A safety campaign will be launched to help prevent overseas Australian travellers from being poisoned with methanol.
A Partying Safely hub will be included in the federal government’s Smartraveller website, offering warnings for individuals attending nightclubs and music festivals abroad.
The change comes after the tragic deaths of two young Australians in Laos in late 2024.
Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, two 19-year-olds from Melbourne, died from methanol poisoning in a mass drink-spiking event while travelling in Vang Vieng, a tourist town in the Southeast Asian country.
They were among six victims of the incident, which included two Danes, an American, and a Briton.
Methanol is occasionally added to drinks by negligent bar owners, posing risks of severe poisoning, blindness, and death. It can also result from improperly made homemade alcohol.
The families of the two, seeking public help to cover the mounting costs of bringing their daughters’ bodies home, started a GoFundMe in their loved ones’ memory.
“Tragically, their journey, along with visitors from different countries, was cut short when they fell victim to methanol poisoning—a hidden danger that claimed their lives just one day apart,” the fundraising page stated.
The online safety tools, developed in collaboration with organisations like Red Frogs and Médecins sans Frontières, will provide information on methanol poisoning signs, what to do if it occurs, and resources on drink spiking and drug safety. They will provide information for travellers, as well as for parents and schools.
The initiative is launching ahead of schoolies in November, when thousands of high school students travel to places like Bali and Thailand to celebrate their graduation.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that the tools can help keep young Australians safe while celebrating.
“The tragic deaths of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles as a result of methanol poisoning in Laos are a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers young people face when travelling abroad,” she said.
“We want young Australians to explore the world with confidence, but above all, we want them to have the knowledge and resources to come home safely.”
The Australian government has been urging the Lao authorities for progress on the investigation, but Laos has yet to accept offers of assistance from the Australian Federal Police.
AAP contributed to this report.
