New restrictions on who can leave Sydney for regional NSW explained

Tough new restrictions on who can leave greater Sydney are about to come into force. Find out how they will work.

People wanting to leave greater Sydney for some areas of regional NSW will need a permit from Saturday under tough new restrictions to curb the spread of the deadly Delta outbreak.

Under the updated public health order, the following people travelling from Greater Sydney to regional NSW require a permit from 12.01am on Saturday:

• Anyone from greater Sydney, including authorised workers from the local government areas of concern, who need to travel more than 50km from greater Sydney for work purposes;
  
• People travelling to a second home outside greater Sydney, which is now only allowed if you are using the home for work accommodation or if the home requires urgent maintenance and repairs, for which only one person is allowed to travel there;
• People inspecting a potential new residence, but only if they have a genuine intention to relocate as soon as practicable and not purchase an investment property;
• People who are permanently relocating.

Permits will be available on the Service NSW website from 12.01am on Saturday.

NSW Health said taking a holiday to a second residence was not a reasonable excuse to leave home.

The agency also said that for the purpose of the permits, greater Sydney would no longer include Shellharbour and the Central Coast.

Police doing Covid compliance checks on Coogee Bay Road in Coogee. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

People travelling to Shellharbour and the Central Coast from greater Sydney for one of the permitted reasons will require a permit.

“More information will be available on our website soon,” NSW Health said.

“Due to ongoing concerns about community transmission in some regional areas, stay‑at-home orders in place for regional NSW have been extended until 12.01am on August 28, in line with orders for the greater Sydney area.

“Everyone must stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse to leave. They cannot have any visitors in their home from outside their household.”

Originally published as New restrictions on who can leave Sydney for regional NSW explained