Queensland's At-Home and Outdoor Gathering Limits Will Be Scrapped From June 25

Queensland's restrictions are easing, with no limits on gatherings at home or outdoors, and hospitality businesses operating under a three people per four-square-metres rule.
Sarah Ward
June 21, 2021

Bigger parties, more folks hanging out in the great outdoors, and busier bars, cafes, restaurants and venues: they're all about to become a reality in Queensland this week. Almost three months since Brisbane went through its last three-day lockdown, and more than two months after the state's COVID-19 rules last changed significantly, the Queensland Government has announced the next easing of restrictions — and allowing more folks to spend more time in the same places is at the top of the list.

Actually, that idea underscores a number of the just-announced changes, which Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed yesterday, Sunday, June 20. From 1am on Friday, June 25, there'll no longer be any limits on how many people can gather in homes or outdoors — although if you are having more than 100 folks over to your house, you'll need to keep a list of attendees.

Another big shift that'll hit at the same time: amending the rules for hospitality businesses, with a three people per four-square-metres capacity cap coming into effect. That'll apply to clubs, pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as to galleries, museums, convention centres and places of worship. If these types of venues have seated and ticketed capacity, they can fill those areas to 100 percent, too.

Commercial residential facilities — so hotels, short-term rentals and B&Bs — will have the same density limit, as will indoor play areas and unattended retail sites. For ticketed venues that only have allocated seating, such as theatres, gig venues, cinemas and indoor sports facilities, they'll be able to operate at 100-percent capacity, as will openair stadiums.

The three people per four-square-metres rule will apply to weddings and funerals, too, or you can opt for a 100-percent seated and ticketed setup instead.

And, self-service food is back — if you've really been hankering for a buffet.

As for masks, the rules there aren't changing, so the conditions that've been in place since April still remain. So, you're only required to cover your face if you're at an airport or you're flying. The Queensland Government still advises that folks should carry a mask with them, though, to use in crowded places when you're not able to social distance — with masking up on public transport, in taxis and ride shares, and in shopping centres particularly encouraged.

The new eased rules will apply statewide, and will come into effect just as school holidays begin. The usual requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms still apply, of course — as they have since March last year.

 For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.

Published on June 21, 2021 by Sarah Ward
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