Emergencies in Brisbane

Good to Know

• Save 000 as your go-to emergency contact in Brisbane — it covers police, fire, and ambulance, and the call is completely free from any phone, including a mobile with no credit.
• If you're not fluent in English, you can still call 000 and simply say the service you need ('police', 'fire', or 'ambulance') — you'll be connected to a translator once transferred.
• Downloading the Emergency+ app before you need it is a smart move for nomads exploring outside the city center, since it can share your exact GPS coordinates with responders if you don't know your street location.
• For non-urgent issues (a break-in you're reporting after the fact, minor health advice), use 131 444 (police) or 13 12 33 (Queensland Ambulance) rather than tying up the 000 line.
• Call 000 for any life-threatening emergency to get an ambulance dispatched by the Queensland Ambulance Service.
• Public hospital emergency departments in Australia (RBWH, PAH, Mater public) are free at point of care for Medicare-eligible patients, but non-Medicare visitors (most nomads) can be billed — check whether your country has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia, and otherwise carry travel/health insurance.
• If you're treating a child in a medical emergency, note that RBWH's ED is adults-only for anything beyond initial care — Queensland Children's Hospital in South Brisbane is the dedicated paediatric emergency and trauma centre.
• Private emergency departments (e.g. Mater Private) are faster but charge an upfront facility fee plus a doctor's fee — useful if you have private cover, but expect out-of-pocket costs otherwise.