Katherine Whetton Chief Officer Mental Health and Wellbeing – Mobile Pill Testing Service Update 30 January 2025

Mobile pill testing service update

Image shows a festival stage and crowd dancing
Victoria’s pill testing service commenced at Beyond The Valley festival in December. During the four day festival, staff tested more than 600 samples and spoke to more than 700 festival goers.
Of these, 70 per cent said that it was the first discussion they have had with a health professional about drug and alcohol safety. About 40 per cent of those using the service said they planned to use a smaller amount of drugs after using the service.
The mobile drug checking service will attend up to 10 festivals and events throughout the 18-month implementation trial.
The Victorian Government has announced the next festivals and events to have pill testing during the 2024-25 music festival season. The service will operate at:
  • Hardmission at Werribee Racecourse on 8 February 2025
  • Pitch Music & Arts Festival in Moyston from 7 to 11 March 2025
  • Ultra at Flemington Racecourse on 12 April 2025
  • The Warehouse Project at Port Melbourne Industrial Centre for the Arts (PICA) on 25 April 2025.
Pill testing helps people make more informed choices by showing them what’s really in their drugs. Understanding the risks helps them make safer choices, significantly reducing the chance of accidental overdoses – the leading cause of drug-related deaths in Victoria.
A fixed site service is due to open in mid-2025 and operate from inner Melbourne, close to nightlife and transport.
Read more on the Better Health Channel.