Bushwalk Australia

I have been invited to crew a yacht from Australia > Fiji > French Polynesia.
I am not that well travelled, of a sort. My passport expires 2027

Do I need to make contact with;
- Border Force?
- DFAT?
- Quarantine?

Do I need to approach consulates of these nations before leaving Australia?
Do I need to see my GP for any vaccines (aside from my three courses of Covid-19 vaccine), that may be demanded of me by these nations before I arrive?

- if not compulsory, then are any vaccines recommended by the Australian Government before I visit these nations?

Firstly- Note the current travel insurance requirement for Fiji:

You must have evidence of travel insurance with international coverage for COVID-19.

Source: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destin ... cific/fiji

Insurance could be tricky if you’re sailing.

I doubt any vaccinations aside from Covid will be required for entry, but you’d be wise to have all your normal vaxes updated - tetanus, Hep A/B, whatever the others are. Get a typhoid vax as well. Your GP should be able to advise on what you need.

Check whether yellow fever is required- I wouldn’t think so. If you’re visiting yellow fever regions, you can’t return to Australia without proof of vaccination.

Stock up on any medications you normally take, and keep them in their packages. It’s also wise to ask your GP for some broad-spectrum antibiotics and painkillers such as Panadeine Forte. If you tell them what you’re doing they shouldn’t have a problem issuing these scripts.

You’ll need to sort out any visa requirements as well.

Check out noonsite.com for general info on entry requirements.
Then go to the official government site for confirmation.

Note that some countries don’t like to see crew members arrive by boat with no evidence of a departure plan (i.e. a plane ticket). Less of an issue for the owner as they have a financial interest in the boat.
Too many people walk away from the boat they arrived on and go missing.
If that applies, you’ll need to buy a refundable plane ticket and then cancel it when you do actually leave on the boat.

Website's a bit busy/messy...search button down the bottom.

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destin ... cific/fiji?

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destin ... -polynesia?

Oops, I now see Eremophila has already provided that link above.

Eremophila wrote:
I doubt any vaccinations aside from Covid will be required for entry, but you’d be wise to have all your normal vaxes updated - tetanus, Hep A/B, whatever the others are. Get a typhoid vax as well. Your GP should be able to advise on what you need.
It’s also wise to ask your GP for some broad-spectrum antibiotics and painkillers such as Panadeine Forte. If you tell them what you’re doing they shouldn’t have a problem issuing these scripts.

I asked a local GP for Panadeine Forte. She did not hesitate to state that the suburban clinic I was in did not prescribe such - yet I remember a time when Panadeine Forte was OTC at pharmacies.
I asked her what should I do if I break my arm 400 miles from land. She said to make my way to the nearest clinic as soon as is practical. 100 miles a day/24 hours of forward travel when yachting is considered a good day.

It is too late for Hep B vaccination, as it is a course of three injections delivered over many weeks.

Hep A and Typhoid vaccination is all-in-one - 'a single dose injection that is very expensive and costs about $150'. The effectiveness is 2 years.

https://web.archive.org/web/20151001161 ... -injection

Hopefully the yacht will have a well-stocked first aid kit.

Probably best to arrange the typhoid vax ASAP, as clinics often don't stock them and need to order them in. Given the current supply chain issues, this may not be as straightforward as usual.

Find a better and more worldly / experienced GP and ASAP.

The combined Hep A & typhoid vaccine is expensive but worthwhile when travelling. You could get very sick from either of these which will cost yourself a lot more plus possible longer term problems.
You should have a second dose 6-36 months later for long term protection. Additionally if travelling after that a typhoid only booster every 3 years.
No yellow fever needed (only parts of Africa and South/Central America)
Good idea to have some hydralyte for dehydration and some antibiotics
https://www.nps.org.au/medicine-finder/ ... -injection