medication while travelling.

That is correct, you can get the full 6 month in one go.

I also can not recall what it is called but your GP will know - might be Schedule 8???.

"Regulation 49" (previously 'reg 24).
Google AI says.....
"A "Reg 24 script" refers to a prescription under Regulation 49 (previously Regulation 24) of the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). This allows a pharmacist to dispense the original prescription and all its repeats at the same time, rather than the patient having to collect them on separate occasions. This type of script must be endorsed by the prescriber (e.g., "Regulation 49," "Reg 24," or "hardship conditions apply") and is only applicable when the maximum PBS quantity is insufficient, the patient has a chronic illness or lives in a remote area, and the patient would suffer "great hardship" if they had to get supplies separately. "

We use this on a regular basis when travelling.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

I get my medication on Regulation 49. All it requires is for your GP to write reg 49 on the prescription. This means that you can have your Prescription & all 5 repeats (so 6 prescriptions) dispensed at the same time.

Something else changed last year which allowed my GP to double the amount on my precription from 120 tablets to 240 tablets. (to manage my crohns disease). Multiply this by six & I get 1440 tablets dispensed at the same time, enough to last me approximately 16 months, instead of the 8 month supply I used to get. I can get a further prescription, via a phone call (telehealth) if it is prescribed within 12 months from my last face to face contact with my GP. Can get the same if after 12 months, but then the telehealth consultation is not bulk billed.

I last saw my GP face to face last January, & he has suggested that I have a further telehealth consult with him before Jan '26, so he can prescribe me more Crohns medication. I can then wait until my current supply is almost run out before getting the new script dispensed. (Which I think will be around June '26).

I also take Osteopanadol twice a day, & recently found when trying to buy more online (we are in a remote isolated spot for the wet season) that the rules have changed & the amount I could buy at once was limited to just one pack of 96 tablets. It is now called a 'Pharmacist Only ' medication. Buying like this on a monthly basis , incurs a lot of extra postage costs.... BUT if I have it prescribed postage is free (from Chemist Warehouse) AND another telehealth consultation with my GP got it prescribed on Reg 49, & just last week I received 12 Packs of 96 tablets - enough to last me around 9.5 months. Once it was prescribed it was covered under the PBS scheme.

Travelling/living in a remote area is sufficient reason for Reg 49.

The 'E-script' was sent to my phone during the consultation, & when buying from Chemist Warehouse online, instead of using ther online ordering service, I had to phone & speak to a pharmacist. All they did was to get the number on the e-script from me verbally, & this gave them access to the precription , which they then posted to me, cost free, via Express Post.

Of course if you are not going to be travelling full time like we are, you can just take the precription to your local pharmacy.

The biggest 'problem' we have is the space needed to store bulk medication, but at least it's not heavy.

Note: Depending upon what the medication is & the quantity being dispensed, it may be worth ensuring the pharmacy you use will have sufficient quantity, which might require giving them up to a week's notice.

Not sure eSscript is available everywhere, I can't get them from hospital specialist.SA

Aust. Govt Dept of Health website page about escripts

While you can get scripts, here is no guarantee that a chemist in a small town will have stock of your medication.
While the deal with pharmacists requires that they must provide PBS prescriptions within 48 hours and they are paid to do this, stocks may be held in distribution centres , and Townsville is one.
I had to get a blood pressure medication in AFAIR Longreach and they had no stock, but the same pharmacist owned the store in Cloncurry so I had to proceed to there to get the meds.
The alternative was to wait a couple of days while the med was couriered from Townsville.