Frankston has recorded a sharp rise in overdose deaths over the past 15 years, with new figures showing the community continues to be heavily affected by Australia’s ongoing overdose crisis.
The 2025 Annual Overdose Report, released by the Penington Institute to mark International Overdose Awareness Day (31 August), reveals that 81 people in Frankston died from unintentional drug overdoses between 2019 and 2023. That compares with 78 deaths between 2014 and 2018, and just 47 deaths between 2009 and 2013 — a 72 per cent increase over the 15-year period.
Across Victoria, there were 486 unintentional overdose deaths in 2023 alone, with regional and rural areas recording a higher rate (8.3 per 100,000 people) than metropolitan Melbourne (6.6).
A crisis exceeding the road toll
Nationally, 2,272 Australians died from overdoses in the most recent year of full data — the 16th consecutive year overdose deaths have outstripped the road toll. Since 2001, more than 42,000 Australians have died from an overdose.
CEO John Ryan said Australia needed the same urgency applied to reducing road deaths.
“We’re losing significantly more Australians to drug overdoses than on our roads,” Mr Ryan said.
“Much like we’ve adopted an ambitious ‘towards zero’ approach for the road toll, we must now embrace an uncompromising push to stop overdose deaths.”
Dr Jake Dizard, the Institute’s Director of Research, said overdose remained a “full-blown health crisis.”
“More than six Australians die from overdose every day — that’s a national calamity. Every one of these deaths is preventable.”
Middle-aged and older Australians most at risk
The report highlights a major demographic shift, with overdose deaths climbing fastest among middle-aged and older Australians. Since 2001, deaths among people aged 50–59 have risen by 305 per cent, and deaths among those aged 60–69 have nearly doubled. In contrast, deaths among people under 30 have declined by about one-third.
Stimulants, such as amphetamines and MDMA, now account for one in three overdose deaths — overtaking benzodiazepines as the second most common drug group involved. Opioids remain the leading cause, contributing to almost half of all fatalities.
The Mornington Peninsula picture
While the report does not provide a standalone breakdown for the Mornington Peninsula, health experts warn that local communities are not immune. Regional Victoria overall has higher overdose rates than Melbourne, and the Peninsula — with its mix of urban and rural areas, high levels of disadvantage in parts of the region, and a large ageing population — shares many of the risk factors identified in the data.
Local health services say demand for support is strong across Frankston and the Peninsula, with calls for greater investment in treatment, outreach, and harm-reduction programs.
Calls for national action
Penington Institute is urging the Federal Government to adopt a National Overdose Prevention Strategy, reconvene the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, and “rebalance funding” towards evidence-based prevention and treatment rather than enforcement.
International Overdose Awareness Day, first held in Melbourne in 2001, is now marked in more than 40 countries. Supporters are encouraged to wear purple and attend local events, with details available at overdoseday.com/events-2025.
