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The stay-at-home order imposed on residents of Sydney’s North Beaches was reinstated after the conclusion of the Christmas festivities, some of which have left authorities furious.
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Hundreds of backpackers gathered at Bronte Beach with no social distancing in sight. Source: 1 NEWS
The Covid-19 outbreak hasn’t stopped some revelers from gathering in large groups.
The NSW police have condemned a series of outdoor parties held in Byron Bay that exceeded the 100-person limit for outdoor gatherings.
Police dispersed large crowds gathered in Apex Park on Christmas Eve and Christmas.
They also broke up an “illegally organized party” in the National Park area in Tyagarah around midnight on Boxing Day, NSW police said in a statement Sunday morning.
A large gathering moved from Apex Park early Sunday morning.
Approximately 300 people also gathered on Main Beach and Belongil Beach early Sunday morning. Those parties were closed.
Police say about 200 people were dispersed, stereos were seized and 73 tickets were issued.
Tweed / Byron Police District Commander Superintendent David Roptell said Christmas and New Years celebrations had to be safe against COVID.
“This year is very different, there will be no big rallies, there will be no dances in the park. Social distancing is the new normal, and we all have to do our bit to stop the spread,” he said.
In Sydney, police were called in on Christmas afternoon to help break up a large crowd in a park in the eastern suburbs of Bronte.
“It is absolutely appalling to see what was clearly a group of people, a large gathering of people, who gave a damn about the rest of Sydney,” New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters.
“That event, I hope, does not become a high-profile event.”
With the reinstatement of the restrictions, more people will also have to isolate themselves, with new alerts issued for places in North Sydney, the inner west of the city, Centennial Park, North Beaches and some public transport services.
NSW recorded nine new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. Friday, out of nearly 40,000 tests. Eight of them were connected to the group of 116 northern beaches.
After a three-day reprieve for small indoor Christmas gatherings, the northern beaches have since Sunday returned to restrictions that exclude indoor gatherings.
But outdoor gatherings of up to five people are allowed on the northern tip of the peninsula, as well as outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people on the southern tip.
People cannot enter or leave the local government area.
For the rest of Sydney, as well as Wollongong, the central coast and the Blue Mountains, restrictions for private gatherings of 10 people apply again.
NSW Health released a new list of COVID-19 alerts for public transportation locations and routes on Saturday night.
Several locations in Sydney’s inner west are on the list, including a Thai restaurant and post office in Balmain, a Rozelle cafe, and a Greek restaurant in Drummoyne.
Some clients of the Cibo Café in North Sydney are now considered close contacts and will have to isolate themselves for 14 days.
A playground in Centennial Park and several locations on the North Beaches also have alerts. Also take two trips on December 17 on the B1-1 bus route between Mona Vale and Wynyard.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the rules for New Year’s Eve would be announced on December 30.
