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Where can I travel in Australia as restrictions ease?

An up-to-date guide on where you can go and what you can do as travel restrictions due to coronavirus ease

Stephanie Yip
Stephanie Yip

Updated . What changed?

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Intrastate and interstate restrictions across Australia are constantly being changed.

So, where can you go and what can you do right now? We've laid out each state's current domestic travel restrictions so you get it right.

Which state do you live in?

New South Wales

Intrastate travel is permitted and borders are open with all states and territories. Restrictions in place for the Northern Beaches residents. Click for more.

New South Wales

Victoria

Intrastate travel is allowed and borders are open with all states and territories except for certain NSW zones.

Victoria

South Australia

Borders are open to all states and territories except for New South Wales. Click for full details.

South Australia

Tasmania

Borders are open to all states and territories. Restrictions in place for Northern Beaches and Greater Sydney residents. Click here for more.

Tasmania

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is open to all Australians, except those from the City of Sydney and its surrounding suburbs. Here's where you can go and what you can do in the NT.

Northern Territory

Queensland

Borders to the Sunshine State are open to all of Australia, except Greater Sydney. All regional travel is permitted.

Queensland

Western Australia

Regional travel is allowed and state borders are open to all except NSW and Victoria. Find out more here.

Western Australia

Canberra and the ACT

Regional travel is permitted and borders are open to all states and territories. Quarantine is required for select local government areas in Sydney.

Canberra and the ACT

Which borders are open?

The domestic travel rules and regulations are changing constantly. The latest border statuses are below:

Interactive map courtesy of Tourism Australia.

StateBorder statusWho can enter without restrictions?Do I need a permit?More information
Australian Capital TerritoryOpenAll states and territories except select Sydney suburbs.No, everyone may enter freely except South Australians who must fill in a delcaration before entering.ACT Government website
New South WalesOpenAll states and territories.Everyone may enter freely except those from Sydney's northern beaches.NSW Government website
Northern TerritoryPartially openAll states and territories except Sydney hotspots.Yes, all arrivals must complete a border entry formNorthern Territory Government website
QueenslandPartially openAll states and territories, except Sydney's northern beaches and Greater Sydney.Arrivals from hotspots must complete a border declaration passQueensland Government website
South AustraliaPartially openAll states and territories, except New South Wales and Greater Brisbane.All eligible visitors must fill out a Cross Border Travel RegistrationSouth Australia Government website
TasmaniaPartially openAll states and territories, except Sydney's northern beaches and Greater Sydney.All eligible visitors must complete a G2G passTasmania Government website
VictoriaPartially openAll states and territories, except select areas of NSW.All visitors need to apply for a permit Victoria Government website
Western AustraliaPartially openOpen to all states and territories except NSW and Victoria.All visitors must present a G2G passWestern Australia Government website

Key domestic border opening dates

Borders to Victoria are closed due to rising COVID-19 cases. If you enter Victoria you will likely have to quarantine when you return home.

Future border openings and closures for other states, territories and destinations that have been announced are below:

  • 6pm on 18 January: Victoria removes travel restrictions on Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains and Wollongong regions that are NOT in the red zone. Current red zone localities are Blacktown City, Burwood, Canada Bay City, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield City, Inner West, Liverpool City, Parramatta City and Strathfield Municipality.

Previous key dates for domestic travel

  • 3pm on 12 January: Travel restrictions from NSW to Canberra reduced to 11 local government areas. These are Northern Beaches, Blacktown, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Inner West, Liverpool, Parramatta and Strathfield.
  • 11:59pm on 1 January: Travellers from New South Wales are banned from entering Victoria.
  • 31 December: Travellers from Greater Sydney are banned from entering the Northern Territory from midnight.
  • 31 December: Travellers from Victoria are banned from entering Western Australia from midnight.
  • 31 December: Travellers from New South Wales are banned from entering South Australia from 12:01am, 1 January 2021.
  • 21 December: Greater Sydney residents must enter a 14-day quarantine upon entry in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania. Queensland and Victoria have shut their borders to Sydney residents. The Northern Territory is placing any travellers from the Northern beaches into quarantine for the 14-day period.
  • 17 and 18 December: Western Australia closes its borders to NSW. Queensland, Victoria, the NT, ACT and Tasmania have imposed a 14 day quarantine on Sydney's northern beaches and Greater Sydney residents.
  • 3 December: Tasmania reopens its borders to South Australia.
  • 8 December: Western Australia reopens its borders to NSW and Victoria.
  • 27 November: Tasmania opens its borders to Victorians.
  • 1 December: The South Australia/Victoria border reopens.
  • 1 December: The Queensland/NSW border reopens.
  • 23 November: The Victoria/NSW border reopens.
  • 11:59pm 19 November: Victoria imposes hard border on South Australia for 48-hours. A permit system will be in place from 11:59pm on 21 November to only allow exempt travellers
  • 17 and 18 November: Queensland and Western Australia re-close their borders to South Australians following new cases.
  • 16 November: Tasmania and the Northern Territory re-closes its borders to South Australians following new cases.
  • 14 November: Western Australia's border reopens to Queensland, Tasmania, Northern Territory, ACT and Tasmania. All visitors will be screened for COVID-19 before being allowed to enter.
  • 11.59pm 8 November: The border between Metro Melbourne and Regional Victoria has been removed, allowing for full intrastate travel.
  • 6 November: Tasmania's borders reopen to NSW.
  • 3 November: Queensland borders reopen to NSW, except those from Greater Sydney.
  • 2 November: Northern Territory borders reopen to regional Victoria, pending low COVID case numbers.
  • 26 October: Tasmania reopens its borders to the ACT, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
  • 9 October: Northern Territory borders reopen to Greater Sydney, pending low COVID case numbers.
  • 3 October: Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island for domestic tourism from other cities in New South Wales and from the ACT.
  • 24 September: South Australia reopens borders with New South Wales.
  • 25 September: Queensland reopens borders with the ACT.
  • 16 September: South Australia reopens borders to the ACT.
  • 19 August: Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein announces Tasmania extends border closure until 1 December.
  • 13-17 August: ACT residents travelling home from Victoria are cleared to travel by road via Wodonga only. Crossings must be made between 9am and 11.30am to ensure their return to the ACT by 3pm.
  • 3 August: Tasmania reconsiders opening its borders to Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory on 7 August. The state will remain closed until 31 August.
  • 1am on 8 August: Queensland closes its borders to all of NSW and the ACT. This is on top of its current border closure to Victoria and Greater Sydney.
  • 1 August: Queensland borders close to anyone from Greater Sydney. All arrivals from this date onward will need to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days at their own expense. Queensland's borders are currently also closed to Victorians.
  • 9 July: South Australia closes its borders to Victoria. The only exceptions are South Australians returning home and essential travellers. The state has no set date on when it'll open up to NSW, ACT and Victoria. For now, NSW and ACT travellers who do enter must self-quarantine for 14 days.
  • 7 July: NSW closes its borders to Victoria.
  • 6 July: Canberra closes its borders to Victoria.

Dates are correct as at 21 December 2020.

Frequently asked questions about the domestic travel restrictions in Australia

When will domestic travel resume in Australia?

Domestic travel has very much resumed with most borders having reopened. The goal is for all of Australia reopen in time for Christmas.

At the present, NSW is the only state that has its borders completely open to the rest of Australia. However due to clusters arising in December many states have imposed border restrictions on parts or all of the state.

When will international travel resume?

New Zealand is expected to be the first international destination that Australians will be allowed to travel to. For now, New Zealanders can travel to New South Wales, the ACT, the Northern Territory and Victoria without needing to quarantine upon arrival in Australia. This is only a one-way agreement and Australians aren't yet permitted to travel to New Zealand. Because of this, quarantine is required upon return to New Zealand.

It's planned that the trans-Tasman travel bubble will open in early 2021.

International travel is still banned for Australians.

Are there any rules or regulations I should expect when travelling?

Travelling in a post-COVID environment is quite different to travelling during normal times.

You can expect venues, restaurants and attractions to have COVIDSafe measures in place. This may include having to provide your contact details to the venue, mandatory sanitisation, physical distancing measures such as spaced out tables and contactless payments, and the need to pre-book tickets. Yes, even if the entry is free. This is generally to comply with current maximum gathering limits.

For a full list of what you can expect per state, check out the guides above.

Will I be covered by domestic travel insurance during the coronavirus pandemic?

Yes, you can still get domestic travel insurance, but if you need to claim anything that's directly impacted you due to coronavirus (i.e. you got sick while travelling interstate and have needed to self-isolate where you are or your flight has been cancelled due to border closures), you won't be covered.

Can I visit beaches?

Yes. Beaches around Australia are open. However, due to social distancing there may be restrictions regarding what you can and can't do on them.

Beaches may also be patrolled and some closed once they reach their maximum capacity limits.

Check with your state or the specific beach for full details.

Can I visit amusement and theme parks?

Yes. Most states, including Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia have been given permission to reopen their theme parks. Some of Australia's top theme parks including Dreamworld, Seaworld and Movie World on the Gold Coast have all re-opened.

Can I visit my holiday home?

Yes. All states and territories currently allow you to visit your private holiday home or shack.

The exception is if you are living in a hotspot and have been placed under lockdown in which case you are not permitted to travel to your holiday home.

Can I go camping?

Yes. All states and territories now allow camping, with restrictions attached. Generally communal facilities such as kitchens and showers are closed, so if you don't have a self-contained vehicle you may want to consider booking a cabin.

Gathering limits apply.

If you live in a hotspot and are in lockdown you are not permitted to go camping as it is a non-essential activity.

Check with your state for a full list of permissions.

Can I stay in hotels?

Yes. All states now allow you to stay in hotels, hostels and other accommodation as long as you're not in quarantine or lockdown.

To keep in line with social distancing, any communal facilities such as dining rooms, gyms and swimming pools in hotels, and kitchens and bathrooms in hostels, may be restricted or closed.

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