Coronavirus: Race to reach borders as states close down

Elizabeth Farrant among thousands of travellers trying to make deadline before SA and WA borders close.

Elizabeth Farrant, 27, who has just crossed over the SA/WA border to beat the closure of the WA border today. Picture: Supplied.

Thousands of travellers are racing against the clock to get home before South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland close their state borders.

West Australians have until 1.30pm (WST, 4.30pm AEDT)) today to cross into WA before strict coronavirus measures will see anyone attempting to return facing a two-week self-isolation, some possibly at border points. Freight transport is exempt.

A drone shot of the huge traffic jam at the WA border taken by my ABC colleague @rhi_stevens @abcperth @ABCRural @abcnews pic.twitter.com/hRemHeijm4

— Jarrod Lucas (@jarrodl17) March 24, 2020

In South Australia, the borders will close at 4pm (ACST). As soon as the news broke, 27-year-old Elizabeth Farrant and her dog Judd set out from Adelaide, where she works in the disability sector, to cross the Nullarbor and reach her family in Perth.

She says she felt relieved to reach the WA border only a few hours ahead of that state’s closure. Queues at petrol stations across the Nullarbor were long, she said, and busy roadhouse staff told her they had not seen such heavy traffic for months.

Elizabeth Farrant set off from Adelaide to make it across the WA border before it closes today. Picture: Supplied.

Caravans are parked at every rest stop, including holiday-makers hastily trying to leave WA and cover thousands of kilometres in time to reach Queensland’s borders before they close at midnight on Wednesday.

From Wednesday night on, anyone entering Queensland from the air or by road will be forced to isolate themselves for 14 days, except freight carriers and essential services.

Caitlin Reiger and her family are halfway into a six-month travel adventure, but are racing the clock to get through the South Australian border on the way home to Victoria.

“We were heading for the Pilbara and Kimberley, but with the border closures we realised there will only be more restrictions coming and this not going to ease for quite some time.

“With an 11 and 14 year old we needed security amid the general uncertainty,” she said. “We’ll self-isolate anyway in Victoria just in case we have picked the virus up en route. The road vibe has been good, people being careful, pretty resigned and friendly.”