Byron Bay Aquarius backpacker lockdown set to continue for weekend

The region’s health boss says the woman who sparked a hostel dorm lockdown for 81 people is in quarantine accommodation as her close contacts wait to hear when they will be freed.

The 81 hostel guests and staff in isolation in Byron Bay face at least the weekend in their dorms as new arrangements are made for them to finish their quarantine.

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones said some of them could be moved to a stay in motorhomes that would be parked at the Lismore Showgrounds.

More than 80 travellers and staff were classified as close contacts at the popular Byron Bay hostel after an unvaccinated female worker who was also living at the premises tested positive to Covid on Wednesday.

Mr Jones said vaccinated close contacts needed to isolate for seven days and unvaccinated ones needed to isolate for 14 days.

NSW Health has deployed a team of nurses and contact tracers to test and offer vaccinations to 81 people at Aquarius Backpackers in Byron Bay.

“We’ll talk to each individual, we’ll ask them what do they want to do and offer them some options, and we’ll start that process today,” Mr Jones said on Friday.

“We will probably end up moving some of them to the Lismore Showground, and we might move some of them to Coffs Harbour.

He said some people could have other options.

“If some live in NSW, if they are able to find private transport directly home we may release them, but only once we have a clear plan that protects them and the community about how to get home,” he said.

He said the vast majority of the 81 people were double-vaccinated.

He said the young woman who tested positive at Aquarius was a quarantine accommodation service and was not in hospital.

“She is coping well and we are monitoring her daily,” Mr Jones said.

81 people are locked down at the Aquarius Backpackers in Byron Bay. Picture: Javier Encalada

Health authorities are still investigating how the unvaccinated woman ended up working at a hostel in Byron Bay.

“It gets a bit confusing because she is from Victoria and we have different public health orders in different states,” he said.

“If someone is in breach of the public health order, there are clear fines that will apply if we identify that it’s warranted.”

Mr Jones said the extra accommodation at the Lismore Showground was required because holiday makers were booking out hotels and it was getting challenging to find places to accommodate those who needed to isolate.

The motorhomes will arrive at the showgrounds on Saturday and the location is expected to be handed to health authorities on Sunday afternoon so some people can be moved there from Monday.

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones.

Mr Jones said only close contacts of Covid patients from Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay, Richmond River and Kyogle in need of isolation would be taken to the showgrounds.

“We have a small amount of accommodation in Tweed, and if we need to move some of them they can be moved to Lismore from Monday,” he said.

“People in Grafton can isolate at one of the hotels there, but if we need further capacity we have an arrangement with Mid-North Coast that allows us to place some people in Coffs Harbour.”

He said Byron Bay Schoolies, which would start this weekend, would not be affected by Covid as long as people acted safely.

“We have plans in place if people do become positive, and we’ll work with police and other agencies to quarantine, isolate them and contain the spread as much as possible,” he said

“What I do ask to schoolies is for everyone to be responsible, to come to Byron, have fun, enjoy the celebration but be responsible.”