Infected Sydneysider who brought Covid to Hunter twice defied police orders to go home: Police

One of two women suspected of starting the Covid outbreak which sent the region into lockdown remained partying across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie despite being told to go home.

One of two Sydney women who sent more than 600,000 people into lockdown after bringing Covid-19 to the Hunter twice thumbed her nose at orders to return to Sydney to continue partying across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, police say.

Newcastle City police are set to charge the 21-year-old woman and her fellow Sydneysider friend, 20, after the pair remained in the Hunter for at least two days despite being handed $1000 fines for breaching the public health order when spoken to by police at Shortland in the early hours of July 30.

There has been a heavy police presence at the new pop-up Covid Testing Centre at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle. Picture: Peter Lorimer.

The Newcastle News revealed on Tuesday that the pair had attended multiple house parties at Shortland in the days leading up to the much-publicised Blacksmiths Beach get-together on July 30, which health officials had continued to tell the public was the first “transmission event” which led to last week’s snap lockdown.

Hunter New England Health would not comment until Wednesday, when the service confirmed that a “transmission event” had also occurred at Shortland. There were house parties at a residence on July 27, July 28 and July 29,

It has now emerged that the older Sydneysider was stopped by transit police at Cardiff railway station about 9.45am on July 29.

Teams moved in quickly to deep clean Morriset High School after an infectious case. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer

Police said in a statement that the police transport command officers had been conducting opal card checks when they spoke to the woman on board a northbound train.

“She advised police she had boarded the train at Strathfield and intended to get off at Epping, however had fallen asleep,’’ the police statement said.

“The passenger was in breach of the Public Health Order, she was issued with a warning and was directed to return to Sydney.’’

The drive through Covid-19 testing clinic at McDonald Jones Stadium in Broadmeadow has been running at capacity. Picture: David Swift

However, police allege the woman stayed in the Hunter and was again stopped by police 16 hours later outside the Shortland address she had partied at for two nights.

This time it was with her Sydneysider friend, who had travelled to Newcastle by train two days earlier.

“About 1.45am on Friday 30 July, Newcastle City Police were called to an address on Sandgate Road, Shortland, for an unrelated matter,’’ the police statement said.

“Officers approached a vehicle parked nearby and spoke with two women – aged 20 and 21.

“Police requested the women to provide proof of identification, and both women provided digital driver’s licences stating addresses from Sydney’s West.

“Neither were able to provide police with a reasonable excuse for leaving the Greater Sydney area and they were issued $1000 PINs for breaching the Public Health Order.

“Both women were directed to return to Sydney and left the location, indicating they would comply with that direction. However, investigations have revealed they failed to leave the area.’’

800 students at University of Newcastle had to be tested. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer

Instead, the two women travelled across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie on July 30 including spending more than three hours at Charlestown Square.

They then attended the Blacksmiths Beach get-together that night, passing the virus onto several other people.

Police are now poised to charge both woman as they continue to isolate in southwestern Sydney homes.