Queensland Won't Open Its Borders to Greater Sydney Until the End of January at the Earliest

When New South Wales last experienced a COVID-19 cluster, Queensland shut its borders — first to select hotspots, then to Greater Sydney, then to all of NSW. Accordingly, when Sydney's northern beaches cluster began to grow in December, it didn't come as a surprise that the Sunshine State closed down again to folks from the Greater Sydney area.

The latest border closure was announced back on Sunday, December 20 by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, and came into effect at 1am on Monday, December 21. All Greater Sydney local government areas were declared a hotspot, spanning 35 in total. And, while a few weeks have now passed, the situation isn't going to change any time soon.

At her latest press conference today, Thursday, January 7, the Premier advised that the border situation won't be reviewed again until the end of January. "We are concerned still about Greater Sydney," she advised, noting that folks from the area "will not be allowed to come to Queensland — this will be reviewed at the end of the month".

That means that anyone who has been in those Greater Sydney areas in the past 14 days still isn't allowed to access or quarantine in Queensland for the time being, and will be turned away at the border — whether you live in the hotspot areas or have visited them in the specified period. You'll only be permitted into Queensland if you receive an exemption as part of the reintroduced Queensland Border Declaration Pass system. And, if you do receive an exemption, you will be required to go into forced quarantine for 14 days, in a hotel, at your own expense.

A 14-day forced quarantine period applies to Queensland residents returning home from Greater Sydney — in a hotel and at your own expense, too. And, if that's you, you can only return to the Sunshine State via air travel.

Border checkpoints have been re-established, and anyone coming to Queensland from NSW — even from outside of Greater Sydney — also requires a Queensland Border Declaration Pass. If you've been in Orange, Nyngan or Broken Hill between Saturday, January 2–Sunday, January 3, you also need to get tested immediately and quarantine at home until you get a negative result.

In addition, Premier Palaszczuk advised that the Queensland Government is watching the situation in Victoria, but isn't making any changes to its border arrangements with the southern state at yet. At present, anyone that's currently in Queensland who has been in Victoria in the last 14 days needs to get tested immediately and quarantine at home or in their accommodation until they get a negative result — and folks travelling up who've been in Victoria in the last 14 days have to get tested in Queensland once they get to their final destination, then quarantine until receiving a negative result.

The latest statement regarding Queensland's borders comes as the state recorded one new local case in a hotel quarantine worker, and issued a health alert for a number of Brisbane locations. Queensland currently has 20 active COVID-19 cases.

 For more information about Queensland's border restrictions and requirements, head to the Queensland Government website.