Coronavirus NSW: Five new COVID cases, Pyrmont wedding guests fined

Guests at a Sydney wedding have been fined after they were found to have breached the northern beaches lockdown order as NSW records five new COVID cases.

NSW has recorded five new local coronavirus cases in the past day, all linked to the Avalon cluster and located on the Northern Beaches.

More than 15,000 people came forward for testing but Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she wants to see testing rates “go higher and stay high.”

Watch the Premier’s announcement in the video above and follow the latest COVID news below:

SYDNEY WEDDING GUESTS FINED

A dozen wedding guests from the city’s northern beaches have been caught flouting stay-at-home orders to attend an inner city wedding reception.

The wedding guests travelled to Doltone House in Pyrmont from the northern beaches for a wedding reception on Sunday afternoon in breach of current NSW Health orders, police said.

Under the current COVID-19 rules, residents in suburbs stretching north of the Narrabeen Bridge and down through southern suburbs must stay at home and leave only for essential reasons.

Nine people who attended a wedding at Pyrmont’s Dolton House were issued with fines.

Nine people at the wedding were issued $1000 fines.

NSW Police issued $1,000 fines to nine guests and are expected to charge a further three after a member of the public alerted authorities to the alleged breach.

After speaking with staff and attendees, police recorded contact details for more than a dozen guests.

A man and woman, both aged 43, from Allambie Heights, a 33-year-old Narraweena woman, a 27-year-old Frenchs Forest man and three women, 19, 22, 28 and two men, 23 and 63, are among those hit with fines.

A further three infringement notices are expected to be issued to a 34-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman, both from Frenchs Forest, and a 26-year-old man from Beacon Hill.

Police are urging anyone with information about suspected breaches of health orders to contact authorities.

NSW COVID RULES FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE

Indoor gathering restrictions across Greater Sydney and regional NSW will remain the same on New Year’s Eve with just 10 guests including children allowed in homes.

Outdoor gatherings including picnics and barbecues will be reduced from 100 to 50 in Greater Sydney.

The north zone of the Northern Beaches will remain in lockdown until January 9 because “we still haven’t found the real root cause of how the virus actually got to the Avalon RSL,” Ms Berejiklian said.

There will be some relief on New Year’s Eve however, with up to five guests including children from the same zone allowed in homes.

Residents in the south zone of the Northern Beaches will remain in lockdown until January 2 but will be allowed 10 guests including children from the same southern zone in their homes on New Year’s Eve only.

SYDNEY HARBOUR NYE CROWDS BANNED

Ms Berejiklian has also announced changes to restrictions and plans for New Year’s Eve celebrations with Sydney Harbour crowds cancelled.

“Previously we’d allocated spots along the foreshore for frontline workers from across the state to be able to come and enjoy the fireworks. Unfortunately we’re going to have to cancel that,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“So on New Year’s Eve, we don’t want any crowds on the foreshores around Sydney whatsoever.”

15 PEOPLE FINED FOR COVID BREACHES

Police have handed out 15 infringement notices for COVID breaches across the Christmas period, breaking up a North Bondi house party and fining 11 people.

More than 40 guests were believed to be at a house on Blair St on Christmas Eve when officers were called over noise complaints.

The majority of the party guests fled the home when police arrived at 11pm however a small group remained behind, including two residents and nine visitors.

Two women – aged 24 and 26 – and nine men in their 20s and 30s were issued $1000 fines.

Police are still trying to identify the other partygoers.

Other fines issued over the weekend include to the licensee of a Newtown restaurant, who failed to limit the number of patrons inside his venue.

On December 23, police attended the venue and deemed there to be 27 more people than allowed for the space.

The testing tent at Bondi Beach. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jenny Evans

Police say the 45-year-old male owner told officers he didn’t have a COVID Safe plan and failed to reduce the number of guests. He was fined $5000.

On Christmas Eve, a restaurant on Tindall St, Campbelltown, also exceeded its capacity by 15 guests. Officers discovered that the same restaurant had been given a formal warning earlier in the month for exceeding capacity by more than 65 people.

The owner was issued a $5000 fine.

A Collaroy woman was issued a $1000 fine for travelling from her home to Bligh Park on Christmas Day while two men – aged 22 and 25 – were also issued fines for gathering in a large group in Centennial Park on the same day.

Police allege the younger man had already been moved on from the Bronte gathering earlier in the day.

BELROSE HOTEL COVID WARNING

NSW Health is asking anyone who attended the Belrose Hotel at any time in December to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

A confirmed case also visited several venues at Casula. You can see the latest list of venues here.