Returning Northern Beaches travellers must self-isolate as Sydney-Hobart in doubt
The Sydney-Hobart may be cancelled with Sydney travellers now facing mandatory quarantine in Tasmania and crew members from dozens of race entrants being ordered into isolation. FOLLOW LIVE + LATEST ADVICE >>
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UPDATE, 5.20pm: THE 76th Sydney to Hobart yacht race appears dead in the water after Premier Peter Gutwein announced everyone arriving from the greater Sydney area must quarantine for 14 days.
Residents of Sydney’s Northern Beaches COVID-19 hot spot are not allowed into the state at all.
Sydney-Hobart race organisers must now decide whether or not to start the 628-nautical mile event on Boxing Day or cancel it for the first time in the history of the race, which started in 1945.
Tasmanian maxi-chaser Alive, the race’s overall winner on handicap in 2018, left Sydney on Saturday afternoon headed for Beauty Point, ready for the Launceston to Hobart race on December 27.
Skipper Duncan Hine flew to Sydney on Saturday morning to get it out of the COVID-19 crisis.
“I brought a Tasmanian delivery crew with me and we’re headed for Launceston,” Hine said.
“We haven’t officially withdrawn from the race.
“We are going to monitor things as we go down the coast and we can always turn around and go back.
“With circumstances the way they are, I can only see this escalating, and we would like to stay safe, out of harm’s way, and have the opportunity to still do some racing.”
The Sydney-Hobart fleet is based at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutters Bay, which is only a short distance from Kings Cross.
That puts it front and centre in the Premier’s banned areas.
“The rules apply to anyone coming to Tasmania, whether they arrive on a yacht or boat or they fly in,” Mr Gutwein said.
“In terms of where they have been in Sydney, whether it is the Northern Beaches area or in greater Sydney, they would be treated as anyone arriving in the state, and that will make it difficult for the event.
“Ultimately, that is a decision for event organisers to decide whether the event goes ahead.
“Anyone arriving from NSW, from a high-risk area or medium-risk area, will have to quarantine.
“On that basis, it will be very difficult for that race to continue, but that’s a matter for race organisers.”
The CYCA will meet on Saturday night to decide the race’s future.
Prior to Mr Gutwein’s announcement, a fleet of 73 had planned to race south although many were expected to pull out due to the lockdown on the Northern Beaches sparked by a blossoming outbreak of COVID-19.
This initial ban affected about 150 sailors but the later decision that anyone from greater Sydney would have to self-isolate affects all crews and officials in the 76th Sydney to Hobart.
UPDATE, 2.30PM: A LOCKDOWN in Sydney’s Northern Beaches has the Sydney-Hobart yacht race on the brink of losing up to half of its competitors and putting the race in jeopardy for the first time since 1945.
The NSW Government put the Northern Beaches into lockdown early on Saturday after announcing a total of 39 known infections in the COVID-19 hot spot.
Of this year’s fleet of 78 yachts, 57 are from NSW – that’s 73 per cent of the field from the danger state.
Of those, up to half of the crew members are believed to hail from the Northern Beaches area, where all residents and their close contacts – which includes crew members – are either in lockdown or have been told to isolate.
The lockdown ends on Christmas Eve, which presents Sydney-Hobart officials with a huge decision to make in the new few days on whether or not to start the 76th Sydney-Hobart.
Tasmania has six entries in this year’s race and 2Unlimited skipper Greg Prescott said the race to Hobart was now at risk.
“There are only about 20 boats from other states, all of the rest are all from NSW,” he said.
“That’s a big percentage of the fleet from NSW where all the trouble is.
“We are concerned.
“We’re watching and waiting to see what happens, but we have the opportunity to go and get our boat on Tuesday, or even Wednesday, and get it to Launceston for the start of the Launceston to Hobart on December 27.”
UPDATE 10.15AM: THE Sydney-Hobart is still on after the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia announced the 76th race still had the green light after an emergency meeting this morning.
The growing COVID-19 cluster on Sydney’s Northern Beaches has race organisers and crews nervous about this year’s event going ahead on Boxing Day.
Some Tasmanian crews are already on the brink of pulling out.
Premier Peter Gutwein said on Friday he was closely watching the situation in NSW but had not decided to close the borders at this stage.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will make her own announcement at an update at 11am on Saturday.
This morning, the CYCA said: “The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia continues to monitor all news and updates regarding recent cases of COVID-19 in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and other specified locations.
“The CYCA encourages all competitors, members, guests, volunteers and staff who reside in the areas or may have visited the locations listed to follow the recommendations outlined by NSW Health and stay up to date with the NSW Government latest COVID-19 news and updates.”
The club will provide updates on the Rolex Sydney-Hobart website and social media channels “as soon as there is any news or decisions made that impact on the 2020 Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race”.
COVID-19 OUTBREAK THREATENS RACE AND CHRISTMAS TRAVEL PLANS
OVERNIGHT DECEMBER 18
TRAVELLERS from Sydney’s Northern Beaches have been ordered into quarantine and a question mark hangs over the Sydney-Hobart yacht race as authorities work to contain an COVID-19 outbreak in the New South Wales capital.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said the outbreak was considered small although local health authorities were monitoring it carefully.
The Tasmanian government has now designated the Northern Beaches local government area and three venues in the greater Sydney region high-risk areas following an increase in reported cases of COVID-19.
HIGH RISK AREAS:
Northern Beaches local government area (LGA): Any time on or after Friday 11 December 2020
Kirribilli: Kirribilli Club – Monday 14 December 12pm to 3pm
Peakhurst: Gannons Park, Forest Rangers FC, Little Rangers session – Friday 11 December 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Penrith: Penrith RSL Club – Sunday 13 December, 1pm to 6pm
NSW reported 28 coronavirus cases on Thursday and Friday – with 10 confirmed in the latter 24 hour period.
All but one case are linked to a cluster on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Friday.
The Tasmanian government estimates around 200 people may have arrived the state from the affected areas since December 11 and the were being contacted and instructed to quarantine.
“It’s reasonable to expect we will see more cases [in Sydney] in the coming days as this matter develops,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Anyone who is currently in Tasmania who has been in that area, or in one of those premises at any time on or after December 11 should immediately self-isolate.
“If you are a Tasmanian returning home and have been to any of these high risk areas you will still be able to return to Tasmania.”
Acting Director of Public Health Dr Scott McKeown said travellers from Sydney in touch the Public Health Hotline have been asked to self-isolate if necessary.
“You will need to provide residency and apply through the G2G app, not the Tas e-Travel app, however you will be quarantined.”
Returning Tasmanians must take a COVID-19 test with 48 hours of their arrival and quarantine either at home, where suitable, or in government accommodation.
Dr McKeown said the Sydney to Hobart posed some difficulties for organisers.
“We are aware that a number of vessels, and some of the crew that would be manning vessels, have been impacted by being in the Northern Beaches area during the affected period – so it will have an impact,” he said.
“We really need to see what happens between now and the commencement of the race and we’re in regular contact with the organisers to ensure that they’re aware of the circumstances.”
He said a decision on whether the race went ahead would be up to the organisers.
Mr Gutwein said those who had been in affected areas would be governed by the same rules of entry as other arrivals.
“If you come on a yacht or a plane or a boat you’re coming into Tasmania under the rules that apply at that particular time,” he said.
“Obviously it’s the up to the race organisers to determine whether or not the race can take place, bearing in mind that will depend largely on the where the sailors come from in New South Wales.”
Mr Guwein said a flight of agricultural workers from Tonga due to arrive on Friday had been delayed indefinitely due to weather.
200 SYDNEY-SIDERS URGED TO SELF-ISOLATE
ALL Tasmanians returning from Sydney’s COVID-19 hot spots will be forced to quarantine, whether at home or in government accommodation.
Premier Peter Gutwein said the additional 10 cases identified in Sydney’s Northern Beaches today have moved the jurisdiction into a ‘hotspot’ classification, along with a number of other venues.
Currently there are 200 travellers from Sydney’s Northern Beaches who have been urged to self isolate.
This includes anyone who has been in the Northern Beaches council area, as well as certain venues at Penrith, Peakhurst and Kirribilli.
REWATCH THE UPDATE >>
“It’s reasonable to expect we will see more cases in the coming days as this matter develops,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Anyone who is currently in Tasmania who has been in that area, or in one of those premises at any time on or after December 11 should immediately self-isolate.
“If you are a Tasmanian returning home and have been to any of these high risk areas you will still be able to return to Tasmania.
Acting Director of Public Health Dr Scott McKeown said travellers from Sydney have been contacted and asked to self-isolate if necessary.
HIGH RISK AREAS:
Northern Beaches local government area (LGA): Any time on or after Friday 11 December 2020
Kirribilli: Kirribilli Club – Monday 14 December 12pm to 3pm
Peakhurst: Gannons Park, Forest Rangers FC, Little Rangers session – Friday 11 December 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Penrith: Penrith RSL Club – Sunday 13 December, 1pm to 6pm
“You will need to provide residency and apply through the G2G app, not the Tas e-Travel app, however you will be quarantined.”
Returning Tasmanians must take a COVID-19 test with 48 hours of their arrival and quarantine either at home, where suitable, or in government accommodation.
“These are the same rules we have applied in the past, they have been robust but people must follow the guidance,” Mr Gutwein said.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE NSW OUTBREAK SO FAR
New South Wales has recorded 28 coronavirus cases in the last 48 hours, with 10 confirmed in the last 24 hours.
All but one case are linked to a cluster on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced this morning.
While states take respective steps in regards to travel restrictions, Ms Berejiklian urged states to take a “proportionate response”.
The Tasmanian government has now classed the Northern Beaches local government area in Sydney a high-risk area following an increase in reported cases of COVID-19.
The Director of Public Health has defined the Northern Beaches LGA and several other locations in Sydney as high-risk areas that pose a risk of transmission of infection.
These high-risk areas are available at www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travelalert.
“Further areas may be added as the NSW response progresses,” a statement from Scott McKeown, Deputy Director Public Health Services read.
Public health asks anyone who has been to the Northern Beaches LGA or at any of the other high-risk areas to self-isolate and contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to arrange a test.
“People wishing to travel to Tasmania who have been at these areas during the specified times will not be permitted to travel unless approved by the Deputy State Controller,” the statement said.
“For all travellers from NSW who are yet to arrive in Tasmania, your Tas e-Travel pass will be cancelled and you will need to reapply to confirm you have not visited any high-risk locations.”
EARLIER: TASMANIA has not yet closed its border with New South Wales despite a cluster of 17 cases of COVID-19 in Sydney’s Northern Beaches area.
But while NSW is still being considered a low-risk destination, travellers who have been in designated high-risk areas in that state are being banned from entering Tasmania.
The number of cases linked to the cluster jumped from five to 17 late on Thursday afternoon, and Tasmanian authorities may be forced to reconsider their thinking about the border.
Tasmania temporarily shut the border to South Australia when that state experienced a similar outbreak of the virus last month.
Anyone who visited those locations on or after December 11 and then entered Tasmania is being asked to immediately self-isolate and call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.
Public Health Director Mark Veitch said NSW Health had published a list of locations that may pose a risk of infection from the cases.
Dr Veitch said travellers should advise the hotline if they have been at one of the identified premises — and said further locations could be added as the NSW investigation progresses.
He said all but one of the locations were associated with the first two cases in the city's Northern Beaches area with the other relating to a bus driver who transported airline crews.
“Travellers who have been at these premises during the specified times are not permitted to enter Tasmania,’’ Dr Veitch said.
“Affected travellers seeking an exemption can apply via the G2G system.
“For all travellers from NSW who are yet to arrive in Tasmania, your Tas e-Travel pass will be cancelled and you will need to reapply to confirm you have not visited any high-risk locations.”
Dr Veitch encouraged anyone with symptoms, even if they were mild, to contact the Public Health Hotline to arrange a test.
“Our overall assessment is that NSW remains low risk,’’ he said.
“However, Public Health will closely monitor the situation and respond accordingly.”
THE LIST OF HIGH-RISK NSW LOCATIONS ARE:
Avalon Beach: Avalon Bowlo (bowling club), 4 Bowling Green Lane
Sunday 13 December
5pm to 7pm
Tuesday 15 December
3pm to 5pm
Avalon Beach: Bangkok Sidewalk Restaurant, 1/21-23 Old Barrenjoey Rd
Monday 14 December
7pm to 8pm
Avalon Beach: Barramee Thai Massage and Spa, 4/42-44 Old Barrenjoey Rd
Monday 14 December 2pm to 3:30pm
Avalon: Hungry Ghost Cafe, 3/48 Old Barrenjoey Rd
Monday 14 December 9:30am to 11am
Avalon Beach: Sneaky Grind Cafe
Monday 14 December
10:30am to 11am
Avalon: Avalon RSL Club
Friday 11 December
All day until closed
Palm Beach: Palm Beach female change rooms
Sunday 13 December 9am to 9:15am
Palm Beach: Coast Palm Beach Cafe, Barrenjoey Rd
Sunday 13 December 10am to 11am
Avalon Beach: Woolworths, 74 Barrenjoey Rd
Sunday 13 December
12pm to 5pm
Tuesday 15 December
12pm to 12:30pm
Avalon Beach: Oliver’s Pie, Careel Shopping Village, 1 Careel Head Rd
Monday 14 December
9am to 9:15am
Mona Vale: Bing Lee, Gateway, 1 Mona Vale Rd
Monday 14 December
4:30pm to 4:45pm
Peakhurst: Gannons Park, Forest Rangers FC, Little Rangers session
Friday 11 December
4:30pm to 5:30pm
Kirribilli: Kirribilli Club
Monday 14 December
12pm to 3pm
Penrith: Penrith RSL Club
Sunday 13 December
1pm to 6pm
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