Dozens fined as Queensland returns to school

As Queenslanders enjoyed a slight easing of restrictions of the weekend, police were still out and about with dozens of people fined and cars turned around at the border.

THIRTY fines were handed out for breaches of COVID-19 restrictions, as students and parents readied to return to their normal lives in Queensland.

Police continue to conduct compliance checks on people in quarantine and did 18 on Sunday.

Officers also conducted 44 compliance checks on essential businesses and intercepted 2478 vehicles at the state border.

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Of those vehicles, 41 were turned around and 81 people were directed into quarantine at road borders.

A total of 118 domestic airline passengers arrived into Queensland but none were refused entry and no-one was directed into quarantine.

It comes as police praise the behaviour of crowds at Burleigh over the Mother’s Day weekend after anger over mass gatherings at the popular headland a week earlier.

Officers blitzed Burleigh and other Glitter Strip parks at the weekend after a further easing of COVID-19 restrictions for Mother’s Day.

It followed community outcry at large crowds who gathered on Burleigh headland over the Labour Day long weekend.

Police had warned the headland could be closed or COVID-19 infringement notices issued if people continued to flout public gathering and social distancing rules.

But officers issued only two liquor infringement notices to people on Burleigh Hill over the Mother’s Day weekend.

Gold Coast police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said one person was also charged with public nuisance and given a notice to appear in court.

He said police were investigating one possible breach of COVID-19 rules over a person who allegedly travelled more than 50km from their home to the Coast.

A number of people were asked to tip out alcoholic drinks in Coast parks, he said.

“There was generally good compliance from the public who followed directions from the strong police presence,” he said.

Originally published as Dozens fined as Queensland returns to school