Coronavirus: Tearful reunions as NZ travel bubble opens

Sydney has welcomed more than 350 travellers from across the Tasman as the quarantine-free travel arrangement kicked in.

The first passengers arriving at Sydney International Airport from New Zealand. Picture: Adam Yip

Sydney Airport’s international terminal has again become the scene for tearful reunions and long embraces, with Australia and New Zealand’s new quarantine-free travel arrangements getting under way.

Three flights from New ­Zealand landed on Friday, with the first 250 passengers arriving from Auckland just after midday being greeted with cheers. In total, 350 people arrived.

Visitors from across the Tasman need to have been in New Zealand for at least 14 days. When they arrive at Sydney Airport they have their temperatures checked and are given masks to wear.

Derccy Ledezma, second from left, and her daughter Bledys Tunon, third from left, meeting family. Picture: Adam Yip

Jayden Guest, 21, drove 2000km from central Queensland to welcome home his girlfriend, Taren Kowalski, who he hadn’t seen in more than eight months. “It’s surreal,” Ms Kowalski said after they hugged.

The Turner family from Port Macquarie, NSW, who returned after almost a year away from home, donned Akubras as they entered the arrivals hall, four-year-old Taj chanting: “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi.”

Caitlyn Hosking was at the airport to surprise her mother Jodie, who she hadn’t seen in eight months.

Brook Turner, Taj Turner (4), Ocean Turner (11 months) and Ty Turner arriving in Sydney. Picture: Adam Yip

The 25-year-old broke her ankle in February and has had to endure multiple surgeries without the support of her mother.

“FaceTime just isn’t the same,” Ms Hosking said.

For some, the return to Australia was more sombre.

Stacey Brown had travelled to New Zealand to visit her sick mother, who died while Ms Brown was in the first days of her mandatory hotel quarantine. “It’s just so nice to walk out today and not have to go into a hotel,” Ms Brown said through tears.

Stacey Brown and Adam Draper embrace. Stacey Brown had travelled to NZ to visit her sick mother, who sadly died while Ms Brown was in hotel quarantine. Picture: Adam Yip

NSW Tourism Minister ­Stuart Ayres said the day had been “incredibly important” in the state’s battle against COVID. “It’s been quite an emotional day, like living in a scene from the movie Love Actually,” he said.

On Friday 14 New Zealanders were detained at Melbourne airport pending being sent back to Sydney after they attempted to illegally enter Victoria. They were seeking to visit family