Free mosquito repellent dispensers rolled out

WA Health has expanded its free mosquito repellent dispenser program into metropolitan Perth as the city enters mosquito season, with installations beginning at community venues including Maylands Tennis Club. The rollout was reported on September 2 and follows earlier placements across regional Western Australia. The state says the program is aimed at reducing bites and lowering the risk of mosquito-borne disease in outdoor public settings. Perth and the South West enter peak mosquito season from September to March, according to WA Health. ### Which parts of Perth can now get the free dispensers? WA Health says eligible community organisations in high-risk Perth metropolitan local government areas can apply for the stations through its repellent dispenser initiative. The listed Perth-metro areas include the cities of Perth, Canning, Melville, South Perth, Bayswater, Belmont, Swan, Joondalup, Wanneroo, Kwinana, Cockburn and Armadale; the towns of Bassendean, Victoria Park, Nedlands, Claremont, Cottesloe, Mosman Park and Cambridge; the City of Subiaco; and the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale. (perthnow.com.au) The Department of Health says local government, businesses and community groups are encouraged to make repellent accessible to the public in high-risk locations. The PerthNow report said the Maylands Tennis Group is among the organisations that have already installed dispensers, and pictured club president Judy Hogben with Preventative Health Minister Meredith Hammat, WA Health’s Abbey Potter and Maylands MLA Dan Bull. (health.wa.gov.au) ### Who is eligible, and what do they get? Eligible organisations can apply for up to two free dispensers, according to WA Health. The department says sporting clubs, community groups, outdoor cinemas and caravan parks are among those that can seek stations, and each approved site receives the dispenser free of charge with an initial supply of repellent. The PerthNow report said the lockable dispensers hold a 500 milliliter bottle of repellent. (health.wa.gov.au) It also said installation and ongoing maintenance are the responsibility of the organisation that receives the unit. ### Why is the state doing this now? September marks the start of mosquito season in Perth and the South West, while WA Health says peak season in that part of the state runs through March. (health.wa.gov.au) The metropolitan rollout follows a program first announced in June 2025, when the Cook government said a pilot would run in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne before a statewide rollout in 2026. (perthnow.com.au) The June 2025 announcement said the initiative was launched as part of WA Health’s Fight the Bite campaign and was dedicated to Peter Blackaby, who died from Murray Valley encephalitis in 2023. That statement said there had been 12 Murray Valley encephalitis cases in Western Australia since 2023, resulting in five deaths. (perthnow.com.au) ### What diseases are Perth residents being warned about? WA Health says Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus are the most common mosquito-borne viruses causing human disease in Western Australia. PerthNow reported those two diseases are the most common mosquito-borne illnesses in metropolitan Perth and said they can cause symptoms including joint pain, fever and rash. (wa.gov.au) The Department of Health says mosquitoes in Western Australia can also transmit Murray Valley encephalitis virus, West Nile virus strain Kunjin and Japanese encephalitis virus. WA Health’s Fight the Bite campaign says there is a vaccine for Japanese encephalitis, but no vaccine or cure for the other mosquito-borne diseases acquired in the state. ### What are ministers and health officials telling people to do? (health.wa.gov.au) Preventative Health Minister Meredith Hammat said expanding access to free repellent would help communities reduce their risk of mosquito bites. “The only way to avoid contracting mosquito-borne diseases is to avoid getting bitten,” Hammat said, according to PerthNow. She said the metropolitan expansion would give more communities access to “practical prevention measures” in places where they are needed. (health.wa.gov.au) WA Health’s public guidance tells people to “cover up, repel, clean up” by wearing long, loose-fitting clothing, using repellents containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, and removing standing water around homes and accommodation. The department also says many mosquitoes bite around dusk and dawn, though some bite during the day and night. ### Where does the program go from here? Applications are open through WA Health’s repellent dispenser community initiative page for eligible organisations in designated high-risk regions, including Perth-metro councils. (perthnow.com.au) The department says approved groups can request up to two dispensers and must provide justification for the proposed installation site, while government agencies and other organisations can contact the department directly about stations. (health.wa.gov.au) September is the start of the higher-risk period for Perth and the South West, and WA Health says the season there typically runs until March. That gives sporting clubs, community groups, caravan parks and outdoor venues a defined window to seek dispensers and install them before mosquito activity peaks over spring and summer. (health.wa.gov.au) (health.wa.gov.au)