It may sometimes seem like it’s a case of one step forwards and two steps back, but the underlying momentum is clear … Australia is moving towards being put back together again!
When state and territory borders first started closing more than 18 months ago, few could have imagined that this country would still be as ‘fractured’ as it currently is.
As vaccinations rise though, jurisdiction after jurisdiction has announced its ‘roadmap’ to re-opening, and the return of borderless Big Lap edges ever closer.
And that’s great news for grey nomads who have spent much of the last two years in a sea of uncertainty, unable to plan interstate trips with any degree of confidence.
Things though are changing.
The ACT, New South Wales and Victoria … jurisdictions where Covid is out in the community … have opened up to each other, and others will follow their lead soon enough.
When Tasmania announced that it planned to reopen its borders on December 15 a surge in bookings on the Spirit followed, and there is little doubt that grey nomads and other travellers will be eager to get into Queensland when unfettered border crossing for the vaccinated is allowed again from December 17.
In South Australia, border restrictions for fully vaccinated interstate travellers will be lifted from November 23, and the NT will reopen to quarantine-free interstate travel on January 18.
Of course, the final piece of the reopening jigsaw was slotted into place earlier this week when WA announced its own reopening plan.
Premier Mark McGowan said controls would be eased once the state achieved 90% vaccination for people aged 12 and above.
While nothing’s for certain that benchmark could be as far away as February next year, there is at least an acknowledgement that the borders will eventually open again to the rest of Australia.
And that’s a relief for the many, many long-term caravanners and motorhomers who are eagerly and excitedly planning their travels into next year and beyond.
Many, many grey nomads will no longer take such simple things as being able to freely move around the country for granted ever again.
We have a big Aboriginal population in the North of Western Australia and from Government statistics only around 30% of those over 12 are vaccinated.
We have a responsibility to those communities, to keep them safe and to try and convince them that Covid 19 is not just a white fella disease, that it will kill black fellas as well. Our Premier, Mark McGowan is doing a great job and won’t be bullied by the wise people from the East.
You can lead a horse to water
I’ve been all over WA free to travel anywhere while the East was in a lockdown, but its the unvaccinated people who don’t want to be vaccinated as its there choice are holding our state to ransom as Mark is trying to do his best in opening up safely so that we can all travel freely in Australia once again.