Gold Coast borders: Police warn people from hotspots not to try their luck

Queensland Police are bracing for an influx of Sydney-siders trying to cross the border for New Year’s Eve.

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BORDER cops are bracing for an influx of Sydney-siders trying to get into Queensland later today as speculation continues over whether the city will go into lockdown after a further 18 coronavirus cases overnight.

Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said police working on checkpoints, at the M1 in particular, were prepared for a surge of people to attempt to enter the Coast to celebrate New Year’s Eve, with 611,000 border declaration passes having been applied for since the borders closed for the second time this year.

Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

“The number indicates a large number of people are wanting to come into Queensland,” he said.

But Chief Supt Wheeler warned those trying to enter the state illegally from COVID-19 hotspots that even if police did not catch them at the border, they would track them down.

He said 12 infringement notices had already been issued to people who allegedly lied about where they had been in NSW before failing to provide any evidence of visits to areas that were not a hotspot.

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“... people who may get through in the first instance and think they are home and hosed, they should think again, as the five people from Greater Sydney found out earlier this week,” Chief Supt. Wheeler said.

He said despite smaller checkpoints now being open, motorists should still plan for delays and printing and displaying a border pass would cut down time.

Multiple ambulances caught in Gold Coast border traffic

AMBULANCES are being caught up in long delays at Gold Coast border checkpoints as motorists are left waiting for more than an hour.

Photos captured on Wharf Street in Tweed show two ambulances sitting in built up traffic on Wednesday afternoon.

Tweed resident Jody Wilcox said she was running errands when she got caught on the street for more than an hour.

Ambulances seen stuck in traffic on Wharf Street at the Tweed-Gold Coast border on Wednesday December 30. Photo: Jody Wilcox

Traffic on Wharf Street at the Tweed-Gold Coast border on Wednesday December 30.

“My son’s a paramedic and I know how hard it is for them to get a break, so seeing the ambulances sitting there really aggravated me,” she said.

“The fact that they’re sitting in that traffic really upset me.

“I was like, ‘This is ridiculous, this is really out of hand’. Our pharmacist and other businesses in that area say business has really dropped.”

Heavy traffic is also continuing at the M1 checkpoint, backing up for several kilometres.

EARLIER

Further border checkpoints are set to be reopened to relieve traffic heading into the Gold Coast for the New Year.

A checkpoint on Nerang-Murwillumbah Rd at Natural Bridge will be reopening according to a Facebook post from Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates.

Ros Bates Facebook post regarding a new border checkpoint on Nerang-Murwillumbah Road at Natural Bridge.

It will be reopening from Saturday and operate between 8am and 4pm, seven days a week.

Ms Bates’ post said after liaising with Queensland Police and locals she could confirm the checkpoint was reopening.

“Thank you to locals for your patience and to Gold Coast police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler for his assistance,” the post said.

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It comes after the news a fourth Gold Coast checkpoint is set to open at Miles St at Kirra from 7am on Thursday.

A total of 330 vehicles, carrying 757 people have been refused entry to Queensland at road borders.

There have been 578,000 applications for border passes, which includes 34,000 since Tuesday.

Gold Coast police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said the Miles St checkpoint is designed to take pressure off the existing Gold Coast border crossings on the M1 Pacific Motorway at Currumbin, Gold Coast Highway at Bilinga and Griffith St at Coolangatta.

Traffic on the M1 near the Queensland and New South Wales border. Picture: Jason O'Brien

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The new checkpoints were called for after furious health care workers complained last week about huge delays making them late for work at The Tweed Hospital.

About 40 per cent of healthcare staff at the hospital live in Queensland and have to cross the border.

Queensland Police on Monday confirmed planning of the checkpoint was “advancing” but an exact date was yet to be determined.

Checkpoint at the Queensland and New South Wales border. Picture: Jason O'Brien

On Tuesday night all northbound lanes on the M1 from the Tugun tunnel were closed for about nine hours while additional amenities were set up.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said alterations to the M1 checkpoint was not linked to the border restriction direction.

Additional amenities set up for workers at border checkpoint.

She said the alterations were to make the site safer for staff and volunteers.

“This work is being undertaken by contractors overnight to limit the impacts on travellers, who will be diverted to the Gold Coast Highway,” she said.

All traffic will be diverted onto the Gold Coast Highway between 8pm on Tuesday and 5am on Wednesday.