Group of Sydneysiders ‘lied about where they’d been to get through Qld border’, police say

A group of Sydney residents have been hit with a holiday bill of nearly $35,000 after allegedly lying to authorities about where they’d been.

Five Sydney residents have been fined more than $20,000 and ordered into hotel quarantine at their own cost after they allegedly lied to police to get into Queensland.

Gold Coast chief superintendent Mark Wheeler said the group had crossed into the Sunshine State on Sunday with ‘G’ Passes and checked into a Surfers Paradise resort.

Subsequent police checks revealed the group had allegedly come from Greater Sydney, which was declared a hotspot last week.

Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler has once again urged Sydney residents not to attempt to enter Queensland. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Steve Holland

Superintendent Wheeler said the group had told police they were on their way to Airlie Beach.

Each person was fined $4003 for making a false declaration and they were all marched into hotel quarantine, at a cost of $2800 per person.

“It’s been a very expensive holiday for them,” Superintendent Wheeler said.

“If you’re travelling by road to Queensland from a hotspot for a holiday … you have no right to do that.”

“Don’t try and (trick) the system … Police will be following up.”

More than 300 vehicles carrying more than 700 people have been turned around since Queensland’s hard border was reintroduced days before Christmas.

Ten infringement notices have been dished out in the past seven days.

Traffic delays of up to three hours have been recorded at the Queensland/ NSW border on the Gold Coast. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Steve Holland

It comes as police announce a fourth border checkpoint will be set up on Miles Street at Coolangatta to ease massive delays along the border.

Wait times of up to three hours have routinely been recorded since the border was imposed, causing headaches for border residents and essential workers.

“This new border checkpoint will help ease congestion,” Superintendent Wheeler said.

“A lot of vehicles are still turning up with no border passes, or we suspect they’ve been in a hotspot, and that slows things up.”