School bus full of students stopped by police at Victor Harbor following feared Covid-19 scare by teenagers from Victoria

A bus full of schoolchildren was stopped at Victor Harbor this morning after a feared Covid breach involving two Victorian teen hitchhikers. Picture: 7 News

Two Victorian girls who hitchhiked across the border to see a friend in Goolwa recorded themselves dancing on social media on Friday, blissfully unaware their actions sparked a statewide border closure with SA and VIC.

The two teens had been reported missing before it was discovered they had crossed the border on Thursday night.

SA Police were made aware of the girl’s activity by Victoria Police at about 7.14am on Friday morning, and were told the girls had been in several different vehicles to travel to Goolwa, where they had planned to visit another girl.

After the three girls met up they travelled on a school bus from Goolwa with other students that was bound for Victor Harbor High School, wearing uniforms to blend in.

The bus was stopped in the school carpark by police before students could leave.

The three girls were taken to a nearby park during the ordeal, filming themselves dancing on popular social media site, Tik Tok, with the caption “cops locked us in a dog park”.

The girls, aged 15 and 16, have since been charged with breaching the emergency management laws, and giving false declarations.

Students were stuck on the bus for several hours while police co-ordinated their efforts with the breach, and students were handed masks and had to adhere to a strict protocol.

All students on board the bus have been sent home to isolate for 14 days. The school did not shut for the day.

A parent said the two Victorian girls were in school uniform, according to ABC Radio.

Victor Harbor High School were contacted for comment regarding the uniform claim, but referred questions to the Department of Education.

Police inspect the school bus at Victor Harbor following the feared Covid-19 breach. Picture: Gary Juleff

School bus full of children stuck at Victor Harbor following the Covid-19 scare. Picture: 7NEWS

The two hitchhikers have been taken to hospital to be Covid tested.

“About 7.14am today (Friday 28 May) SA Police were contacted by Victoria Police, who advised them that the two girls had hitchhiked to South Australia, using several different vehicles to travel in to see another girl in Goolwa,” SA Police said in a statement.

DEVELOPING | 14-year-old school student Hamish has told FIVEaa’s Leon Byner his bus to Victor Harbor High School was stopped by police as part of a COVID operation. pic.twitter.com/1HuMtnN3go

— FIVEaa (@1395FIVEaa) May 28, 2021

“The bus was stopped before the students could leave the bus, SA Police is working with other agencies including SA Health, Victoria Police and Victor Harbor High School to ensure the safety of those on board,” police said.

“If any person believes they may have given a lift to these two girls from the Victorian border to Goolwa to please isolate immediately and contact SA Health on the Covid hotline [phone]),” police said.

Victor Harbor High School Deputy Principal, Adie Conley, released a statement to parents on the school’s Facebook page.

“This morning SA Police stopped a school bus with some of our students on it in relation to a possible breach of Covid-19 restrictions,” it read.

“All families of children on the bus have been contacted and their children are in the process of being taken home until further health advice is provided.

“I will update you as soon as I know more.”

School bus full of children stuck at Victor Harbor following the Covid-19 scare. Picture: 7NEWS

A school bus full of children has been stuck at Victor Harbor following a feared Covid-19 breach. Picture: Gary Juleff

SA closed its borders to travellers from Melbourne on Wednesday evening, causing travel chaos and placing elite sport matches at risk, after it was discovered a person with a positive Covid-19 test was at Port Adelaide’s clash against Collingwood at Melbourne’s MCG.

Victoria is now in a seven-day lockdown to contain the outbreak.

SA is no longer allowing travellers to enter the state unless someone is a returning resident, an essential traveller or had been granted an exemption.

Those who are eligible to cross the border must complete 14 days of self quarantine.

Anyone who visited the City of Greater Bendigo after May 22 will also be subject to Level 3 restrictions.

This means they can enter but must self-isolate until they receive a negative COVID-19 test, be tested on days one, 5, and 13, and cannot attend a high-risk setting or event that has a Covid Management Plan for 14 days after they arrive.

Anyone arriving into SA must complete an online border declaration form.

There has been a rush to testing stations around Adelaide, with about 7000 people getting a test on Wednesday, one of the highest-testing days so far.

SA’s chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said 124 SA residents had been asked to quarantine as a result of Melbourne outbreak, with 104 of those already returning negative results.

SA recorded no new cases on Thursday.

SA Health has sent 50,000 text messages to people but about 30,000 people have not yet responded.