Magnate forced off superyacht to quarantine in Queensland

A multi-millionaire magnate who escaped Victoria’s lockdown on a luxury yacht has been forced to move into hotel quarantine at his own expense.

A second Melbourne multi-millionaire has fled Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown, this time on a luxury yacht to cross the Queensland border.

Property magnate Mark Simonds has sailed up the east coast in the superyacht Lady Pamela with his family, following Linfox trucking heir Peter Fox on the Gold Coast, Nine Newspapers revealed.

However, in breaking news on Tuesday night, Queensland’s chief health officer revoked the COVID-related exemption granted to the seven who arrived in Queensland on the yacht, one of Australia’s most sumptuous vessels.

Police boarded the yacht – which has its own Instagram page, livery, and uniformed staff – and prepared to disembark all seven, to be taken off for 14 days quarantine in a government-approved hotel.

A Queensland Health spokesperson said the state’s Chief Health Officer has “revoked her exemption for seven people aboard the Lady Pamela vessel.”

“All seven people are now required to quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 14 days at their own expense.”

“Attempting to bypass or manipulate Queensland’s border direction is unacceptable.”

It’s understood new information provided to Queensland Health indicated the owner was granted the exemption approval based on incomplete information.

There is no suggestion that any of the passengers did anything unlawful. Nobody has been arrested or charged over the incident.

A Current Affair reported that everyone on the yacht was COVID-19 tested on Tuesday afternoon after a mobile health team boarded the vessel.

The TV show filmed Mr Simonds and his glamorous wife Cheryl enjoying drinks with friends on the deck of the Lady Pamela, others jumping off the side for a swim or cruising in an inflatable dinghy during one of the stopovers on the voyage north.

The 30m Italian built marble and gold finished Lady Pamela was just one of several ways rich Victorians were fleeing Victorian lockdown.

Cheryl Simonds with two other voyagers say goodbye to Victoria’s lockdown and head off aboard the luxury Lady Pamela to Queensland. Picture: Channel 9/ACA

See you later Victoria! Sunbaking on deck of the Lady Pamela as Melbourne’s harsh lockdown becomes a distant memory. Picture: Channel 9/ACA

Cheryl Simonds and two young people believed to be her son and Hannah Fox, daughter of trucking magnate Peter Fox. Picture: Channel 9/ACA

Fun in the inflatable dinghy at one of six stops on the luxury cruise out of lockdown to sunny Queensland. Picture: Channel 9/ACA

It has also been revealed that other rich Victorians are fleeing the state in private jets to avoid Premier Daniel Andrews’ strict COVID-19 lockdown laws.

Daily Mail Australia reported Victoria’s wealthy with private aircraft were even asking pilots to turn off the plane’s transponders to escape detection.

Mr Simonds is the latest of Victoria’s elite wealthy trying to escape masks and COVID-19 restrictions for the Queensland sunshine.

Both he and Mr Fox and their families were granted exemptions for different reasons while Queensland has forbidden the entry of most Victorian visitors.

That was until Queensland Health revoked the exemption for Mr Simonds, one of his children, his wife and one of Mr Fox’s daughters who was travelling on-board.

Channel 9 reported the Lady Pamela stopped at sic ports including Eden, Jervis Bay, Yamba and Coffs Harbour.

Health worker tests Cheryl Simonds for COVID-19 aboard the luxury yacht, Lady Pamela on Tuesday. Picture: Channel 9/ACA

Construction magnate Mark Simonds and his wife Cheryl escaped Victoria’s lockdown via a luxury superyacht to Queensland, but will now go into quarantine. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis.

Police board the. luxury yacht to remove the seven voyagers into 14 day hotel quarantine. Picture: Channel 9/ACA

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Premier Andrews has been severely criticised for his plan to extend the government’s ability to enforce COVID-19 restrictions by extending Victoria’s state of emergency by 18 months.

Mr Simonds, his glamorous wife Cheryl and one of their sons sailed from a stage four lockdown Melbourne just over two weeks ago.

The Lady Pamela docked on the Gold Coast on Monday morning and passengers and crew were tested for COVID-19 before being allowed to disembark.

On board the boat was Hannah Fox, the daughter of Linfox trucking executive chairman Peter Fox.

Mr Simonds took the daughter of fellow multi-millionaire magnate, Peter Fox and his wife Lisa, aboard to the Gold Coast.

Peter Fox (above on the Gold Coast) has been staying in a Palm Beach mansion with his family. Picture: Channel 9/ACA

Ms Fox is expected to go to the Palm Beach, Queensland, property leased by her family since July 1, while the Simonds will go to their Burleigh Heads home.

A Current Affair reported earlier this month that Mr Fox, his wife Lisa and two other of their children had moved to the Gold Coast under a rule allowing truck drivers to enter the state.

Mr Fox told ACA he had a trucking licence, had brought a truck down to the Gold Coast from Cairns and was now a Queensland resident.

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The family is renting a multi-millionaire dollar waterfront mansion from former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing world champion Mick Doohan where he told Nine he could keep his family “healthy and safe”.

Mr Fox is one of six children of Linfox founder and self made billionaire Lindsay Fox and is Executive Chairman of the Linfox group.

Mr Simonds is one of three sons of Gary Simonds who founded the construction empire Simonds Homes more than 70 years ago.

The ASX-listed company is one of Australia’s largest home builders.

Victoria’s second wave coronavirus outbreak which saw daily cases soar above 700 a few weeks ago now appears to be on an overall downward trend, with 148 new cases on Tuesday, slightly up on the 116 new cases on Monday.

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