Tasmania to roll out welcome mat for Kiwis

A view of Hobart from Mount Wellington in Tasmania. Photo: Getty
A view of Hobart from Mount Wellington in Tasmania. Photo: Getty
Travellers from New Zealand will be allowed to enter Tasmania without having to quarantine when the island state reopens to low-risk Covid-19 states and territories.

Tasmania will on Monday open to Australian jurisdictions, apart from Victoria and New South Wales, for the first time since March.

Premier Peter Gutwein announced on Friday the state would also welcome Kiwi visitors who, because Tasmania does not have an international airport, will need to travel to mainland Australia first.

All arrivals on planes or the Bass Strait ferry will be screened for coronavirus and anyone showing symptoms will forced to take a test and quarantine.

The state could open to NSW on November 2 and Victoria "in the coming weeks" if Covid-19 figures are favourable, State Public Health Director Mark Veitch said.

The Tasmanian government has released a guide for outdoor events which could pave the way for sizeable crowds at summer Big Bash League cricket fixtures and the Sydney to Hobart.

The BBL has yet to lock in its schedule but there are rumours Tasmania could be used as a hub.

Under the three-level framework, events with multiple areas could host up to 10,000 people while free-moving outdoor events could cater for 2500.

The state government says the framework will be implemented from December, with further details to be revealed next week.

The island state's last recorded coronavirus case was 70 days ago.

Tasmania's state of emergency won't continue beyond October 26 but the public health emergency will remain in place.

Add a Comment