Australia's routine childhood schedule protects against 16 diseases (see the full Australia schedule). Doses your child has already had abroad almost always count - the job on arrival is to get them recorded and fill any gaps.
Your first weeks in Australia
- Ask your GP or immunisation provider to add your child's overseas vaccines to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) so they count. Records that are not in English need translating first.
- Catch-up vaccines on the National Immunisation Program are free for people up to 20 years of age, and your GP can write a catch-up plan.
- Some family payments, and childcare enrolment in several states, depend on your child being up to date or on a recognised catch-up schedule - another reason to get overseas doses onto the AIR early.
- Bring your child's written vaccination record with vaccine names, dates and batch numbers if you have them. If it is not in English, a translation helps.
Coming from: United Kingdom. Another country? Use the comparison tool.
🇬🇧 Coming from the UK
Every disease on Australia's routine schedule is also covered in the UK, so a child who is up to date is unlikely to need extra vaccines.
The UK also routinely vaccinates against Meningococcal B, which Australia does not give every child. Keep the record of those doses - they still count.
Both countries cover diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and Hib and more, but at different ages, so a course started in the UK is finished on Australia's timetable.
Bring the "red book" (Personal Child Health Record).
Side by side: the UK and Australia ages for each disease
| Disease | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 18 months, 3 years 4 months, 14 years (school year 9) | 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months, 6 months, 18 months, 4 years, 12 to 13 years (school program) | |
| Tetanus | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 18 months, 3 years 4 months, 14 years (school year 9) | 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months, 6 months, 18 months, 4 years, 12 to 13 years (school program) | |
| Whooping cough | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 18 months, 3 years 4 months | 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months, 6 months, 18 months, 4 years, 12 to 13 years (school program) | |
| Polio | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 18 months, 3 years 4 months, 14 years (school year 9) | 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months, 6 months, 4 years | |
| Hib | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 18 months | 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months, 6 months, 18 months | |
| Hepatitis B | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 18 months | Birth, 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months, 6 months | |
| Pneumococcal disease | 16 weeks, 1 year (12-13 months) | 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months, 12 months | |
| Rotavirus | 8 weeks, 12 weeks | 2 months (from 6 weeks), 4 months | |
| Measles | 1 year (12-13 months), 18 months, 3 years 4 months | 12 months, 18 months | |
| Mumps | 1 year (12-13 months), 18 months, 3 years 4 months | 12 months, 18 months | |
| Rubella | 1 year (12-13 months), 18 months, 3 years 4 months | 12 months, 18 months | |
| Chickenpox | 1 year (12-13 months), 18 months, 3 years 4 months | 18 months | |
| Meningococcal B Only in the UK | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 1 year (12-13 months) | - | Only in the UK |
| Meningococcal C | 14 years (school year 9) | 12 months, 14 to 16 years (school program) | |
| Meningococcal A, W, Y | 14 years (school year 9) | 12 months, 14 to 16 years (school program) | |
| HPV | 12 to 13 years (school year 8) | 12 to 13 years (school program) | |
| Flu | 2 years to school Year 11 (annually) | 6 months |
From each country's official schedule. Combination vaccines mean one injection can count for several diseases. Full United Kingdom schedule.
- Australia - Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - National Immunisation Program (NIP)
- Healthy WA - Children moving to Australia from overseas
- United Kingdom - NHS / UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
Australia schedule last checked 2026-09-09. How we check.
General information, not medical advice. Your new doctor or nurse will advise on your own child, including any vaccines for health conditions or travel.
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