QLD border declaration pass comes into effect on Saturday: What it means for Northern Rivers residents

From 1am on Saturday, new rules will be in place for people travelling into Queensland. But what does it really mean for Northern Rivers residents?

New border rules come into effect at 1am on Saturday, June 19. Picture: Jerad Williams

If you haven’t left Northern Rivers for the past two weeks, and had planned on driving over the border this weekend, then the new Queensland border rules will not impact you.

The Queensland Government has announced a travel declaration “traffic light” system for people entering the Sunshine State from 1am Saturday, June 19.

But the “border zone”, or “blue zone”, has been reinstated as the Queensland Government cracks down on travellers entering the state in an effort to prevent a Covid outbreak.

It means people living in the Lismore, Ballina, Byron, Tweed, Richmond Valley, Kyogle, Tenterfield, Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour LGAs are free to travel to Queensland ‒ with no paperwork required.

But that all changes if you’ve been further south.

These are the rules for border zone residents:

●You can enter Queensland if you’ve remained within the border zone for the past 14 days

●You do not need to make a declaration if you enter by road

●You will need one if you enter by air or sea.

If you have been outside the border zone:

●You must complete a Queensland Travel Declaration form

●It takes about three minutes to complete

●The declaration will be issued immediately via email.

There was chaos on the NSW and Queensland border the last time controls were introduced. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Steve Holland.

Further details and the travel declaration form can be obtained from the Queensland Government’s website.

For more information, call 134 Covid (13 42 68).

Danielle Mulholland, chair of the Northern Rivers Joint Organisation and mayor of Kyogle, said it was important for people to follow advice.

“The reality of our current situation is that Covid with be with us for some time yet,” she said.

“The Queensland Premier is being understandably cautious with regard to travel to the large population centres of Sydney and Melbourne however, to date, we have been fortunate that there have been comparatively very few cases of Covid reported in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.

“I’d encourage everyone to listen to credible sources for the best health advice and get vaccinated if the opportunity arises.

“The sooner the majority of the population is vaccinated, the sooner we’ll all be able to return to a new kind of normal.”