Coronavirus: Need a break? Tasmania reopens to mainlanders from October 26

Tasmania will soon be an option for 13 million mainlanders wanting a break, with the island to reopen its borders.

Australians from all jurisdictions except NSW and Victoria will be able to holiday in Tasmania without quarantine from October 26, a potential fillip for tourist destinations such as Cradle Mountain. Picture: Amanda Ducker

Tasmania will soon be an option for 13 million mainlanders wanting a break, with the island to reopen its borders for quarantine-free arrivals from “low-risk” jurisdictions from October 26.

Premier Peter Gutwein on Tuesday said a decision on reopening to arrivals from NSW would be made next week; Vic­torians remain banned from the state until at least December 1.

All arrivals would need to register via a government travel app and undergo health screening, including temperature checks.

Any arrivals reporting or displaying coronavirus symptoms would be required to take a COVID-19 test and self-isolate while awaiting the results.

Mr Gutwein said “low-risk” jurisdictions were those with “low or no cases (of coronavirus)” and a “lack of community transmission”. He defended the decision to exclude NSW from the border plan, despite that state having only new six cases, pending a review early next week.

“We will continue to monitor the situation in NSW very closely,” he said. “They are very low numbers from a population point of view, but we’ve taken the view, based on advice … that we should wait for another week to continue to monitor NSW.

“Public Health will provide advice in relation to Victoria and other hotspots by December 1.”

Visitors from outside Victoria will be able to take their cars on the Spirit of Tasmania ferries.