It's the question almost everyone asks. The answer is no, and understanding why helps.
No visits are permitted
You cannot visit your pet at the Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility during their stay. This applies to everyone. There are no exceptions, no special circumstances, and no way to arrange a visit regardless of how long your pet is in quarantine or what is happening with their health.
What DAFF does instead
DAFF sends email updates on your pet's health and wellbeing during the quarantine period. You will be notified within 24 hours of your pet's arrival that they have arrived safely. If there is a health concern during the stay, you will be contacted directly.
The facility is purpose-built for animal welfare: climate-controlled individual enclosures, quality food, daily care, and enrichment. It is not a kennel or a holding pen. Your pet is looked after by people who do this every day. For a detailed look at what happens inside, read what actually happens at Mickleham quarantine.
What about collecting your pet
Collection happens at the end of the quarantine period once all conditions are met and all fees are paid. You'll be notified when your pet is ready for release. You go to the facility in Mickleham (a suburb of Melbourne), and your pet comes home.
Bring government-issued photo ID, your import permit, and the official DAFF release notice when you go to collect. For a breakdown of quarantine fees, all fees must be settled before collection.
How long is the wait
The minimum quarantine period is 10 days for pets that completed identity verification correctly before the RNATT blood draw. It is 30 days for pets that did not. The clock starts on the day your pet arrives at Mickleham, not the day they leave the origin country.
The hardest part of quarantine for most owners is simply not seeing their pet for 10 or 30 days after a long journey. Plan for it emotionally. Your pet is safe, cared for, and closer to being home than they've ever been.