ONE HOUR TO TRAVEL 600M AT BORDER
FRUSTRATED motorists faced delays of more than an hour and a half on Friday as the reality of the NSW-Queensland border closure set in.
One driver reported that they “only moved 600m in an hour”.
One tradie told the Bulletin he had waited an hour and 45 minutes before giving up and calling a friend to meet him on the NSW side of the border. “I couldn’t afford to wait any longer.”
Some motorists resorted to parking and walking across the divide to be picked up by friends.
Temporary police checkpoints at the border were to be replaced with a concrete structure overnight.
Gold Coast’s Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman expected the concrete barriers on the M1 and Gold Coast Highway would be installed by 5am Saturday. Police will work to set up another two border checkpoints – at Miles and Dixon streets – in the coming days, depending on police resources.
Supt Wildman urged motorists to check they had completed the correct border pass and had it printed out and displayed to ease delays at the border.
“If you are coming from a hot zone in NSW or another jurisdiction, you cannot drive into Queensland,” he said.
“You need to get on a plane, complete your border pass and fly into Queensland …. If you’re eligible to remain in Queensland – such as a Queensland resident – then you will be required to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days.”
Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski urged motorists to be patient at the border in the wake of the sudden closure.
He said police intercepted 1416 vehicles at the border on Thursday, four of which were turned around. One person was placed in hotel quarantine.
He said 1220 people were processed at domestic air borders, 15 people were refused entry and 100 people went into hotel quarantine. 170 international travellers were processed, but Mr Gollschewski did not indicate any noncompliance from the overseas travellers.
On Thursday, 270 heavy vehicles were intercepted, 23 did not have the correct border passes and six had travelled from a hotspot.
Three penalty infringement notices were issued.