Trio from NSW arrested at Coober Pedy karaoke bar for breaching Covid border rules
Three people arrested in an Outback karaoke bar posted Instagram images of the “absolute dream” trip that’s resulted in them charged with flying into SA illegally.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It was the interstate holiday adventure described as “an absolute dream”.
A group of three friends soaking up the sights of Outback Australia, including Coober Pedy and Uluru.
But the NSW trio is now spending the weekend inside a prison cell for breaching Covid-19 border rules.
The man, 27, and two women – aged 21 and 39 – were arrested at a Coober Pedy karaoke bar in the early hours of Saturday having illegally arrived in SA.
Police had been alerted to a private plane – a Cessna with a pilot and two passengers on-board – attempting to land in the Northern Territory on Friday.
But they were denied entry because Covid-19 rules prohibit travel from NSW. The plane returned to Coober Pedy, where police patrols was tasked to track down the trio to “assess the risk posed to our vulnerable outback communities”.
A photo posted on social media shows them with their private plane at a Hunter Valley airfield in NSW on Wednesday.
Flight records reveal the travellers departed Griffith, NSW, just after 10.10am on Thursday and arrived in Broken Hill at 12.30pm.
The trio spent a little more than 45 minutes in the mining town before arriving in Coober Pedy about 5pm.
One of the women posted a social media photo on Friday saying: “Beautiful sunrise in Coober Pedy.”
The adventurers then took off from Coober Pedy just after 11am on Friday and arrived in Uluru at 1.40pm.
A second photo posted by the same woman from inside the plane at Uluru described one the greatest natural wonders of the world as “an absolute dream”.
SA Health confirmed the trio had undergone Covid-19 testing and that all other patrons at the United Bowling Club’s karaoke session “have been asked to isolate following a risk assessment with further advice and testing requirements to follow”.
The trio was charged with failing to comply with the Emergency Management Act and refused police bail to appear in courton Monday.
SA on Wednesday shut the border to NSW, which on Saturday entered a two-week lockdown to curtail the Covid-19 outbreak.
‘All hell had broken loose’: Driver’s romantic claims for fleeing RBT
A man who dragged a police officer along the road with his car said he went on to make “one bad decision after another” but just wanted to see his partner one more time.
Read more
‘Serial killer’ blames bikie, ill man for pensioners’ murders
An accused triple murderer has suggested two other people could be responsible for some of his alleged crimes – but they’ve hit back in fiery court exchanges.
Read more