Any Illawarra or South Coast residents who were hoping to get away to Queensland in the next few weeks will be forced to cancel their plans, as the northern state announced it will close its border to all of NSW and the ACT from Saturday.
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the border closures, which will take effect from 1am August 8, in a press conference on Wednesday morning.
It comes after the state branded greater Sydney, including outer areas like Wollondilly, as hot spots and banned travel from that area last month.
Under the earlier ban, other residents were still allowed to travel to Queensland, and could transit through Sydney airport to get there, however now all visitors from NSW and the ACT will be denied entry.
There will be limited exemptions, such as freight and border town residents.
Returning residents will be forced to undergo 14 days in hotel quarantine at their own expense.
Ms Palaszczuk told reporters the decision had come as a result of health advice and would take effect from 1am on Saturday.
"The situation in Victoria hasn't improved as we hoped and I'm not waiting for New South Wales to get any worse," she wrote on Twitter.
"I will not risk our state's economic recovery by allowing COVID to spread."
The ACT has had no active cases since July 31, and NSW recorded 12 new coronavirus cases yesterday.
The Illawarra currently has five active cases, according to the latest Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District figures.