The recent surge in coronavirus cases in Victoria is continuing to cause major concerns and it looks set to be many weeks until travellers from the Garden State will be welcomed again in other parts of the country.
Similarly, the growing number of incidences of community spread in New South Wales means that grey nomads from the state, and particularly those from known hotspots, are being further limited in where they can travel.
Victorians living in Melbourne are in lockdown and there is even talk in some quarters of a hard border around the city to stop potential spread into the regional areas of the state. In New South Wales, people are being ordered to remain vigilant and to avoid non-essential travel. It comes as a cluster of infections has been recorded in Batemans Bay, the first time the virus has re-emerged in the NSW regions.
There were 275 new cases in Victoria announced today, and 20 in New South Wales.
As the situation potentially worsens in those two states, many grey nomads are already on their way north.
The border between New South Wales and Queensland has been exceptionally busy with long queues of traffic forming on the road north, and the Northern Territory is also welcoming a steady stream of travellers.
The NT News reports that Top End caravan parks are preparing for an uptick in business after another 1500-odd people crossed the border into the NT in the 24 hours to 5am yesterday.
Hidden Valley Holiday Park manager Dani Walter told the newspaper that the past few months had been ‘extremely tough’ and she was looking forward to hosting travellers escaping the southern winter.
“We’ve had a few more phone call inquiries and a couple of bookings but I really think Monday and Tuesday we’ll see them slowly trickle in,” she said. “We did have one couple that have already crossed the border, they’re from WA and they got here yesterday morning so they must have done some good hours on the road.”
Just 14 of yesterday’s arrivals were sent into mandatory supervised quarantine and incident controller Shaun Gill said police were pleased to report no infringement notices were issued.
It’s already spreading into regional Victoria unfortunately, Melbournians still don’t get the stay at home rule I’m afraid
Its nice that Nicole Kidman and family have been given exemption from having to be isolated in a hotel in Sydney for 14 days though, after arriving from the USA. Given special permission to self isolate at their mansion on their rural property. Well done again NSW. One wonders who’s pockets are a bit “fatter” as a result of that decision. Got to love it!
Looking to pick up van in SA and head to tenant creek across to Townsville then head up to Cooktown are the parks welcoming people from Tassie hoping to get out in August if colonel klink let’s us out.
We have been in nsw since 3rd of June we come ftrom country Victoria We are bit concerned to return to Victoria wondering do we stay put till restrictions are eased