Australian restrictions: Where you can travel to this weekend
As restrictions start to lift, and the first taste of freedom sweeps the country – here’s where you can travel, and what you can do this weekend.
The first taste of freedom is here for much of the country, with some states lifting even more restrictions just in time for the weekend.
Following the Federal Government’s three-stage plan to ease coronavirus restrictions across the country, each state and territory has begun introducing their own changes to lockdown measures.
In NSW, hundreds of locals flocked to beaches and cafes after Premier Gladys Berejiklian gave the green light for business to open their doors, while ensuring social distancing.
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It was the first stage of normality the state has felt in weeks, following almost two months of tough restrictions on pubs, cafes and restaurants being able to serve only takeaway to patrons.
In Queensland, residents have been enjoying relaxed social restrictions for several weeks, and from this weekend – things will start to look even more normal.
So as changes start to filter through, here’s how each state is easing its coronavirus restrictions and where you can travel to this weekend:
NEW SOUTH WALES
Residents in NSW are already lapping up their new-found freedom, as the state allowed restaurants, cafes, pub restaurants and clubs, as well as pools, to reopen.
From Friday, residents within NSW will be able to meet in groups of 10 people outside, while cafes, bars and pub restaurants can seat 10 patrons. If you’re looking to have a few friends over to your home, a limit of five guests of any age can visit. So, if you’re a family with four children and two adults – someone will need to stay home.
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Boot camps and team sports are back on providing they comply with the 10 person limit, with a PT accounting for one. While there is no specific rules in place on the distance you’re allowed to travel for exercise, residents cannot drive for hours from their homes.
For parents wanting to take their kids to the park, playgrounds will now be opened and if you’re keen on changing up your exercise regimen with a swim – public pools have also been reopened.
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Social distancing measures will be in place in all restaurants, pubs and cafes, with patrons urged to book ahead to minimise lining up outside venues.
There are a few restrictions in place when visiting your local watering hole. You cannot go for a beer or two, with bar areas still closed. Instead, you will need to dine and drink in designated areas within pubs, cafes and restaurants.
Churches will also be allowed to hold congregations of up to 10 people, while weddings can now have 13 people in total – being 10 guests, the couple and the celebrant.
For funerals, 20 guests will be allowed at indoor venues and a total of 30 mourners if the venue is held outside.
Sadly, intrastate holidays are still off the cards with the Premier pointing that may be next on the cards for residents along with possible interstate travel.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
With the ACT currently having zero active coronavirus cases, residents have been enjoying more relaxed restrictions since May 8.
Families have been able to visit other families, with both indoor and outdoor gatherings (including at a person’s home) allowing a maximum of 10 people at one time.
The restriction means groups can go on picnics, house inspections, attend bootcamps and house auctions.
Like NSW, the ACT will allow for indoor funerals of up to 20 attendees, while those taking place outside can have up to 30 mourners. The same restrictions on weddings apply meaning 10 guests as well as the couple and the celebrant.
For exercise, there are no limits on where you can travel to for a workout however uncessary travel is discouraged. While the ACT has no border restrictions, Canberrans should only travel outside of the Canberra region to visit family and friends with recreational and holiday travel still off the cards.
VICTORIA
Victorians still have quite a strict set of regulations to adhere to, despite some restrictions lifting earlier this week.
Residents are only allowed to leave their place of residence for one of the five ‘essential’ reasons:
1. Shopping for food or other essential goods and services
2. Work and education
3. Care and compassionate reasons
4. Exercise
5. Visiting friends and family
On Tuesday, state Premier Daniel Andrews allowed Victorians to have up to five guests to their homes, and up to 10 people can gather outside for recreational purposes such as hiking, jogging fishing, boating or to attend a bootcamp.
The state of Victoria has expanded funeral and wedding restrictions, meaning weddings can have 10 guests and funerals allow for 20 mourners indoors, and 30 outdoors.
While there is no limitation on how far someone can travel in the state and borders remain open, holidays are still well and truly off the cards for Victorians with the Premier ruling out camping and stays at holiday parks and Airbnb rentals still banned.
“There’s no overnight stay,” he said.
“We’ve never had limits on how far a person can travel (but) the fact though that people cannot stay overnight, I think will limit how far they travel.
“AirBnb will not be taking bookings. There will not be bookings at hotels,” Mr Andrews said.
“Camping will not be allowed.”
Victorians are still being urged to stay away from retail outlets and shopping centres, with Mr Andrews pointing to a June revision for the retail sector. As for cafes and restaurants, residents will have to keep enjoying their takeaway coffees and sandwiches as they will not be welcoming back dine-in options until at least June.
Mr Andrews said the decision to keep cafes, pubs and restaurants closed and ignore the 10-patron limit was a financial decision.
“The feedback from many, many businesses is that at just 10 patrons, it’s really hard to be viable,” he said.
“If we wait these three weeks, when we move to go beyond just takeaway for cafes … we might not have to stick with a number of 10, we might be able to go higher than that.
“If we just wait these three weeks, if we do the testing, if we have that further assurance that the significant steps we have taken today isn’t causing us trouble that we can’t manage, then I think we can take a bigger step, potentially, in June for cafes and restaurants and get them to a point where they are viable.”
TASMANIA
Tasmanians were awarded their first taste of freedom on Monday, when Premier Peter Gutwein eased a number of the state’s restrictions.
The number of people allowed to attend a funeral was increased from 10 to 20 people; residents in aged care facilities can now have one visit per week; and national parks reopened for exercise to people who live within 30km.
While in public, the two-person gathering limit remains in place, households can now have two visitors, so long as physical distancing requirements can be met.
Residents are only allowed to leave their homes for “essential reasons”. These include shopping for supplies, undertaking personal exercise, attending medical appointments, taking your pet to the vet, providing social support or care to another person, and attending school, work or study if you are unable to do so at home.
From next Monday, May 18, the state will move into “stage one” of rolling back measures. Indoor and outdoor gatherings can include as many as 10 people, including for real estate purposes, small religious groups, and weddings.
For funerals, as many as 30 people will be allowed to attend, if it is outdoors.
However, household gatherings will be limited to a maximum of five visitors.
Those looking to dine somewhere other than their kitchen table will now be able to, with restaurants and cafes allowed to open and seat up to 10 customers at a time with table service and social distancing.
Good news, too, for parents wanting to take their kids to the park and those keen to exercise: park fitness equipment, playgrounds, pools and boot camps will open for up to 10 people. Libraries and local community facilities will also re-open for up to 10 people at a time.
Unfortunately, Premier Peter Gutwein has remained firm on his decision that the state’s borders will remain closed, the state’s “strongest defence against the virus”. For Tasmanians hoping for an interstate holiday, the government has hinted at campsites and accommodation reopening from June 15, when stage two of easing restrictions begins.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
While the South Australian Government haven’t formally lifted any physical distancing laws, their existing laws are more in line with WA’s now “relaxed” version.
Since Monday, outdoor dining at restaurants and cafes for groups of up to 10 people has been allowed, falling under stage one of the state’s three-stage rollback of restrictions.
University and TAFE students have returned to campus, and public libraries and community halls have reopened their doors – for a maximum of 10 people at a time.
School students have already returned to physical classrooms for term two.
Churches are now allowed to hold congregations of up to 10 people, while funerals will be able to have 20 attendees at indoor ceremonies (in addition to those officiating), or 30 outdoors.
Those involved in outdoor non-contact sport can go back to training, and auctions and open house inspections are being held once more.
Swimmers can return to public pools, and anyone hoping for a night away can return to campgrounds and caravan parks.
Regional travel is also allowed, though bans remain in place for anyone hoping to visit a protected community.
Unfortunately, mass gatherings and border closures will be among the last of the restrictions to be lifted, Premier Steven Marshall said.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Aside from the Northern Territory, West Australians have enjoyed the most significant easing of lockdown laws.
Under current measures, as many as 10 people are allowed to gather publicly and privately.
Residents who fancy some time in the outdoors are also permitted to do so, with recreational activities like picnics, boating, camping and fishing allowed.
If you’re getting married, up to 10 people can attend your wedding.
And if you’re planning on moving home, open houses and display villages are once again permitted to operate.
While parents previously had the option of keeping their children home from school for the first few weeks of term two, Premier Mark McGowan announced that’s set to change.
From next Monday, May 18, WA will reinstate compulsory attendance of all students at the state’s public, Catholic and independent schools. Exemptions for students with medical vulnerabilities or those who have family members with chronic health issues will be provided, and they can continue to learn from home.
Students who do not return to school on Monday without an exemption will no longer be issued learning materials, the Premier said, and their parents could be fined.
Also from Monday, cafes and restaurants – including pubs, clubs and casinos with dine-in services – will be allowed to seat up to 20 diners, as long as they follow the four square metres per person rule.
Places of worship and community facilities will also be allowed up to 20 people inside. Non-contact sport, fitness classes and public swimming pools will also reopen to 20 participants at a time.
For weddings and funerals, 20 attendees will be permitted if held indoors, and up to 30 if outdoors.
The Premier has maintained that interstate travellers won’t be visiting the west any time soon. However, from Monday intrastate travel to nearby regions will be allowed – though restrictions remain in place for the Pilbara, Goldfields and Kimberley to protect vulnerable communities.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
For the month of May, the Northern Territory has been the envy of the rest of Australia.
With just the NT News saying the Territory was “the safest place in Australia”, restrictions have been easing since May 1 – meaning Territorians have the most lax social restrictions in the country.
From midday on Friday, residents were able to go back to the pub after a 53 day drought. Going into the weekend, most businesses will be able to reopen including restaurants, cafes, nail salons and yoga studios. There is no restrictions in place around how many patrons a venue can hold, but each visitor will be required to buy a meal and only stay for a maximum of two hours.
Across the territory, gaming machine licenced activities, premises which conduct gambling,
cinemas, entertainment venues, casinos, night clubs and bars without the serving of seated meals will remain closed.
The Northern Territory has no restrictions on the reasons for leaving your house, and while residents in Darwin and surrounding suburbs can enjoy the new freedom – there are still 76 remote communities, which remain in lockdown under the Biosecurity Act. It is likely these restrictions will stay in place until early June.
While there’s no travel limit for Territorians, borders will remain closed to outsiders and likely to be the last restriction lifted.
The final stage of the easing restriction has yet to be planned out but so long as no major outbreaks occur, is expected to start from 5 June.
QUEENSLAND
Today, Queenslanders were told that they will be able to travel to Fraser, Stradbroke and Moreton islands off South East Queensland as part of the states easing of restrictions.
While camping and overnight stays are still not allowed, day trips will be welcomed.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the decision to open the islands said it was “really good news” for locals.
“With the view of course that they will open for camping, and residential accommodation for the school holidays,” she said.
“I really want to thank the mayors and the local members who have been raising these issues — that is really good news.”
Residents in the sunshine state will be allowed to travel up to 150km for day trips, and also allowed to attend outdoor recreational gatherings of 10 people.
The 10-person rule also applies to outdoor boot camps and personal training sessions, with participants encouraged to bring their own equipment if possible.
Queenslanders will be able to have small dinner parties, with five visitors allowed from separate households.
As with most other states across Australia, funerals will be restricted to 20 mourners for indoor gatherings, and 30 guests for an outdoor memorial.
In outback Queensland, restrictions will be eased even more, with residents able to meet in groups of 20 to dine out, and allowed to travel up to 500km from their home.
Queenslanders are now looking towards Stage Two restrictions being introduced from June 12 across the state, which will mean gatherings of up to 20 people in homes, public spaces, gyms, health clubs, weddings, playgrounds and other recreational sites.
Stage Two is when intrastate travel will be on the cards, with camping and overnight stays, including caravan parks allowed providing the destination is within 250km of your home.
Queensland borders are still closed.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison today announced domestic travel across the country will be likely by the July school holidays. Mr Morrison said there would be a strong effort to improve domestic tourism, and get Australians moving around the country once again.
“Australians who might otherwise go elsewhere, that is a very large market, and that will be targeted. And I had that discussion with the Minister for Tourism this week, and to work with Tourism Australia and the other state and territory agencies that are responsible for tourism, to focus on seeing that realised as our domestic tourism industry gets back on its feet, which will be an important employer, particularly in regional areas.”
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