Australia’s Pet Quarantine Facility
Preparing for your Dog or Cat's Stay at Mickleham
Australia Pet Quarantine: What to Expect at Mickleham
Relocating to Australia with a furry friend? Moving to Australia with a pet is certainly a process. One part that makes many families nervous is quarantine after arrival. The good news is that Australia’s system is organized, and once your pet has made it this far, the quarantine stay is usually the final stretch before reunion.
Australia requires cats and dogs that are subject to post-entry quarantine to stay at the government Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Mickleham, Victoria, near Melbourne. The exact quarantine period depends on your pet’s country group and whether all of the required veterinary and identity steps were completed in the right way before travel.
A pet-owner reunion is even sweeter down under, and knowing what to expect at Mickleham can make the wait feel a little more manageable.
Overview of Australia’s Mickleham Quarantine Facility
Australia operates its government Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Mickleham, Victoria. This is the facility used for cats and dogs that need post-entry quarantine on arrival.
The facility is designed for biosecurity, health monitoring, and day-to-day care while pets complete the required quarantine stay. Australia describes it as a high-quality government-run facility for cats and dogs, and it remains the central quarantine location for pets entering under these import conditions.
- Location: Mickleham, Victoria, near Melbourne
- Facility type: Government post-entry quarantine facility for cats and dogs
- Phone Number: 1800 900 090 / +61 3 8318 6700
- Email: PEQservices@agriculture.gov.au
We recommend confirming release hours, contact details, and booking procedures directly with the department as part of your final planning, since these operational details can change.
How long do pets stay in quarantine in Australia?
This is one of the biggest areas that needs careful wording.
Australia says cats and dogs stay in quarantine for at least 10 days, but that does not always mean every pet stays only 10 days. Depending on the country group your pet is arriving from and how the pre-export identity and testing steps were completed, some pets may need a longer stay. Current step-by-step guidance for some Group 3 imports says dogs and cats must spend at least 30 days at Mickleham, with the stay reduced to at least 10 days only in certain cases.
That means it is better to think of quarantine as a variable part of the Australia import plan, not a one-size-fits-all 10-day rule.
How to secure your pet’s stay at Mickleham
To help your pet move through the Australia process successfully, the usual sequence looks like this:
- confirm your pet’s import pathway and country group
- complete the veterinary timeline and testing
- request an import permit if your pathway requires one
- book quarantine space at Mickleham
- pay the applicable quarantine fees
- schedule release and post-quarantine transportation
One important point: an import permit and a quarantine booking are not the same thing. Even after permit approval, you still need confirmed quarantine space.
Requesting an import permit
For many pet imports to Australia, the permit application is handled through Australia’s BICON (Biosecurity Import Conditions) System. The system guides you through the permit process and tells you what documents are needed for your pet’s pathway.
In general, families should expect to upload supporting veterinary records tied to the import process, such as rabies documents, RNATT-related records where applicable, and any additional veterinary forms that apply to the pet’s case.
Australia’s official guidance also notes that some cats and dogs from certain countries or territories do not need a permit, so this is one of those areas where the exact country pathway matters.
If your pet has ongoing medical needs, special food requirements, or other important handling notes, it is smart to identify those early and confirm how they should be documented during the permit and quarantine booking process.
Booking your pet’s stay at Mickleham
Once you have the necessary import approval and your flight plan is coming together, the next step is securing quarantine space. Australia says you can create a booking request through the Post Entry Biosecurity System, and they also note that the facility can be contacted directly once the import permit is in place.
Because bookings, release timing, and availability can affect travel planning, we strongly recommend treating quarantine space as a core planning item rather than something to handle at the very end.
You should also plan ahead for your pet’s release and onward transport after quarantine. That part can be simple, but only if it has been lined up in advance.
“Moving your pet to Australia can be quite a lengthy endeavor, up to six months. The most complex elements are usually the permit process and making sure each veterinary visit happens in the correct order.
Clients are often surprised by how exact the documentation needs to be and how much planning goes into the final stages.”
– Andrea Gold
Getting your pet to Mickleham
Families often ask whether they can collect their pets at the airport and bring them to quarantine themselves. In practice, the arrival side is tightly controlled, and pets that require post-entry quarantine move through the official process into the government facility.
Australia also makes clear that pets cannot arrive early and simply spend longer in quarantine as a workaround. Animals arriving without the right permit or veterinary documents face serious consequences, so the paperwork and arrival timing need to be lined up carefully before departure.
Ensuring your pet’s comfort and care at Mickleham
Australia describes the Mickleham facility as a high-quality quarantine environment built to care for cats and dogs during their stay. The focus is on biosecurity, monitoring, and animal welfare.
If your pet needs special food, has ongoing medical conditions, or may need medication support during quarantine, those details should be flagged early. Some care arrangements may require extra planning or coordination with an Australian veterinarian, depending on the situation.
Because internal handling practices and care options can change over time, we suggest keeping public descriptions broad and confirming any special-needs details directly with the facility during your planning process.
What quarantine is like for your pet
Quarantine sounds intimidating, and the no-visitation piece is often the hardest part for pet owners. Still, the facility is built around monitoring and routine care, and many pets handle the stay better than owners expect.
Each pet is monitored during quarantine, and if the facility has concerns about how a pet is settling in or whether veterinary attention is needed, they can contact the owner or agent. In many cases, no news is good news.
“I have had a great experience working with the team at Mickleham over the years. If they have any concern about how a pet is settling in, they are quick to flag it.
For many families, the hard part is the waiting. Usually, if you are not hearing anything unusual, your pet is doing just fine.”
– Nina Faber, Senior International Relocation Coordinator
Items traveling in the kennel may not be returned, so it is best to assume that personal belongings, bedding, or toys may not make it through the quarantine process. If your pet needs special dietary support, that should be arranged formally and early.
Medication plans should also be addressed before arrival. Depending on the need, extra veterinary care during quarantine may involve additional cost and outside coordination.
Quarantine costs
Quarantine in Australia is not just one flat fee. The government charges for the use of the PEQ facility in Mickleham, and additional fees can apply for extra treatments, veterinary care, longer stays, and other services. Because those fees are updated officially, we recommend treating any public cost table as a planning guide and checking the current government fee page before final budgeting.
Typical costs can include:
- import permit assessment fees
- post-entry quarantine charges
- daily accommodation or related facility fees
- document handling and entry-related charges
- additional veterinary care if needed
- airline or airport-related charges connected to the arrival process
| Service | Notes | Cost Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Import Permit | Government fees can change and should be confirmed during the application process. | Check current BICON and department guidance |
| Quarantine Facility Charges | Includes the post-entry quarantine stay and related government charges. | Check current government fee page |
| Additional Veterinary Care | Applies if your pet needs extra treatment, monitoring, or outside veterinary support. | Varies |
| Airline and Arrival Charges | Can include cargo handling, documentation, and airport-related costs. | Varies |
| Extended Stay or Other Services | May apply if the quarantine stay is longer or additional work is required. | Varies |
Source: Agriculture.gov.au
If you’re working with PetRelocation
Australia is one of the most popular destinations we help clients with, and it is also one of the destinations where timing and detail matter the most. We help families map out the veterinary schedule, permit steps, quarantine booking, flight plan, and post-quarantine arrangements so nothing important gets missed.
Upon your pet’s arrival in Melbourne, our team helps make sure the arrival side, quarantine booking, and post-quarantine destination services are lined up properly. That can include onward flights, local coordination, and home delivery planning where needed.
If you have questions about quarantine at Mickleham or the broader import process, you are always welcome to ask our team of experts. We know the process well and recommend getting started as soon as you know you plan to bring your dog or cat to Australia.