COVID-19 Gold Coast: The year pandemic changed everything
Today marks exactly one day since the first COVID-19 case was recorded on the Gold Coast. Through our stories, pictures and videos from the time, here’s how the Bulletin reported the most remarkable events.
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It was a year that changed everybody’s lives – but few knew what was coming when the first reports about COVID-19 began emerging in January last year.
However it did not take long before the frightening new virus was all anyone on the Gold Coast was talking about.
Relive how the pandemic played out on the Gold Coast, from the first cases to emerge to the controversial border closures.
JANUARY 2, 2020 - FIRST REPORTS EMERGE
The first reports emerge about a mysterious new “flu-like virus” which has emerged in Wuhan, China.
“At least 30 people have been quarantined in China after they were struck down by a mysterious flu-like virus of ‘unknown origin’, sparking fears of a return of the dreaded SARS epidemic,” a report at goldcoastbulletin.com.au read.
“A team of experts from the National Health Commission (NHC) rushed to Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province on Tuesday and are “currently conducting relevant inspection and verification work.”
JANUARY 24, 2020 - SUSPECTED CASES ON GOLD COAST
TWO patients with suspected cases of the deadly novel coronavirus are being tested at a Gold Coast Hospital as authorities move to prevent the potential spread of the disease.
The virus has sparked a worldwide response since an outbreak was first detected in Wuhan city in the Hubei Province, China last year.
Since the first detection in December a number of deaths due to the virus have been reported.
It is understood a vigilant local doctor was responsible for picking up the possible early symptoms of the Gold Coast patients.
JANUARY 26, 2020 - FOUR CASES CONFIRMED IN AUSTRALIA
Three cases of the deadly coronavirus have been confirmed in New South Wales, bringing the total nationwide to four.
NSW Health tonight confirmed three men – aged in theirs 30s, 40s and 50s – are being treated in Westmead Hospital in Sydney and are in isolation.
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said this afternoon that a case of the respiratory condition had been confirmed in a man who last week returned from China. The man, aged in his 50s, was in Australia for six days before being diagnosed.
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JANUARY 28, 2020 - FIRST CASE ON GOLD COAST
The first confirmed coronavirus patient on the Gold Coast was a resident at the Oracle building in Broadbeach.
The 44-year-old Chinese national is now isolated at the Gold Coast University Hospital.
He was rushed to the hospital by paramedics after reports he had been showing symptoms of the virus.
JANUARY 29, 2020 - STUDY PROGRAMS PUT ON HOLD
One of the Gold Coast’s largest markets has taken a hit as the potentially deadly Novel Coronavirus continues to spread.
Study Gold Coast made the decision to postpone all study tour programs with China over the Chinese New Year period.
The news comes as many Gold Coast schools ask students returning from China to stay away.
JANUARY 31, 2020 - CHO GIVEN EMERGENCY POWERS
Authorities have been granted extraordinary new powers to forcibly detain and treat suspected coronavirus victims as the number of Queenslanders being tested for the deadly virus yesterday numbered in the dozens.
People who defy the specific orders of authorities risk fines and jail time under the Public Health Emergency Order approved by Health Minister Steven Miles.
Under the sweeping powers, Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young can issue written orders to a person or group to remain at a particular location for as long as the emergency order is in place.
JANUARY 31, 2020 - FIRST EVENT CANCELLED ON GOLD COAST
Weekend Lunar New Year celebrations are going ahead in Surfers Paradise but were cancelled in Southport – but not because the council might be concerned about the coronavirus.
Mayor Tom Tate said advice to the council was to go ahead, but stallholders pulled out so the decision was made to can Southport’s festivities.
“It will be a flop and that is not how we roll on the Gold Coast,” he said.
FEBRUARY 1, 2020 - BAN ON TRAVELLERS FROM CHINA
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced unprecedented new control measures that will see all non-Australians travelling from mainland China barred entry at the border in an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The official advice is now that Australians “do not travel” to mainland China.
The tough new measures, announced on Saturday afternoon, come as the number of Australians confirmed to have contracted coronavirus rose to 12 on Saturday, with three new cases across Victoria and South Australia.
FEBRUARY 3, 2020 - $2M PLEDGED TO HELP TOURISM
THE State Government was to pump $2 million into a coronavirus tourism rescue plan to lure Australian families to the Gold Coast.
It was then to turn its attention to families in international markets such as Malaysia, New Zealand and Japan to balance the predicted loss from the lucrative Chinese market.
Early estimates suggested the coronavirus outbreak could cost the Gold Coast $40 million as the Chinese market weakened. However, tourism bosses were bracing for much worse and said it could take years to recover.
FEBRUARY 4, 2020 - AUSSIES EVACUATED TO CHRISTMAS ISLAND
The first Australian citizens evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan landed on Christmas Island.
Seventy-two people were on board the first of four charter flights expected to take more than 240 evacuees to the Indian Ocean island, The Australian reports.
The Airbus left Western Australia’s RAAF Base Learmonth, near Exmouth, on Monday night, and touched down on Christmas Island about 9pm local time (1am Tuesday AEDT).
FEBRUARY 4, 2020 - THIRD CASE CONFIRMED ON COAST
Authorities have confirmed a third Gold Coast case of the potentially deadly coronavirus.
The patient is an eight-year-old boy, last night in isolation at the Gold Coast University Hospital.
He is a Chinese national of Wuhan, one of the nine in a tour group rushed to hospital late last week. A man, 44, and woman, 42, who were travelling with the boy were earlier confirmed to have the coronavirus on January 29 and January 30, respectively.
FEBRUARY 5, 2020 - AUSSIES TRAPPED ON CRUISE SHIP
TWO Australians are among 10 people who have tested positive to the Wuhan coronavirus on board a cruise ship, anchored off Yokohama, Japan.
The 10 people are being taken ashore and transported to local Japanese hospitals.
More than 200 Australians are on the Diamond Princess, including at least one Brisbane couple.
FEBRUARY 15, 2020 - CHINESE COMMUNITY REPORT RACIST ABUSE
CHINESE Australians fearing racist abuse are locking themselves away at home beyond their self-quarantine period if they have visited China recently, says prominent businesswoman and Chinese community leader Debby Lo-Dean.
“Chinese locals are afraid of being ostracised and making people feel uncomfortable in public, and there have even been some instances of abuse. As such, they are cautioning each other to stay away from public places so as not to scare others,” she said.
But Mrs Lo-Dean, a fifth-generation Australian and honorary chair for the Integrated Chinese Club of Queensland, said despite the precautions being taken in the wake of the coronavirus scare, she was still compelled to call out racism.
And she stressed that the only people found to have to virus on the Gold Coast were “from the same tour group that was quarantined (in January)’’.
“There have been no other cases outside. No cases in Brisbane,” she said.
“If you have black hair, people are taking a step sideways.
“The Gold Coast is a tourism city. We have tourists from all Asian countries and just because you have black hair it doesn’t mean you are Chinese.”
FEBRUARY 20, 2020 - FEARS CHINESE VISITORS MAY NOT BE BACK FOR MONTHS
THERE are grave fears Chinese tourists won’t return to the Gold Coast until October, but the city’s tourism operators are dogged in their determination not to let the virus crisis break them.
Aquaduck co-owner Sarah Colgate, who spent last year travelling to China and invested heavily in the market, said she’d been told the Gold Coast would be “very lucky to have (Chinese) visitors before October”.
“But we’ll be OK, because like most tourism operators across the city, domestic travellers are our number one market,” she said.
FEBRUARY 23, 2020 - EXPERTS AT ODDS OVER LIKELIHOOD OF PANDEMIC
Victoria’s chief health officer says a worldwide coronavirus pandemic is “very likely, if not inevitable.”
Dr Brett Sutton made the comments on Sunday, stating he was “hoping for the best, and planning for the worst.”
“It’s clear that with local transmission in several countries that a pandemic is very likely, if not inevitable,” Dr Sutton said.
“We are working rapidly on planning and surge with our health sector.”
The claims were in direct conflict with Australia’s national chief medical officer, who had hours earlier reassured the country there was “no risk” of contracting the disease in Australia — despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) fearing the “window of opportunity is narrowing” for containment.
FEBRUARY 25, 2020 - CALL TO DROP TRAVEL BAN
GOLD Coast education leaders want to see the coronavirus travel ban over before the end of March to stem the impact on the city’s $224 million Chinese education sector.
One of the worst-hit industries on the Coast, universities, schools and the peak body Study Gold Coast have launched an action plan to assist international students unable to return.
The plan includes a welcome and support campaign for Chinese students and their families, digital advertising in new international markets and changes to a number of local education deadlines.
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 - AUSTRALIA DECLARES PANDEMIC
AUSTRALIA has become the first nation to declare coronavirus a pandemic, activating its emergency response plan to Covid-19 sweeping the globe.
Fever clinics will be readied, border security and screening increased at airports, while medical stockpiles will be boosted as the nation prepares for a likely outbreak.
It has now swept through 42 nations and is expected to continue a sustained spread, making it all but certain to return to Australia’s shores.
MARCH 1, 2020 - AUSTRALIA RECORDS FIRST DEATH FROM DISEASE
The first person to die from the coronavirus in Australia has been named as James Kwan, a retired travel agent from Perth.
Mr Kwan, 78, was diagnosed with the virus after going on the infected Diamond Princess cruise ship.
He died in the early hours of Sunday morning at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
MARCH 2, 2020 - QLD HOSPITALS PREPARE FOR WORST CASE SCENARIO
QUEENSLAND hospitals will triple the number of patients that can be seen by emergency departments and double capacity in intensive care as they prepare for a “highly likely” coronavirus outbreak.
In a series of new measures, the state will also buy 110 extra ventilators, increase hospital staff, expand fever clinics and begin stockpiling $25 million spending on medicines, gloves and masks.
Drastic options such as closing schools and stopping large gatherings are on the table if the spread of the virus escalates so that transmission cannot be tracked, Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed.
MARCH 3, 2020 - CORONAVIRUS PREPPERS STOCK UP ON TOILET PAPER
GOLD Coast shoppers were posting photos of empty toilet paper shelves in supermarkets last night as concerns about a coronavirus outbreak increased.
Photos showed stocks thinning out at Woolworths in Runaway Bay.
However, spokespeople from supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths urged customers not to panic.
MARCH 9, 2020 - AUSSIES WARNED TO RECONSIDER CRUISE TRAVEL
Australians have been told to “reconsider” taking an overseas cruise as they will not be able to rely on the government saving them if there is a coronavirus outbreak.
People who still decide to go on a cruise should consult with a medical professional before travelling, according to new advice on the Smartraveller website.
“Australians, particularly those with underlying health concerns should reconsider taking an overseas cruise at this time due to COVID-19,” the website said.
“Repatriation from cruise ships affected by COVID-19 should not be relied upon as an option.”
MARCH 12 - TOM HANKS CONTRACTS VIRUS
SEVEN more cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Queensland, including American Actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson.
Hanks and Wilson are in quarantine in the Gold Coast University Hospital.
The new cases take the number of people who have had the virus in Queensland to 27.
Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles and his director-general John Wakefield told media all seven new cases, including Hanks and his wife, contracted COVID-19 overseas and travelled to Qld already infected.
MARCH 13, 2020 - PETER DUTTON TESTS POSITIVE
HOME Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has become the first Australian politician to test positive for the Coronavirus.
The senior Cabinet Minister is currently in hospital, following protocols, having recently returned from the United States.
The former Health Minister released a statement this evening to confirm he had tested positive to Covid-19.
MARCH 14, 2020 - EVENTS CANNED
Next month’s Australian Surf Life Saving Championships is among dozens of major Gold Coast events to fall victim to the coronavirus outbreak as authorities race to minimise the spread of the pandemic.
It followed news that the first home games for both the Titans and Suns in the new National Rugby League and Australian Football League seasons would be closed to fans.
Other Coast events cancelled include the 2020 Corona Open Gold Coast surfing event, HOTA’s The Greatest Showman Sing A Long Experience, Pop and Play and Farmer’s Market, Somerset Storyfest, Little Athletics Queensland state championships in Brisbane and a number of junior sporting fixtures.
The list is expected to grow in coming days with the Prime Minister on Friday advising that events expected to attract 500 or more people not go ahead.
MARCH 14, 2020 - QLD PREPARES FOR UP TO 12,500 DEATHS
AS MANY as 12,500 Queenslanders will die during a six-month coronavirus epidemic and student nurses have been called on by the state’s largest hospital and health service.
Working on overseas data, the state’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the department was preparing for up to a quarter of the population – or 1.25 million Queenslanders – to be infected during the pandemic.
She said 80 per cent of people who developed the new virus would “get a very mild disease”.
She predicted one per cent of those infected with COVID-19, up to 12,500 people in Queensland, would die.
“That is what we’re preparing for,” Dr Young said. “It doesn’t mean that’s what we’re going to get.
MARCH 18, 2020 - FIRST CASE OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION ON COAST
QUEENSLAND Health is working to contact trace every single case of coronavirus on the Gold Coast after confirming there is community transmission in the region.
The number of coronavirus cases in Queensland has jumped by 10 overnight bringing the state’s total to 78. At least 19 fever clinics were open across the state yesterday.
The state’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said there is “limited community transmission” on the Gold Coast but authorities were working to contact trace “every single case”.
MARCH 19, 2020 - SHOCK HIKE IN CASES ON COAST
A FURTHER 12 coronavirus cases have been confirmed on the Gold Coast as the state total reaches 144 – the state’s biggest jump yet.
Across Queensland as a whole a further 50 cases have been confirmed.
The extra 12 cases today come on top of seven new cases reported on the Gold Coast yesterday.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Janette Young said the Gold Coast is the only region to have confirmed community transmissions.
MARCH 22, 2020 - THEME PARKS SHUT DOWN
The Gold Coast’s theme parks have all closed their gates as top brass promise to pay staff entitlements as long as they can.
In a statement to the Bulletin, Village Roadshow Theme Parks (VRTP) said it had decided to temporarily close Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild, Paradise Country and Topgolf.
Later the same day, the closure of Dreamworld and WhiteWater World was announced.
MARCH 23, 2020 - MASSIVE LINES FORM OUTSIDE GOLD COAST CENTRELINKS
LONG lines have formed outside Centrelink offices across the Gold Coast this morning after the Prime Minister last night ordered the closure of all non-essential services including pubs and restaurants.
Southport Centrelink had a line about 100 metres long this morning, while long lines were also reported at Biggera Waters, Palm Beach, Nerang and Robina.
MARCH 23, 2020 - BORDER CLOSURE ANNOUNCED
QUEENSLAND’S borders will be closed to the rest of the country from midnight on Wednesday under drastic new measures revealed by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
The decision was made in Cabinet this morning as the coronavirus pandemic escalates.
“Cabinet has decided to close Queensland’s borders. I’ll bring you more detail soon,” Ms Palaszczuk said in a message on Twitter.
MARCH 30, 2020 - PM ANNOUNCES RADICAL SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES
PUBLIC gatherings of more than two people have been banned while Scott Morrison has urged anyone aged over 70 to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Prime Minister expanded already “radical” social distancing measures after the National Cabinet endorsed the moves late on Sunday.
APRIL 6, 2020 - MAYOR CLOSES BEACHES
GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate has closed three beaches after a weekend of continued defiance on social distancing rules.
The Spit, Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta will all be closed from midnight tomorrow after hundreds of Gold Coasters and out of towners flocked to the sand to enjoy the picture perfect weather.
Sea World Drive will be barricaded to prevent people driving up The Spit, while the council is threatening to close more beaches - if crowds persist.
Mayor Tom Tate blamed the crowds on visitors from Brisbane and Logan and slammed their behaviour.
“Unfortunately over the weekend out of towners descended in mass numbers and I fear this number will increase over the Easter weekend,” he said.
APRIL 7, 2020 - CONCRETE BARRIERS LAID AT BORDER
CONTRACTORS today started laying heavy concrete blocks at border crossing point across the southern Gold Coast.
The blocks replaced water-filled concrete barriers, which had been in place for a number of days.
Gold Coast Police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said the “hard closures” would continue for an indefinite period of time.
APRIL 13, 2020 - SCHOOLS MOVE TO DISTANCE LEARNING
SCHOOLS will reopen for the beginning of Term 2 in Queensland for children of essential workers only as the state recorded only seven new coronavirus cases overnight.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today confirmed schools will be open for the beginning of Term 2 but only for children of essential workers with the rest of the student population to learn at home for the first five weeks.
The move to a home-based learning model starts on Monday April 20 and will be in place until at least Friday May 22 when it would be reviewed.
APRIL 20, 2020 - QLD HITS MAJOR MILESTONE
QUEENSLAND has recorded no new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours which Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was an “absolutely tremendous effort”.
Queensland total number of cases remains at 1019, with 20 people in hospital.
It’s the first time since March 9 - or 42 days - that the state has not recorded a new case of COVID-19, and it’s been 81 days since Queensland had its first.
APRIL 26, 2020 - RESTRICTIONS EASED
QUEENSLANDERS will be able go shopping for leisure, picnic at the park and sunbathe at the beach in a weekend relaxation of restrictions that will boost community and business wellbeing.
Families have been told bushwalks and fish and chips are back on from Saturday, while elderly people stuck in isolation have been encouraged to go for scenic drives as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she understood some people were not coping.
MAY 2, 2020 - SHOPPING CENTRES PACKED AS STORES REOPEN
The Coast’s largest shopping centres have reopened many of their stores today, with Queenslanders allowed to travel within 50km of their house for non-essential outings from midnight last night.
Harbour Town and Pacific Fair prepared for the rush of people with signage reminding customers about social distancing located across the centres, stores restricting how many customers are allowed inside and noticeably more security monitoring the malls.
With limits on customers inside stores, some Harbour Town outlets had lines of people waiting to shop before opening.
MAY 3, 2020 - POLICE MOVE IN ON GIANT BURLEIGH CROWDS
Police were forced to move on crowds on Burleigh Hill after a major breach of social distancing measures.
Thousands of people flocked to Goodwin Terrace to watch the sunset, despite warnings that most social distancing measures were still in effect.
MAY 4, 2020 - DATES ANNOUNCED FOR SCHOOLS TO REOPEN
SCHOOLS across the Gold Coast will begin to re-open in stages from next Monday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced.
From May 11th students in community kindy, kindy, prep, year one and years 11 and 12 will be given the go-ahead to return to school.
From the 25th all other students will be allowed to return to school if coronavirus rates remain low.
MAY 5, 2020 - WARNING ON BORDER
Annastacia Palaszczuk says she cannot see Queensland’s borders opening anytime soon as her Government continues to work on a yet to be released road map to recovery.
The Premier today said she expected the first step in easing travel restrictions would be allowing Queenslanders to travel within their own state.
“What it might be first and foremost … is it might be Queensland supporting Queenslanders,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said the Government would continue to review the border restrictions at the end of each month, but warned that it may not be lifted “anytime soon”.
MAY 17, 2020 - GC600 CANCELLED
THE 30th annual GC600 carnival has officially been cancelled.
Supercars bosses this morning confirmed the popular street circuit race, which was due to be held in October, had been scrapped as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
MAY 18, 2020 - WAR OF WORD OVER BORDER
A war of words over Queensland’s border shutdown intensified with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian saying it is ‘beyond reality’ the Sunshine State’s borders could remain closed until September.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this morning maintained a stern stance on the state’s border closures, saying interstate travel restrictions are likely to continue until September.
Queensland is set to review its border closures at the end of May, however, speaking to ABC radio this morning, Ms Palaszczuk said that relaxed border restrictions were still a while away and it would remain closed until the number of active cases in NSW decreases.
MAY 19, 2020 - MARATHON CANCELLED
THE Gold Coast Marathon, one of the city’s biggest annual events will not go ahead this year, Mayor Tom Tate has revealed.
Just days after GC600 was shelved for the year as a result of COVID-19, Cr Tate said the event would be delayed until next year, while the Gold Coast Show is expected to be formally delayed at a council meeting next week.
Cr Tate said he was disappointed but said the decisions were unavoidable given social distancing measures.
Cr Tate also confirmed the historic Gold Coast Show, due to be held in Southport in late August, would almost certainly be postponed until 2021.
MAY 20, 2020 - BUSINESSES CALL FOR BORDER TO BE REOPENED
GOLD Coast tourism bosses want clarity on reopening interstate travel as Queensland’s Premier stands firm on keeping the border with NSW closed.
Business and tourism leaders say they want a firm date set for the reopening of traffic, warning a prolonged closure would hurt an already devastated economy.
Hope was given borders might reopen on July 10, but now it is more likely to be September.
MAY 31, 2020 - PREMIER HOLDS FIRM ON BORDER
PUBS, restaurants and cafes will reopen to 20 people from tomorrow and Queenslanders will be able to travel freely throughout the state as the Government accelerates the easing of tough coronavirus restrictions.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today announced that intrastate travel throughout all of Queensland would be allowed from midday tomorrow as she held firm that the state’s borders would remain closed.
JUNE 12, 2020 - PM REVEALS DATE FOR QLD TO REOPEN
Queensland’s border is set to reopen on July 10, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison today all but boxing the state into sticking with the date by declaring it was coming down and “they’ve torn down that wall”.
There has been weeks of uncertainty after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared the border could be closed until September, despite earlier setting a July 10 target.
But following National Cabinet today, Mr Morrison declared Queensland had nominated “a date for the opening of that border in Queensland” in July.
Soon after, Ms Palaszczuk’s office confirmed to The Courier-Mail the border would reopen on July 10 pending a review of medical advice at the end of the month.
JUNE 16, 2020 - PREMIER’S STUNNING CLAIM ON BORDER
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has claimed most Queenslanders fear a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and “do not want the borders opened”.
The Premier made her remark during Question Time in State Parliament today, during which the LNP focused on the Queensland-NSW border closure and its costs to businesses.
Opposition leader Deb Frecklington asked about the government’s lack of economic modelling on the border closure and accused Ms Palaszczuk of “flying blind in the biggest economic crisis in Queensland’s history”.
JUNE 30, 2020 - VICTORIANS LOCKED OUT
VICTORIANS are being given a blunt message — do not visit Queensland.
And Queenslanders are being told, under no circumstances, do not even consider visiting south beyond the NSW border.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Deputy Premier Dr Steven Miles gave this warning when updating COVID-19 restrictions today.
“Let me state from the outset, Queensland has very large concerns about the state of Victoria,” the Premier said.
“There have been 250 cases in the past seven days. Yesterday 75, and today 64. There is community transmission. There’s been outbreaks in hotels, schools, health care, retail and a distribution centre.
“So due to the current community transmission levels, the border with Victoria will remain closed and will be strengthened.”
JULY 4, 2020 - SUDDEN RULE CHANGE CAUSES BORDER CHAOS
A pregnant woman was forced to walk across the Queensland border to avoid facing hour-long traffic delays caused by 11th-hour border changes.
The woman was among the thousands of travellers stuck in the chaos following a decision to introduce a new border declaration system at noon on Friday, rendering the existing passes through the border invalid.
Those passing through checkpoints are now required to sign on through a new online portal.
Peak-hour traffic was at a crawl from Currumbin to the border as motorists were asked to complete the new declaration on the spot.
JULY 10, 2020 - WAVING AND CHEERING AS BORDER REOPENS
TRAVELLERS are cheering and waving as they cross into Queensland after the border finally reopened, but some who tried to get across before the noon deadline learned the hard way that the tight checks put in place will be enforced.
Large numbers of caravans and motorhomes with interstate plates are flooding across the five Gold Coast border checkpoints after they reopened to all but Victorian travellers at noon.
JULY 11, 2020 - MAYOR CALLS FOR BORDER TO BE MOVED SOUTH
GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate wants the NSW border moved 7km south to the Tweed River to stop a repeat of financial and emotional stress thousands of businesses have endured during the coronavirus crisis.
Changes to border passes in recent weeks have resulted massive traffic jams as thousands of drivers attempt to cross into Queensland, while the harder closure has cut suburbs in half since March.
Cr Tate said he had been frustrated by the ongoing issues and went as far as to call for the border to be shifted south.
JULY 14, 2020 - MINOGUE SKIPS HOTEL QUARANTINE
QUEENSLAND’S top doctor has denied that reality television star Dannii Minogue was given special treatment to bypass hotel quarantine.
The singer and TV identity touched down on the Gold Coast over the weekend after flying in from the United States, where more than 137,000 people have died from COVID-19.
It was understood she received an exemption on the basis of a medical certificate issued by her doctor.
JULY 15, 2020 - MOVIE WORLD REOPENS
MARATHON negotiations between BGH Capital and takeover target Village Roadshow have entered a ninth week as the Movie World owner celebrates reopening its flagship theme park.
The family favourite reopens at 9.30am for the first time since March 23 along with water park Wet’n’Wild. One thousand staff across Movie World and Wet’n’Wild will return to work, providing a boost to the Glitter Strip economy.
It means the entire Village portfolio, including Sea World, Australian Outback Spectacular, Paradise Country and Top Golf, is operating again.
JULY 29, 2020 - CLEANERS CAUSE LOGAN LOCKDOWN
LOGAN is heading for lockdown after two women tested positive for coronavirus overnight, sparking a massive state tracing crackdown and campaign across the southeast.
Police are investigating how two women, one a cleaner at Park Ridge’s Parklands Christian College, got across the Queensland border after visiting Melbourne and Sydney.
The two women, both 19, failed to self-isolate after returning from Melbourne on flights VA 863 and VA 977 which stopped in Sydney.
JULY 29, 2020 - GREATER SYDNEY LOCKED OUT
Greater Sydney will be locked out of Queensland from 1am on Saturday, as the area is declared a COVID hot spot.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the decision to close the borders to Sydney was necessary in order to protect Queenslanders.
JULY 30, 2020 - LONG LINES AT GOLD COAST TESTING CENTRES
CORONAVIRUS tests have spiked at Gold Coast clinics after two young south-east Queensland women who caught it allegedly lied about partying in virus-stricken Melbourne and where they had been on return.
Olivia Winnie Muranga and Diana Lasu tested positive, as has a third woman, the sister of one of the pair, both 19, who travelled to Victoria.
Three more new cases unrelated to the trio were also confirmed on Thursday in Queensland – a couple who self-isolated after eating at The Apollo restaurant in Sydney and a man in his 20s who flew back from the United States.
AUGUST 7, 2020 - 100 ORDERED INTO QUARANTINE ON COAST
Almost 100 people have been ordered into quarantine on the Gold Coast after rushing to cross the border before it closes to NSW and the ACT.
Police said 72 people had been ordered into 14-day self-funded hotel quarantine after being intercepted at the five Gold Coast road border checkpoints.
Another 23 who flew in to Gold Coast Airport were also placed in quarantine after having travelled from a declared COVID hotspot.
Police said another 54 people were turned around at the border.
An elderly NSW woman booted off an interstate bus at a Gold Coast checkpoint for having spent one hour in COVID-19 hot spot Sydney says Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk should be ashamed of herself.
Karen Warren was one of three people, including a sick 78-year-old man, ejected from the coach at Coolangatta.
AUGUST 7, 2020 - POLICE ANNOUNCE CREATION OF ‘BORDER BUBBLE’
The Gold Coast and Tweed will become a “border bubble” from 1am tomorrow with new mapping available showing eligible commuters, police have confirmed.
Gold Coast police superintendent Mark Wheeler told The Bulletin: “It will be the Tweed Shire Council area and the Gold Coast council area. It will start from 1am tomorrow morning.
“You can travel within that big bubble for any reason. It doesn’t have to be for work.
“But if you step outside the border zone on either side of the border — for instance, if a Tweed Heads resident goes down to Lennox Head to do some surfing but works in Palm Beach, they won’t be able to come into Queensland.”
AUGUST 26, 2020 - YACHT INVESTIGATED AFTER SAILING TO COAST FROM MELBOURNE
A Melbourne millionaire is facing the “full force of the law” for allegedly breaching Queensland’s strict border rules by sailing into the Gold Coast aboard his luxury superyacht.
Construction magnate Mark Simonds and his family are now in hotel quarantine and facing criminal charges after the chief health officer revoked the exemption for the Lady Pamela to enter the state.
AUGUST 28, 2020 - CONTROVERSY AS BALLINA WOMAN LOSES BABY
A woman who was compelled to travel to Sydney rather than Brisbane for urgent medical attention for her unborn twins has lost one of the infants.
The family, based in Ballina, waited 16 hours to get on the flight to Sydney after trying to get emergency treatment for the infant in Brisbane but determining that applying for a border exemption would have taken too long.
The case prompted Prime Minister Scott Morrision to declare there will be a definition of the COVID-19 hotspot – even if state premiers refuse to follow suit.
AUGUST 28, 2020 - TWO NEW CASES ON GOLD COAST, SCHOOLIES OFFICIALLY CANCELLED
There have been three new cases of coronavirus in Queensland in the past 24 hours, all of them tied to a Queensland Corrections training facility.
Two of the cases are from Pimpama on the Gold Coast, another one is from Forest Lake.
The first case relating to the facility - a 60-year-old training officer - was announced on Thursday.
Also relating to the Gold Coast, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Schoolies has been deemed a high-risk event and will not be going ahead as it usually would.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 - COVID BIKIE RUSHED TO HOSPITAL ON COAST
INFAMOUS bikie Shane Bowden has been taken from a Gold Coast quarantine hotel to hospital via ambulance this afternoon.
The Bulletin understands Bowden’s leg has become badly infected and is requiring treatment.
It’s understood the leg injury is from a gun shot wound believed to be related to a shooting in the driveway of a Melbourne home in early July, weeks after he was released from prison.
Sources told the Bulletin paramedics are taking heavy precautions after it was revealed Bowden had also tested positive to coronavirus before flying up from Victoria.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 - SIX FINED, YACHT CAPTAIN CHARGED
NSW Police have fined six people for illegally disembarking from the controversial Lady Pamela voyage as Queensland Police charge the captain.
The multimillion-dollar yacht, which set sail from Melbourne carrying millionaire mogul Mark Simonds and his family, had been under investigation for a 15-day jaunt along the eastern coast of Australia, before arriving at the Gold Coast City Marina at Coomera on Monday, August 24.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 - EMOTIONAL PREMIER DEFENDS TOUGH BORDER STANCE
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has fought back her emotions defending the state’s tough border and hotel quarantine restrictions, saying: “I’m human just like everyone else”, in the wake of a number of heart-breaking first-person accounts of their impact.
Ms Palaszczuk was close to tears as she was asked to comment on accusations of being cold-hearted over Queensland denying people from declared interstate coronavirus hotspots, and those flying in from overseas, the opportunity to attend funerals without first going into 14 days’ quarantine.
“These issues hurt me deeply. They hurt me deeply because during this pandemic I’ve lost loved ones as well so I know exactly what people are going through,” the Premier told journalists on Friday.
“I feel these issues very personally, just like everyone else does. It is absolutely heartbreaking and gut wrenching.”
SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 - POLICE PROBE INTO BURLEIGH BONGO BASH
POLICE are combing through body-worn camera footage and may take further action after shutting down a bongo-driven party flouting COVID-19 rules in a Gold Coast park on Sunday night.
The event at Burleigh Heads featuring musicians, fire twirlers and other performers, seemingly attended by hundreds of people, was targeted by police about 10pm.
Gold Coast City Council was aware a gathering was occurring on a much smaller scale, but it spiralled out of control, with a number of attendees seen failing to social distance.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 - HUGE LINES AS DREAMWORLD REOPENS
EAGER fans lined up for hours ahead of Dreamworld’s reopening following a six-month closure.
The Coomera theme park closed its doors in March due to the COVID-19 crises and loyal locals were ready to enjoy the rides and entertainment once again when Dreamworld and sister attraction WhiteWater World reopened.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 - BORDER BUBBLE EXPANDED
Queensland will throw open its borders to five New South Wales Shires from next week, as the Sunshine State recorded no new cases overnight, with two cases detected over the border in the same period.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the shires of Byron, Ballina, the City of Lismore, Richmond Valley, which includes Casino and Evans Head, and Glen Innes would be added to the border zone from 1am on October 1.
“Residents will be able to apply for a border pass and then they’ll be able to freely travel around Queensland and Queenslanders will also be able to travel there as well,” she said.
OCTOBER 8, 2020 - ANGER OVER ‘TOO STRINGENT’ BORDER RULE
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has come under heavy fire for her insistence that the border with NSW will remain closed unless it goes 28 days without community transmission of COVID-19, with the decision branded “extreme” and “too stringent”.
Three new cases were detected in the state on Wednesday, with NSW officials given 48 hours to trace their origin.
Appearing on Sunrise on Thursday morning infectious diseases expert Robert Booy said there was no way of wiping out the virus entirely in a pandemic.
“(The rule) is too stringent, and hundreds of thousands of people who straddle the border are suffering,” he said.
OCTOBER 13, 2020 - CHRISTMAS EVENTS CANCELLED
COVID-19 is the grinch that stole Christmas from the Gold Coast.
Some of the city’s best-loved events, including the annual Christmas lights competition, the Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach carols have all been cancelled for the first time ever.
They are just the latest in a long list of events which have been abandoned, including the Gold Coast Marathon and GC600.
OCTOBER 22, 2020 - ‘MIRACLE’ PATIENT LEAVES HOSPITAL AFTER 214-DAY STAY
AFTER 214 days in hospital, Gold Coast’s “miracle” COVID patient Richard Misior has finally left the building, and he has a cheeky tip for the health system’s chefs.
“The sausages are a little bit odd, perhaps they should buy the ones they sell at Bunnings,” he said. “Otherwise the food was fairly good. My favourite dessert was the crème caramel.”
Mr Misior caught the virus on a cruise ship in early March and spent 77 days in ICU under the close watch of the Gold Coast University Hospital respiratory and infectious disease team.
He’s undergone extensive rehabilitation to learn to walk again and is looking forward to a visit to the beach once he’s settled in his new home.
“It’s very exciting”, said the 81-year-old Surfers Paradise man, who is moving to a nursing home in Labrador.
OCTOBER 23, 2020 - BORDER BREAKTHROUGH
Queensland’s border closures are set to be dismantled before Christmas paving the way for travel to Victoria before the end of the year.
State and territory leaders re-committed to a Christmas deadline for opening borders at National Cabinet on Friday, with Western Australia the lone hold-out, seemingly destined to remain isolated from the rest of the country into 2021.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced Australia would lift its arrival caps again from next month, with multiple states giving their caps a healthy boost.
OCTOBER 27, 2020 - JAMIE WHINCUP TEAM EVICTED AFTER BORDER CROSSING
Motorsport legend Jamie Whincup drove one of his team’s semi-trailers home after racing in the Bathurst 1000 to cross the Queensland border with a freight pass.
But now he has been evicted from the Sunshine State along with six teammates after authorities told them to enter hotel quarantine or return to New South Wales.
Whincup said yesterday police allowed them to enter Queensland before authorities later backflipped.
“It was a bit of ... the election is coming up, we don’t need any drama, so get out of Queensland,” he said.
NOVEMBER 4, 2020 - HOPE AS AUSTRALIA SECURES TWO COVID-19 VACCINES
THE chances of Australians being able to be immunised against COVID-19 have increased with a further two vaccines secured and expected to arrive early next year.
The two newest vaccine candidates, from Novavax and Pfizer/BioNtech, are different types to those already secured by Australia.
But unlike the AstraZeneca and UQ vaccines, the latest acquisitions will not be manufactured in Australia and will instead be imported.
Health Minister Greg Hunt will make the announce today and said it will strengthen the nation’s likely access to a “safe and effective” jab in 2021.
NOVEMBER 16, 2020 - BORDER SHUTS TO ADELAIDE
Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner is self-isolating for two weeks after travelling to Adelaide recently.
It comes as Queensland will tonight close to Adelaide due to a “very dangerous” COVID cluster that has grown to 17 cases, with fears more are infected.
NOVEMBER 22, 2020 - NSW PREMIER BLASTS QUEENSLAND BORDER STANCE
Queensland’s border restrictions were “beyond understanding” and were preventing families from making bookings to reunite over Christmas, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said in an extraordinary blast.
Ms Berejiklian, whose state is now open to all other states and territories including Victoria, on Sunday expressed frustration at Queensland’s border restrictions.
“I just don’t even understand how they make their decisions up there. It’s beyond my level of understanding,” she said.
“They’re making up stuff as they go. They keep changing the rules, they keep espousing advice I have never heard of.”
NOVEMBER 25, 2020 - BORDER TO REOPEN TO VICTORIA
Annastacia Palaszczuk has confirmed that the Queensland border will open to Victoria on December 1 after Dan Andrews this morning confirmed no new cases in the past 24 hours.
It comes after Ms Palaszczuk yesterday announced that visitors from Greater Sydney would also be allowed from December 1.
The move allows families to be reunited for Christmas, while the economy is set for a $600 million windfall as the state’s barricades finally crumble.
DECEMBER 10, 2020 - DANCING ALLOWED
Queenslanders, dancing is back.
The State’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young and Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announced this morning that, from noon on Monday, the state can dance inside, with up to one person per 2sq m allowed on the dance floor.
DECEMBER 20, 2020 - SYDNEY RESIDENTS BARRED
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced tighter restrictions on NSW residents following the southern state recording 30 new cases of coronavirus.
Residents from greater Sydney have been told to not come to Queensland from 1am Monday.
“If you are a NSW resident in greater Sydney, please do not come to Queensland.
If you are a Queenslander in greater Sydney please come home quickly,” she said.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Queenslanders who were in greater Sydney will have until 1am Tuesday to get home and must test for the virus upon their return and quarantine at home.
DECEMBER 21, 2020 - BIG LINES AT COVID CLINICS
GOLD Coasters have rushed to get tested for COVID-19 this morning, for the third day in a row, with long queues reported at the hospital and an Upper Coomera clinic.
Huge line-ups were witnessed at testing clinics at the Gold Coast University Hospital and an Upper Coomera clinic.
It comes after Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young raised concerned there could be mystery cases of COVID-19 across Queensland with virus fragments detected in sewage in Cairns, Townsville, Cleveland and the Gold Coast.
JANUARY 8, 2021 - BRISBANE LOCKDOWN AFTER PUBLIC EXPOSED TO MUTANT UK STRAIN
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Greater Brisbane, which includes the council areas of Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands, will go into lockdown from 6pm Friday to 6pm Monday.
Other states responded quickly to the southeast Queensland lockdown with WA yesterday imposing a hard border closure on the entire Sunshine State, while NSW authorities will force visitors or return travellers from Brisbane to self-isolate for three days. The Northern Territory declared Greater Brisbane a COVID hotspot.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath left the door open to extend the lockdown past Monday as health officials continue assess incoming COVID-19 test results.
JANUARY 11, 2021 - BRISBANE LOCKDOWN ENDS
Queensland has had zero new cases with the lockdown to end at 6pm tonight, but with some continued restrictions.
Queensland has recorded four cases of pandemic virus in hotel quarantine overnight but for the third day in a row, no community transmission.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “absolutely relieved” to have three days of no community transmission in Queensland.
“We are able to end our lockdown after three days,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
JANUARY 11, 2021 - COAST BUSINESSES CALL FOR COVID CONSISTENCY
ANXIOUS Gold Coast business and tourism leaders rattled by abrupt COVID-19 lockdowns have joined a national call for a uniform approach to borders and lockdowns to help the economy.
Business and political leaders breathed a sigh of relief on Monday morning as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk lifted Greater Brisbane’s lockdown after three days of no community transmission of the highly contagious mutant UK strain of coronavirus.
JANUARY 25, 2021 - POLICE INVESTIGATE COVID COMPLIANCE AFTER FESTIVAL BRAWL
POLICE are investigating COVID and alcohol licensing compliance at a Gold Coast music festival, after an out-of-control fight broke out between drunken revellers at the conclusion of the event.
Ten additional officers had to be ferried over to the Gold Coast Vibez festival at Couran Cove where pepper spray was used to diffuse the brawl.
It comes as another DJ festival, held at the Gold Coast Turf Club, was temporarily paused on Saturday, after concerns were raised about social distancing.
JANUARY 28, 2021 - PREMIER ANNOUNCES BORDER WILL REOPEN TO ALL OF NSW
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced Queensland’s borders will reopen to all of New South Wales from February 1.
“The border checkpoints will be coming down, that’s also good news for our police as well, because they’ve done a mighty job down there as our emergency services have as well,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young was “delighted” when she made the decision overnight.
Originally published as COVID-19 Gold Coast: The year pandemic changed everything
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