Pill testing to be available at Victoria’s Pride Street Party in 2026
19 Dec 2025
The Victorian Pill Testing Service (VPTS) will offer free, legal and confidential drug checking at the event. Alongside testing, attendees will be able to access health information, harm-reduction advice and wellbeing support to help them make safer choices.
The Pride Street Party forms part of an 18-month trial that is being rolled out across different event types to reach a broad range of people and assess how pill testing can be delivered most effectively in Victoria.
During the 2025–26 music festival season, the mobile pill testing service will operate at five large events across the state.
Data from last summer showed the service tested more than 1,400 drug samples, with 11% found to be different from what people believed they had. This resulted in multiple health alerts and event warnings, as well as on-site advice aimed at reducing harm and keeping attendees safe.
People can also access pill testing year-round at the fixed Fitzroy site, which has extended its opening hours over summer to meet higher demand around festivals, public holidays and major events.
More information is available via the Victorian Pill Testing Service website.
Source: Victorian Government; Victorian Pill Testing Service (VPTS)
