Border Restrictions Have Changed Again, So Here’s How To Travel Between Every State

interstate-travel-borders

Despite Omicron spitting in our soup, Australian state borders are continuing to open to travellers — but there are still conditions.

So if you’re planning a getaway or have been waiting to go home, here’s everything you need to know wrapped up in a neat little package. 

Getting into WA

WA currently has a hard border with most states, meaning only approved travellers can enter, and must self-quarantine for 14 days. Essentially: good fkn luck getting in for a holiday.

From 12:01am on February 5 WA planned to have its border open. But on Jan 21 it ditched that plan.

The border will remain closed indefinitely with no roadmap to reopening in place.

To get in, all domestic travellers need to quarantine — for seven days in a hotel and seven days at home. All need to be triple-vaccinated unless you are ineligible or medically exempt. Testing requirements will depend on your trip length. If you’re staying for six or more days, you’ll need to get a negative test within 72 hours prior to departing from your place of origin and again within 48 hours of arriving in Western Australia.

If you’re staying for five days or fewer, you’ll need to get a negative pre-departure test within 72 hours, but you won’t need to get a test when you arrive in WA.

That’s the plan anyway, and so far Premier Mark McGowan is sticking to it.

Getting into QLD

On Saturday 15 January 2022, all domestic border restrictions into Queensland ended. Anyone can to travel to Queensland from anywhere in Australia.

You will no longer need to apply for a border pass, a negative COVID-19 test will not be required to enter, and there will be no requirement to quarantine if you are not vaccinated. Huge.

Getting into Tassie

As of Wednesday December 15, fully vaccinated travellers from some parts of Australia are allowed onto the island.

As of December 30, different parts of the country are considered extreme risk by the Tasmanian government and come with different entry requirements.

If you’re coming from an extreme-risk area, you have to apply for approval to enter.

If you’re fully vaccinated and have spent time in any extreme-risk areas in the 14 days before you arrive in Tasmania, you must register through the Tas e-Travel system up to 7 days before you arrive, return a negative COVID-19 test result within 24 hours before departure, only arrive at an approved entry point, quarantine for 7 days in a suitable premises or government-managed facility AND have a rapid antigen test or PCR test on days 1 and 5 after arrival.

If you’re coming from a high or low-risk area, go for your life.

Getting into Victoria

Good for you, Vic, you have zero conditions of entry. Anyone interstate regardless of departure location or vax status can enter freely, so long as you haven’t been overseas in the past 14 days.

Getting into NSW

NSW is also letting everyone cross their borders with no entry requirements, unless you’ve visited what they’re calling “affected areas” or “areas of concern” in other states.

If you have visited an affected area in the past 14 days you must complete a NSW entry declaration within 24 hours immediately before you enter NSW.

If you have visited an area of concern you must complete a NSW entry declaration within 24 hours immediately before you enter NSW. After entry you must immediately self-isolate until it has been 14 days since you visited the area of concern (or the area of concern is revoked). You must follow the reasonable excuse to leave rules, such as getting food, travelling for work or education, moving house or exercise.

If you are a close contact and you are fully vaccinated, you are permitted to enter NSW and you must self-isolate until it has been seven days since you were last at the place of high concern.

If you’re considered a casual contact, you have to present a negative PCR test result before you board your flight.

Getting into ACT

There are no longer any restrictions on interstate travel to the ACT! Woo! Unless you’re literally isolating with COVID or as a close contact so obviously follow the rules in your own state.

Getting into SA

There are no longer entry requirements for interstate travellers coming to South Australia, unless you have COVID, in which case you cannot enter.

Getting into NT

All fully vaccinated travellers are permitted to enter the state, provided they complete a Border Entry Form before arriving, follow the testing regime and download the G2G Now app

You can travel anywhere in the Northern Territory except to excluded communities within 14 days of your arrival to the NT.

Unvaccinated travellers are not permitted.

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