Preventing Q fever on farm
Victorian dairy farmers can access subsidised Q fever testing and vaccinations until May 2027 as part of a project led by GippsDairy and funded by WorkSafe Victoria and Dairy Australia.
If you are a Victorian dairy farm owner, employee, or share or lease a dairy farm and are over 15 years old, you are eligible to access subsidised Q fever testing and vaccinations.
The process involves:
- Registering for 2 appointments with a chosen participating clinic via the register now section below which includes a $145 co-contribution. The subsidy saves you approximately $100.
- Attending a testing appointment at the chosen participating clinic which includes a blood and skin test for presence of Q fever antibodies (i.e. whether you have had previous exposure to Q fever and immunity built). Depending on the clinic, farmers may be charged an appointment fee for testing. Please see the list of clinics below to determine if they bulk bill.
- Attending the second appointment (must be 7 days from the testing appointment) where the test results will determine:
- If a vaccination is required (no antibodies/prior exposure to Q fever detected).
- If no vaccination is required (antibodies present/previous exposure to Q fever). If no vaccination is required, you will be reimbursed $115.
- Completing feedback survey to go into draw to win $200 local voucher.
If you have any questions, please contact Sue Mead, GippsDairy on 5624 3900.
What is Q fever?
- Q fever is an infectious disease, caused by the spreading of the bacterium Coxiella burnetii from animals to humans.
- Q fever can cause long-term complications including chronic fatigue and heart disease.
- People who work with animals – particularly cattle, sheep and goats – or animal products (e.g. unpasteurised milk) are at a higher risk of developing Q fever.
- There is an effective vaccine that can protect against Q fever.
- You must be tested before you can receive the vaccine.
- Q fever can be treated with antibiotics.
Source: Better Health Channel
How can people get Q fever?
People usually get infected with Q fever by breathing in aerosols or dust from contaminated materials and animal products. The bacteria can survive in soil, dust and hay for a long period of time.
This can happen while:
- Birthing, handling, slaughtering or butchering infected animals.
- Handling infected animal faeces, urine, birth tissue or placentas.
- Handling infected clothing, wool, animal hides, straw or equipment.
- Herding, shearing or transporting infected animals.
- Mowing contaminated grass.
Infected animals often have no symptoms and can shed bacteria in their urine, faeces or milk. People who do not have direct contact with animals may still be infected with Q fever.
Source: WorkSafe Victoria
Symptoms of Q fever
Some people with Q fever will show no symptoms while others will have severe flu-like symptoms, such as:
- fever and sweating
- chills
- headaches
- nausea
- muscle pain and fatigue
- vomiting and diarrhoea.
Around 10-15% of people who are infected develop Q fever fatigue syndrome. This can last for years and may affect someone’s ability to work or live a normal life.
Source: WorkSafe Victoria
How to prevent Q fever
Employers and workers can eliminate or reduce the risk of exposure to Q fever in their workplace with risk control measures such as:
- Q fever testing and vaccination
- workplace design
- safe work practices
- workplace Q fever policy
- personal protective equipment (PPE).
For more information visit: worksafe.vic.gov.au/preventing-q-fever
Register now
The following medical centres in Gippsland, Western Victoria and the Murray region of Victoria are providing subsidised Q fever testing and vaccination.
If there are no current or suitable dates, you can add your name to a waitlist on the medical centre registration page and GippsDairy will notify you directly when new dates are available.
Gippsland
| Medical Centre | Dates available |
| Traralgon, Breed St Medical Centre* |
4 and 11 of February – Register now |
| Central Clinic Warragul | 12 and 19 February – Register now |
| Foster Medical Centre | 10 and 17 February – Register now |
| Korumburra Medical Centre* | 6 and 13 February – Register now |
| Leongatha, Long St Medical | 4 and 11 February – Register now |
| Maffra Medical Centre | 30 January and 6 February – Register now |
| Neerim South Medical Centre* | 3 and 10 February – Register now |
| Orbost Medical Centre* | 5 and 12 March – Register now |
| Stratford Medical Centre | 13 and 20 February – Register now |
* Bulk-billing available
Murray
Western Victoria
Further information and resources
- Q fever – Health Direct
- Q fever – Better Health Victoria
- Q fever – National Farmer Centre for Health
- Preventing Q fever – Worksafe Victoria
- Q fever Facts
Gippsland resources
- Q fever Factsheet – Gippsland Regional Public Health Unit
- Q fever Vaccination Factsheet – Gippsland Regional Public Health Unit
- Q fever Poster for the Workplace – Gippsland Regional Public Health Unit
- Find a Q fever testing and vaccine provider in Gippsland
- Case Study with Dairy Farmer Jason Tharle – Latrobe Regional Hospital
- Farming Safe and Well Podcast conversation with Karen McLennan, GippsDairy – AgVic
About this project
This project, Rethinking Q fever, is led by GippsDairy and will allow farmers and farm workers in the Victorian dairy sector to access subsidised Q fever testing and vaccinations.
It builds on the success of the Gippsland pilot in 2025 and will expand its reach beyond Gippsland to western Victoria and Murray Dairy regions.
The project will run from November 2025 to May 2027 and aims to:
- Raise awareness of Q fever in the dairy farming sector.
- Improve access to testing and vaccination across dairy farming areas.
- Increase the number of farmers and farm workers who are tested for Q fever.
- Improve understanding and implementation of preventative actions on-farm.
This project has been made possible with funding from Dairy Australia and WorkSafe Victoria. This project is being managed through RM Consulting Group, Warragul.