Latest STI Data: What the 2026 Report Means for You
September 29, 2026
Every state and territory in Australia runs public sexual health clinics, and most of them are free. Several also run free online or self-testing programs that many people have never heard of. The catch is that the rules differ from place to place: who can use them, whether you need a Medicare card, and whether you can walk in.
This guide brings the main free options together, state by state. It’s especially useful if you don’t have Medicare, such as international students, working holiday makers and visitors.
Details were checked against each service’s official website in September 2026. Services change, so confirm with the clinic before you go.
The short version
- Public sexual health clinics in NSW, Victoria, Queensland (Brisbane), SA, the ACT and the NT, and Fremantle in WA, say they’re free and don’t need a Medicare card.
- Most clinics now need an appointment. Walk-in sessions are limited or have stopped in many places.
- Clinics prioritise people at higher risk, such as gay and bisexual men, trans and gender-diverse people, sex workers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, young people and anyone with symptoms. If you have no symptoms and low risk, some clinics will suggest a GP or online option instead.
- Free HIV self-tests are available Australia-wide for anyone 18 or over, through HIV Self-Testing Australia.
- If you have Medicare, a bulk-billed telehealth consult with testing at a local collection centre is often the fastest option. See online STI testing.
New South Wales
- Public clinics: more than 40 across Sydney and regional NSW, including Sydney Sexual Health Centre (Sydney Hospital), RPA Sexual Health, Kirketon Road Centre and The Albion Centre. NSW Health says appointments are free, and no Medicare card or GP referral is needed.
- Booking: varies by clinic; many are appointment only. The NSW Sexual Health Infolink (1800 451 624, weekdays 9am–5:30pm) can help you find one.
- Free extras:
- MyTest: free HIV self-test kits from vending machines in Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and Tamworth. Register online first.
- DBS test: a free at-home finger-prick test for HIV and hepatitis C, run by NSW Health.
- ACON a[TEST]: free peer-led HIV and STI testing in inner Sydney for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
Local guides: Sydney, North Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong.
Victoria
- Public clinic: Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) in Carlton. It says it’s free for everyone, including people without Medicare and international visitors.
- Booking: appointments only, after a phone triage (03 9341 6200, or 1800 032 017 from regional Victoria).
- Who it sees: MSHC focuses on people with symptoms or higher risk. People who just want a routine check with no symptoms are usually directed to a GP or other services.
- Regional services: sexual health services operate in Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo, Bairnsdale, Wangaratta, Wodonga and Mildura.
- Free extras: PRONTO! (Thorne Harbour Health) offers free peer-led rapid HIV testing for men who have sex with men in Fitzroy and Bendigo.
Local guides: Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo.
Queensland
- Public clinics: 15 services, from Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts to Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Mount Isa and the Torres Strait. Brisbane Sexual Health Service (Roma St) is free, including tests and treatment, and doesn’t need a Medicare card.
- Booking: Brisbane is appointment only ((07) 3837 5611).
- Free extras:
- 13HEALTH Webtest: Queensland residents aged 16 and over can request a free chlamydia and gonorrhoea urine test online, with no Medicare card needed. You take the form to a collection centre. It only tests the genitals, not the throat or anus.
- RAPID (Queensland Positive People, Fortitude Valley): free peer-led testing for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea, with no Medicare needed and after-hours sessions.
Local guides: Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville, Cairns.
Western Australia
- Public clinics: Royal Perth Hospital Sexual Health (appointment only) and South Terrace Clinic at Fremantle Hospital. Fremantle says it’s free, needs no Medicare card and no referral, and has some walk-in sessions. Check fees with Royal Perth Hospital when you book.
- Help line: WA Sexual Health Helpline, 9227 6178 (Perth) or 1800 198 205 (country).
- Free extras: Get the Facts online STI testing (WA Health and PathWest) is free for people aged 16 to 35 without symptoms. It covers chlamydia and gonorrhoea: print the form and walk in to a PathWest centre, with no Medicare card or appointment needed.
Local guide: Perth.
South Australia
- Public clinic: Adelaide Sexual Health Centre (Currie St). SA Health says testing, diagnosis and treatment are free and confidential, whether or not you have a Medicare card. Appointments are needed.
- Other services: SHINE SA clinics are bulk-billed for Medicare card holders (fees apply without Medicare) and offer some walk-in sessions.
- Urgent HIV exposure: the SA HIV PEP Hotline, 1800 022 226, runs 24 hours a day.
Local guide: Adelaide.
Tasmania
- Public service: Sexual Health Service Tasmania has clinics in Hobart and Launceston, and outreach in Devonport. No referral is needed.
- Booking: walk-in clinics have stopped, so book ahead (Hobart 03 6166 2672; Launceston and Devonport 03 6777 1371).
- Cost: the service’s website doesn’t state its fees. Ask when you book, especially if you don’t have Medicare.
Local guides: Hobart, Launceston.
Australian Capital Territory
- Public clinic: Canberra Sexual Health Centre at Canberra Hospital. It’s free, welcomes people with and without Medicare, and you can refer yourself. It sees people aged 14 and over.
- Booking: appointments only ((02) 5124 2184, weekdays). Telehealth appointments are available. After hours, go to the Canberra Hospital emergency department for PEP.
Local guide: Canberra.
Northern Territory
- Public clinics: Clinic 34 in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy. It’s free, and you don’t need a Medicare card.
- Booking: Darwin is appointment only (08 8999 2678). Other sites prefer appointments but may see walk-ins.
- Aboriginal community controlled health services also offer STI testing.
Local guide: Darwin.
Free HIV self-testing, Australia-wide
Anyone aged 18 or over can order two free HIV self-test kits from HIV Self-Testing Australia (run by NAPWHA with government support), delivered in plain packaging. An HIV self-test doesn’t check for other STIs, and it may miss HIV picked up in the last 3 months. Read more about at-home STI tests.
If you might have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, don’t wait to self-test. PEP needs to be started within 72 hours. Speak to a doctor, a sexual health clinic or a hospital emergency department straight away.
When an online doctor may suit you better
Public clinics are a great service, but appointments can book out, and many focus on people at higher risk. If you have a Medicare card, a telehealth consult can be quicker:
- speak to an Australian doctor by phone or video, usually the same day, 7 days a week
- get a pathology request covering all the tests you need, including throat and anal swabs and blood tests for HIV and syphilis where relevant
- test at any collection centre, including in regional towns
- consults and standard tests are bulk-billed for eligible Medicare card holders
Without Medicare, private fees apply. See how much an STI test costs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a free STI test without Medicare?
Yes, in most states. Public sexual health clinics in NSW, Victoria, Brisbane, Fremantle, Adelaide, Canberra and the NT say they don’t need a Medicare card. Queensland’s 13HEALTH Webtest and WA’s Get the Facts also don’t need one, for chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
Can I walk in to a sexual health clinic?
Fewer clinics take walk-ins than in the past. Some have limited walk-in sessions, but most now ask you to call first.
Are free online STI tests as good as a full check?
State online programs usually test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea from a urine sample only. A full STI check can also include HIV, syphilis and hepatitis blood tests and throat or anal swabs.
Is STI testing confidential?
Yes. Sexual health clinics and doctors keep your results confidential. If privacy is a particular worry, ask the clinic how they handle it when you book.
Prefer to test this week?
Book a bulk-billed telehealth consult and test at a collection centre near you. Start your online STI test, or find your city on our locations page.
Sources: NSW Health; NSW MyTest; Melbourne Sexual Health Centre; Queensland Health; 13HEALTH Webtest; WA Get the Facts; Fremantle Hospital Sexual Health; SA Health; Tasmanian Department of Health; Canberra Health Services; NT Government: Clinic 34; HIV Self-Testing Australia. This article is general information, not personal medical advice.
