Queensland opens up intrastate travel but borders to stay closed

The Queensland Government has announced an easing of its Coronavirus restrictions to allow Queenslanders to travel to most places in the state.

However, the easing of restrictions does not extend to the opening of all of the state's borders.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today announced that as of 1st June, Queenslanders will be able to undertake unlimited travel including overnight stays throughout the entire state.

Suggesting that the easing of intrastate travel restrictions – by road, rail and air within Queensland – would come well in time for the next school holidays and would significantly kick-start the state’s tourism industry, Premier Palaszczuk noted that the easing of travel restrictions was in advance of planned move to Stage Two of the Roadmap to easing Queensland’s Restrictions originally scheduled for 12th June.

Under the updated plan, there will also be a further easing of restrictions at pubs, cafes and restaurants.

Premier Palaszczuk commented "the only reason we are able to move forward with our planned Stage Two ahead of the original June 12 date is because Queenslanders have listened to the advice, acted on that advice and done an outstanding job of helping to smash the COVID-19 curve.

"Queenslanders will now be able to rediscover their state, travelling for as many nights as they like.

“This will go a long way toward giving our critical tourism industry a welcome boost after adhering to the necessary restrictions we were forced to impose and I encourage Queenslanders to take advantage of the easing of rules around intrastate travel.”

In response to the easing of travel restrictions, Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive, Mark Olsen said the North Queensland economy was losing $91 million each week that domestic travel.

Olsen advised "the tourism economy in North Queensland is worth $6.4 billion annually, supports 37,400 direct jobs and accounts for 25% of the state’s tourism economic impact despite having only 15% of the population."

Image: The Sunshine Coast's Glasshouse Mountains.